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26-469: From 1954 to 1962, Stanley Whitman travelled around the United States, studying shopping centers. In 1957, Whitman acquired the site for $ 2 per square foot, then a record price for retail property. It was the site of a former United States Army barracks and World War II prisoner-of-war camp . He built a non-traditional open-air shopping mall due to the tropical climate and seaside location across

52-558: A 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m) church on a site on Kane Concourse in Bay Harbor Islands that had been a car dealership. In January 2013, Bal Harbour Shops announced an equity partnership with Swire Properties to jointly develop the 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m) retail component of Brickell CityCentre in downtown Miami. In 2017, a $ 550 million enhancement plan was approved to add 241,600 square feet (22,450 m) of new retail space and restaurants to Bal Harbour Shops with

78-511: A completion date of 2024. Stanley Whitman Stanley Whitman (November 15, 1918 - May 24, 2017) was an American real estate developer best known for developing Bal Harbour Shops , an open-air shopping mall in  Bal Harbour, Florida , a suburb of  Miami Beach, Florida . Whitman also helped to incorporate Bal Harbour Village, at the north end of the Miami Beach barrier island, in 1946. Stanley Finch Whitman

104-418: A department store at the center. In 1976, Saks Fifth Avenue opened a department store at the center. In 1977, Gucci opened a store at the center. By 1987, it realized sales of $ 1,000 per square foot. In 1982, Bal Harbour Shops was the first shopping center planned for vertical expansion to add 100,000 square feet (9,300 m) of retail space on Level 2. In 1983, a second level was added. Overall sales at

130-613: A fleet of submarine chasers . He was honorably discharged in 1945. After the war, he helped to incorporate the Bal Harbour Village. Whitman was influenced by the peak glamour of Lincoln Road in the 1920s – the so-called "Fifth Avenue of the South" at that time – Whitman envisioned "Lincoln Road North" – a theater of shopping featuring the most luxury brands for the world's most affluent shoppers on 96th and Collins Avenue . In 1951, The Broad Causeway opened providing better access to

156-469: A heart failure on November 25, 1936, at the age of 77. His mother, Leona, sold the Chicago printing business and invested most of the proceeds into Florida real estate, including properties on Lincoln Road and mid-Miami Beach oceanfront properties. At Duke, Whitman met his future wife, Dottie Stivers. After graduating during World War II , he served as a U.S. Navy officer, based in Miami Beach, overseeing

182-594: A lucrative investment once World War II started and the U.S. government used Miami as a training ground for 100,000 soldiers that required basic living space. With his earnings, he bought out his partners and went on to purchase four more hotels including the Cornell and the Atlantis. In 1949, he partnered with Harry Mufson and opened the Sans Souci Hotel designed by Morris Lapidus . In 1952, Novack and Mufson purchased

208-578: A private club; there would be no supermarkets, convenience stores or discount stores. Shoppers were even required to pay for parking – although parking was discounted with validation from any of the shops. On November 26, 1965, the shopping center opened with stores including FAO Schwarz , Abercrombie & Fitch and Martha's, considered one of the most influential international women’s salons hosting fashion shows with designers Valentino and Oscar de la Renta , both of whom would later open boutiques at BHS. In 1971, Neiman Marcus opened as an anchor tenant at

234-1096: A second level was added. Overall sales rose from $ 1,000 per square foot in 1997, 5 times the national average, to $ 2,000 per square foot in 2008, and to $ 3,000 per square foot in 2015, and $ 3,400 per square foot through the end of the first quarter of 2022. In 2012, the International Council of Shopping Centers named Bal Harbour Shops the world's top-producing shopping center, based on annual sales per square foot. Notable retailers and restaurants include Salvatore Ferragamo , Alexander McQueen , Audemars Piguet , Balenciaga , Balmain , Bottega Veneta , Brioni , Bvlgari , Chanel , Chloé , Chopard , Dolce & Gabbana , Fendi , Golden Goose , Goyard , Graff , Gucci , Harry Winston , James Perse, Missoni , Miu Miu , Prada , Richard Mille , Rolex , Saint Laurent , Stella McCartney , Tiffany & Co. , Tod's , Van Cleef & Arpels , Versace , Zegna , Zimmermann , Makoto, Le Zoo, Carpaccio and Hillstone. The anchor stores are Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue . In 2012,

260-583: A son, Randall, Chairman of Whitman Family Development; a daughter, Gwen Whitman Lazenby; a grandson, Matthew Whitman Lazenby, President and CEO; three other grandchildren; and three great-grandsons. Ben Novack Ben Novack (1907–1985) was an American hotelier who developed the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel. Novack was born to a Jewish family, the son of Sadie and Hyman Novick. He had three older siblings: Miriam (born 1903), Joseph (born 1904), and Lillian (born 1905). His father

286-552: The Harvey Firestone mansion for $ 2.3 million; the partnership soon collapsed after Novack deceived Mufson and set about to have himself as the sole owner on the deed. Novack raised additional funds from a diverse range of investors including Ben Jaffe and mobsters Sam Giancana and Joseph Fischetti ; he again used Morris Lapidus as the architect. In 1954, the 1,250-room Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel opened. Steve Wynn (who would marry Novack's great-niece) commented that

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312-658: The $ 550 million enhancement plan was approved to add 241,600 square feet (22,450 m ) of new retail space and restaurants to Bal Harbour Shops with a completion date of 2024. Whitman served the Bal Harbour community as president of the Bal Harbour Rotary Club, head of the Bal Harbour Resort Tax Committee and as an active member of the Interama Chamber of Commerce. He served as Chairman of

338-708: The Board of the Miami Dade Water and Sewage Authority, and Chairman of the South Florida Highway Users Federation. In 1972, the Interana Chamber of Commerce named Whitman its Man of the Year . In the 1990s, Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas honored Whitman "for contributions which serve to enrich the fabric of the community." Whitman made contributions to his community by supporting charities such as

364-783: The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis and the University of Miami 's Miller School's Project: New Born. In 2013, Whitman received the Urban Land Institute Lifetime Achievement Award. In recognition of his philanthropy and civic engagement, Miami-Dade County recognized "Stanley F. Whitman Day" in 1998 and The Village of Bal Harbour followed suit in 2015. In 2016, Whitman received the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award. Whitman married Dottie Stivers, who died in 2008. He had

390-630: The Fontainebleau created the concept of the hotel as a show. His estranged partner, Mufson, would go on to build the Eden Roc Miami Beach Hotel immediately to the north of the Fontainebleau also using Lapidus as architect. In 1977, the Fontainebleau filed for Federal bankruptcy protection. In 1978, Stephen Muss bought the Fontainebleau for $ 27 million. In 2005, Muss sold the Fontainebleau to Donald Soffer 's, Turnberry Associates for $ 165 million. Novack married twice. His first wife

416-531: The Whitman family struck a land swap deal with Church by the Sea to further expand Bal Harbour Shops by over 200,000 square feet. Bal Harbour Shops agreed to build a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m ) church. In January 2013, Bal Harbour Shops announced an equity partnership with Swire Properties to jointly develop the 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m ) retail component of Brickell CityCentre in downtown Miami. In 2017,

442-609: The first hotel built on Miami Beach after the 1926 Miami Hurricane . In 1930, Leona became a founding member of the exclusive Surf Club. In the 1950s, she sold the property that later became Fontainebleau Miami Beach to Ben Novack . Whitman and his brothers, Bill and Dudley, were raised in a single-family home on the oceanfront side of Collins Avenue at 32nd Street, the current site of the Faena Hotel Miami Beach . He graduated from Ida M. Fischer High School, and enrolled at Duke University in 1936. Whitman's father died of

468-402: The mainland and bringing motorists directly to 96th Street; nearby luxury hotels were sprouting quickly, most notably the 467-room Americana in 1956, created by Bob Tisch and Larry Tisch. In 1957, Whitman acquired the future Bal Harbour Shops location, 16 acres of land on the corner of 96th and Collins Avenue, for $ 2 per square foot, then a record price for retail property. Some critics at

494-553: The north end of the Bal Harbour Shops complex – its first store ever outside of Texas.[6] In November 1976, Saks Fifth Avenue opened a 75,000 square foot store to anchor the southern end of the Bal Harbour Shops complex. Early European Designer store openings included Yves Saint Laurent , Gucci , Cartier , Versace and Chanel . In 1982, Bal Harbour Shops was the first shopping center planned for vertical expansion to add 100,000 square feet of retail space on Level 2. In 1983,

520-401: The shopping center rose from $ 1,000 per square foot in 1997, five times the national average, to $ 1,350 per square foot in 2002, $ 2,000 per square foot in 2008, $ 2,730 per square foot in 2012, and $ 3,000 per square foot in 2015. In 2022, shopping mall had sales of $ 3,400 per square foot. In 2012, the Whitman family struck a land swap deal with Church by the Sea. Bal Harbour Shops agreed to build

546-470: The store also failed after he had a falling out with his partner. In 1940, Novack and his wife moved to Miami Beach with $ 1,800 they had from liquidating his clothing stores assets. At the time, Miami Beach was thriving despite the Great Depression thanks to it having become the winter playground of the rich. He raised additional funds and purchased the 111-room Monroe Towers Hotel which turned into

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572-775: The street from the Atlantic Ocean . At first, Whitman hired architect Victor Gruen , but then fired him and hired Herb Johnson, based in Miami. The shopping center opened in 1965, with the inaugural collection of stores including FAO Schwarz , Abercrombie & Fitch and Martha's, considered one of the most influential international women’s salons hosting fashion shows with designers Valentino and Oscar de la Renta (both of whom would later open boutiques at Bal Harbour Shops). Early European Designer store openings included Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci . A few years later Cartier , Versace and Chanel opened. In 1971, Neiman Marcus opened

598-577: The time mocked the high price and called it, “Whitman’s Folly.” Whitman first hired architect Victor Gruen , but soon fired him and hired Herb Johnson, based in Miami. They developed an open-air shopping center with shade trees – going completely against the conventional wisdom of enclosed, air-conditioned malls. Instead, they built a two-story structure with balconies and open air “streets” with tropical foliage, sculptures, fountains and koi ponds – as well as palm trees for shade in parking lots. Whitman wanted to make Bal Harbour Shops to feel as exclusive as

624-422: Was Bella Novack; they adopted a son, Ronald Marc Novack, before divorcing in 1951. In 1952, he married Bernice Mildred Stempel, a model born to a Jewish father and Roman Catholic mother of Irish descent. In 1956, Bernice had a son, Ben Novack Jr. Novack died of heart and lung failure on April 5, 1985. His great-niece, Andrea Hissom, is married to Steve Wynn . Ben and Joseph Novack were brothers, Joseph

650-519: Was an immigrant from Russia who worked as a clothing cutter before opening his own clothing store; after the store failed, the family moved to the Catskill Mountains where he operated a hotel in the Borscht Belt . After his father's death, he operated the hotel with his brother but disagreements led him to move to New York City where he Americanized his name to Novack and ran a haberdashery ;

676-540: Was born on November 15, 1918, in Evanston , Illinois , to William and Leona Whitman, and grew up in Miami Beach, Florida. William owned a printing company in Chicago and developed real estate properties in the Miami area. In the 1920s, William and Leona developed real estate destinations in Miami Beach, including Española Way , properties on Lincoln Road and much of the ocean frontage on Collins Avenue between 29th and 44th Street. They also developed Whitman-by-the-Sea,

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