User:Casacarby/sandbox

Casa Carby

Casa Carby is a historic home in the heart of Miami that was built in 1924 (1). The elegant 2-story was one of the first homes to grace 72nd Street (originally designated as 71st Terrace until 1932) in the Bayside Historic District (2). Casa Carby is situated on a double-lot; land that included a former avocado grove. The home is surrounded by various trees from a bygone era: majestic Royal Poinciana, Brazilian Orchid and various native palms. Just steps away from Biscayne Bay (3), Casa Carby has played gracious residence to a number of illustrious owners and guests for close to a century.

History - First Owners

The Bayside Historic District reflects the formative years of the early 1900s through the mid 1940s (4). Once a part of the pioneer settlement of Lemon City (5), Bayside contains the oldest intact community in Northeast Miami. From its onset, Bayside was the home of many prominent residents who played significant roles in the business life of Miami. The first owner of now Casa Carby, was J. Philip Herrmann and his wife Margaret Herrmann who purchased the land and home in 1924 (6). J. Philip Herrmann was a political analyst and member of the Gridiron Club (Washington DC) (7); one of the most prestigious journalistic organizations in Washington, D.C. Philip and his wife can be called one of Miami’s first snowbirds as they traveled between D.C. and Miami during the seasons. Aside from living a distinguished life (he dined with Woodrow Wilson in 1916), J. Philip Herrmann’s worldview was quite progressive having sent both his daughters to Swarthmore College in a time when women were expected to stay home and get married. Hermann was later thanked in kind by his daughters. The J. Philip Herrmann Scholarship was established in 1983 by Katharine F. Herrmann ’14 and Margaret Herrmann Ball ’24 in honor of their father (8). In 1934, J. Philip Hermann and his wife sold the home to Henrietta A. Dorner, a single heiress and returned to Washington D.C. permanently (9).

History - The Neighborhood of Bayside

In 1909, William B. and Fred C. Miller (not related) subdivided a seven-acre bay-front lot on today's N.E. 68th Street. The Millers had come to Florida in the late 1880s from Elmira, New York and had developed Elmira Farms near Arch Creek (10). Their new subdivision was named Elmira, and oolitic limestone gates announced the entrance to the new community.

While much of what was Lemon City has been engulfed by later developments, Elmira has remained virtually intact. Although many of its houses have deteriorated, and newer buildings have been added, the street retains much of its early character. Elmira is characterized by its excellent collection of Frame Vernacular buildings, many of which were inspired by Northern architectural styles. The Elmira Club at 742 N.E. 68th Street, for example, Dutch Colonial Revival influences, while other houses display classical details. The majority of houses were constructed in the 1910s.

The Acadia subdivision was platted in 1915 by the Realty Securities Corporation George E. Merrick. Although the subdivision evokes the memory of Longfellow with such names as Acadian Way, Evangeline Circle, Tropical Trail, and Druid Walk, the houses developed here are distinctly Mediterranean Revival in influence. This is due perhaps to the fact that only two houses were constructed prior to 1925. Development took off during the Boom years of the mid 1920s, however, when Wykoff and Estes Builders constructed an outstanding cluster of large, two-story Mediterranean Revival style houses near the eastern end of NE 70th Street.

The last subdivision to be subdivided was Washington Place, which was also developed between 1925 and the mid 1940s. Samuel J. Prescott, who platted the subdivision in 1925, had constructed his own winter home at 7101 N.E. 10th Avenue some years before. The house, until demolished a few years ago remained one of the last intact bayfront estates in Northeast Miami. The estate once featured a recreational golf course for residents and guests. Prescott was founder of the firm of Samuel J. Prescott Co., Inc., building contractors, which developed several significant buildings in downtown Washington, D.C. Prescott was chairman of the board of the Second National Bank of Washington, D.C., president of the Master Builders Association, the Builders and Manufacturers Exchange, and the Prescott Farms Company of New Hampshire.

The Bayside Historic District remains as an intact, cohesive neighborhood. Despite the number of post-1941 buildings, Bayside retains a high level of historic and architectural integrity.

The Upper East Side Miami

Casa Carby is located in the area coined “Upper East Side” in Miami, Florida (11). The Upper East Side is primarily a residential neighborhood, composed largely of historic single-family homes from the 1920s, with Biscayne Boulevard running along the center of the neighborhood with mid-rise and high-rise office towers, hotels, and apartments. The MiMo Historic District runs along Biscayne Boulevard, and includes a large number of MiMo hotels from the 1950s and 1960s , that have been preserved, and have recently begun to be renovated, and turned into boutique stores (Rebel and Fly Boutique Vintage) and great restaurants (Michy's, Blue Collar, Ni.Do and Anise Taverna) and of course, not to be missed for breakfast, Jimmy’s East Side Diner. This former haunt of late Bee Gees singer Maurice Gibb, is a favorite among many locals and non-locals alike (12).

Miami Modern Architecture

Miami Modernist Architecture or better known as MiMo, is a style of architecture from the 1950s and 1960s that originated in Miami, Florida as a resort vernacular unique to Miami and Miami Beach. It was a popular response to the various modernist and post world war architectural movements that were taking place in other parts of the world, adding glamour, fun, and material excess to otherwise stark, minimalist, and efficient styles. Miami Modernism was heavily concentrated in Middle and Upper Miami Beach along Collins Avenue, as well as, along the Biscayne Boulevard corridor starting from around Midtown, through the Design District and into the Upper Eastside.

Today, the area along Biscayne Boulevard, near Casa Carby, is the designated MiMo Biscayne Boulevard Historic District or also known as "MiMo on BiBo" (13), for "Miami Modern on Biscayne Boulevard". MiMo Historic District runs roughly from 50th Street to 77th Street along Biscayne Boulevard, although MiMo can be found heavily in the Design District and Midtown. Many annual festivals are held to promote MiMo architecture, such as "Cinco de MiMo" a play on "Cinco de Mayo" in early May.

Experience Casa Carby

From the moment you step inside Casa Carby you are transported into a serene state of mind. The floor to ceiling French doors and windows along the home, welcomes an abundance of natural light inside along with the beauty of Mother Nature. The open layout allows energy to ebb and flow with ease. Exhale your stress and worries and unwind in modern comfort. Enjoy your morning among wild parrots, hummingbirds and giant Monarch butterflies (attracted to the many varieties of flowers in the garden). Take a stroll down to the sparking edge of Biscayne Bay and catch the pelicans feeding their young or record wild dolphins at play.

Casa Carby is nestled deep inside Historic Bayside, a natural environment that is home to many of the Florida's famed birds from the Red Headed Woodpecker, Ruby Throated Hummingbird, Blue Jays to Sparrows, Finches, Cardinals, Egrets and Owls. Experience Casa Carby, the ideal sanctuary for flora, fauna and humans alike (14).

References

1. 1925 Plat Book of the City of Miami- Five completed houses with detached garages shown in as yet unplatted parcel owned by Washington Place Development. October date is based on inclusion of Belle Meade Plat immediately to the north since it was approved and recorded in October 1925. Location of one of these houses appears to coincide with Lot 33./ Sanborn Map Company Volume 4 Page 348 of Miami, updated as of November 1948
2. http://www.historicpreservationmiami.com/pdfs/BaysideHD_DesignationReport.pdf
3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09.
4. ^ ^ South Florida Business Journal - February 23, 2004
5. The Miami Herald- February, 9, 2012
6. Deed Book 1512 Page 278 of the Records of Dade County/
7. Gridiron Club 1916- The I-Did-It-Club
8. J. Philip Herrmann Scholarship 1983
9. Miami City Directory 1925-35
10. http://www.historicpreservationmiami.com/pdfs/MorningsideHD_DesignationReport.pdf
11. Neighborhood Enhancement Team Profile
12. "Demographics of Belle Meade, Miami, FL.". city-data. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
13. "Demographics of Upper Eastside Miami, FL.". miamigov.com. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
14. Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser's web site, sales information for 790 N.E. 72nd Street/ Deed Book 4021 page 67 of the records of Dade County