Miami’s Glass Sky Mansion!

Miami’s Glass Sky Mansion!

Miami's Glass Sky Mansion!

Must SeeTop 10 Florida Condos For Sale

Miami is no stranger to cutting-edge, avant-garde architecture. Known for years as a cultural melting pot and America’s southernmost gateway to the world, it has brought star architects from around the world and like-minded developers together for decades. Long after the original Art Deco period in South Beach, the next colorful and avant-garde architectural statement came in 1963 when the Bacardi Rum family fled Cuba and re-established their headquarters on Biscayne Boulevard, building the stunning Bacardi Building with its brilliant blue and white tile design up its tall sides. Then came Arquitectonica who infused new life into Brickell Avenue where Old Florida mansions once graced the bayfront overlooking Key Biscayne. The new Arquitectonica highrises were boldly colorful with what some thought "shocking" design such as large openings in the middle as seen every week on the opening segment of NBC’s Miami Vice. But one of Arquitectonica’s Brickell highrise condo buildings, the Palace, had a secret. On its 40th floor rooftop was a glamorous three-story glass condo with a terrace that encompassed the entire roof and 360-degree views over Key Biscayne, the Miami Skyline, West and South Miami and the Atlantic beyond Biscayne Bay.

Completed in 1981, the glass condo was immediately grabbed by Leona "Queen of Mean" Helmsley. Always seeking the best for herself, Leona was well practiced in knowing a great piece of real estate when she saw it, and this one she had to have. But just before she and hubby moved in, Saudi Sheik Saoud Al-Shaalan made an offer to Leona, and if there was anything she loved better than superb real estate, it was a big profit. She took the Sheik’s offer and happily went off on her next spending spree.

The Sheik brought in 27 Moroccan craftsmen and in two years had turned it into a romantically exotic blend of Persian, Turkish and Indian style inspired by the Taj Majal. Unfortunately Sheik Al-Shaalan so rarely had the opportunity to visit his creation that the only thing to do was sell it, which he did in 1999 to international real estate developer and antique weapons collector, Anthony Tirri. But as Tirri’s type tend to do, he moved on to remodel an 1135 French chateau and now Miami’s Taj Majal is up for sale.

At 5,801 square feet, the Palace’s sky palace has six bedrooms, five baths, with lavish details of mosaic tile, carving and plaster work throughout. Designed for grand entertaining, the massive great room is large enough to hold any fund raiser in ultimate style and on the west-south side is a huge greenhouse-sunroom, which offers an additional venue for entertaining or sitting back to enjoy the sun and fragrance of the potted citrus blooms. For more information.

Wonderfully eccentric, luxurious and romantic with jaw-dropping views, the home on top of Miami’s Palace condominium is for sale, priced at $3.2 million.

Source: www.1541brickellave-a4000.com