1501 - Project Introduction and Miami Real Estate Search
September 13-19, 2004 | March 14-20, 2005
HI. I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN
TO THE BEGINNING
OF A BRAND-NEW SEASON,
OUR 15th YEAR ON THE AIR.
WE'RE WHERE I STARTED,
MY HOMETOWN MIAMI--
THE BEAUTIFUL SKYLINE
THAT'S GROWN UP BEHIND ME.
AND WE'RE LOOKING
AT THE VENETIAN CAUSEWAY
WHICH TAKES US TO MIAMI BEACH,
WHICH IS WHERE
WE'RE STARTING OUR PROJECT:
A LITTLE APARTMENT
BUILT ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO
THAT'S BADLY
IN NEED OF RENOVATION.
STICK AROUND.
IT'S GOOD
TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
SEARS
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT
THAT THE BEST WAY
TO GET TO KNOW MIAMI
AND MIAMI BEACH
IS FROM THE WATER.
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID
THEY HAD GLASS-BOTTOM BOATS.
I DON'T THINK
THEY HAVE THOSE ANYMORE,
BUT WE TOOK ADVANTAGE
OF A FRIEND'S BOAT
TO GET A CLOSER LOOK
AT THE BUILDINGS
AND EVERYTHING
THAT GOES ON AROUND HERE.
WE'VE JUST GONE UNDER
THE OLD
VENETIAN CAUSEWAY BRIDGE,
THE FIRST BRIDGE
THAT LINKS MIAMI TO MIAMI BEACH,
WHICH DATES BACK OVER 50 YEARS.
AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY.
IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE
MIAMI BOAT SHOW TIME,
SO THERE'S LOTS
OF BEAUTIFUL BOATS IN THE WATER.
THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY,
WHICH ACTUALLY ORIGINATES
AT THE ELIZABETH RIVER
WAY UP IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA,
COMES THROUGH THE HEART
OF DADE COUNTY,
THE HEART OF MIAMI
AND MIAMI BEACH
AND WHIPS AROUND AND GOES ON
TO THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA.
BUT HERE IT AFFORDS US
A BEAUTIFUL VIEW
OF THE DOWNTOWN MIAMI SKYLINE
WITH SOME OF THE SKYSCRAPERS
THAT HAVE GONE UP
IN THE LAST 5 OR 10 YEARS.
LOOKING BACK TOWARDS MIAMI NOW,
WE'RE LOOKING
AT THE CONSTRUCTION
OF ONE OF
THE MOST UNUSUAL BUILDINGS
GOING UP ANYWHERE.
IT'S TO BE
THE NEW PERFORMING ARTS CENTER,
STILL FAR FROM COMPLETION.
AND OFF TO THE LEFT,
THE BEAUTIFUL
AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA,
WHICH WAS BUILT
JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO, THIS WHOLE CONCEPT
OF A CAUSEWAY
IS SOMETHING THAT RELIES
ON LITTLE BRIDGES
LIKE THE ONE
WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE
AND MAN-MADE KEYS
OR LITTLE ISLANDS
THAT ARE BULKHEADED
WITH CONCRETE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING
AT RESIDENTIAL LOTS
WITH BEAUTIFUL
SPANISH-STYLE HOUSES.
SOME OF THEM DATING,
PROBABLY, TO THE SEVENTIES,
AND SOME OF THEM
GOING ALL THE WAY BACK
TO THE THIRTIES.
THE STORY OF DEVELOPMENT
IN MIAMI BEACH
IS AN INTERESTING ONE,
AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S LINKED
TO BUILDING BRIDGES.
THE FIRST AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN
THAT WAS ATTRACTED TO THIS AREA
WAS A QUAKER FARMER
FROM NEW JERSEY--JOHN COLLINS.
HE BOUGHT MOST OF THE LAND UP
IN THE 1890s.
HE HIRED A WORK FORCE
TO CLEAR IT,
CLEAR OUT THE MANGROVES
AND ALL THE JUNGLE VEGETATION
THAT WAS ON HERE.
AND HE WANTED
TO GROW MANGOES AND AVOCADOS,
WHICH WERE THEN CALLED
ALLIGATOR PEARS.
HE HAD A SOBER,
HARDWORKING VIEW
OF THE POSSIBILITIES
FOR THE PLACE
THAT DIDN'T GO
BEYOND GROWING EXOTIC FRUIT.
IT WASN'T REALLY
UNTIL AFTER 1913
WHEN AN INDIANA ENTREPRENEUR
NAMED CARL FISHER CAME DOWN HERE
THAT COLLINS EVEN BOTHERED
TO FINISH A BRIDGE
CONNECTING MIAMI BEACH
TO THE MAINLAND.
FISHER SAW
MIAMI BEACH'S POTENTIAL
AS A TOURIST MECCA.
THERE WAS A BIG LAND BOOM HERE
BACK IN THE TWENTIES,
AND HE INVESTED HIS FORTUNE
AND HOPES IN MIAMI BEACH
AS AMERICA'S PLAYGROUND.
AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON
FOR NEARLY A CENTURY.
MANY OF THE HOUSES THAT WE SEE
ON SOME OF THESE KEYS
DATE BACK TO THE TWENTIES--
THE SPANISH-STYLE MANSIONS--
BUT MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN BUILT
IN THE GEORGIAN STYLE,
BERMUDA STYLE,
AND ALL OF THEM
ARE CERTAINLY EXCLUSIVE
MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PROPERTIES.
IN THE MIDDLE
OF ALL THESE WATERWAYS,
THIS TINY ISLAND
HAS BEEN LEFT UNTOUCHED
EXCEPT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
OF AN OBELISK,
WHICH IS A MEMORIAL TO FISHER.
THE AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
IS ACTUALLY SOUTH BEACH--
THE WESTERN SIDE
OF SOUTH BEACH, REALLY.
ALL THE ART DECO BUILDINGS
ARE ON THE OCEAN,
BUT THIS IS
ON THE INTERCOASTAL SIDE
WHERE YOU'RE SEEING A LOT
OF THESE HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS
WITH MULTIMILLION DOLLAR
CONDOMINIUMS BEING PUT UP.
AND AS YOU LOOK
TOWARDS THE NORTH,
YOU'LL SEE BUILDINGS
THAT WERE PUT UP
PERHAPS IN THE EIGHTIES
AND THEN IN THE SEVENTIES,
AND THERE'S A KIND OF A...
DEGRESSION, I SHOULD SAY,
OF BUILDINGS
THAT GET TO MID-RISE,
TO 10-STORY PROPORTIONS.
MANY OF THESE
WERE PUT UP IN THE SIXTIES.
THE FOUNTAINBLEAU HOTEL
IS PROBABLY THE MOST SPECTACULAR
PROPERTY IN ALL OF MIAMI BEACH.
DATING BACK TO 1954-55,
NO TOUR OF THE BEACH
WOULD BE COMPLETE
WITHOUT TAKING
A CLOSE LOOK AT IT.
IT'S GOT
A VERY INTERESTING HISTORY,
IN THAT IF YOU LOOK AT
WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE SOCIALLY
AND AS A MAGNET FOR PEOPLE
FROM ALL OVER THE EAST COAST,
MIAMI BEACH
WAS HAVING A RENAISSANCE
AFTER WORLD WAR II.
AND A GUY NAMED MORRIS LAPIDUS,
WHO WAS THE SON
OF RUSSIAN IMMIGRANTS
UP IN NEW YORK,
CAME DOWN HERE.
HE WAS AN ARCHITECT.
HE HAD HAD MUCH SUCCESS
DOWN IN THE EAST COAST.
DESIGNING STOREFRONTS
AND INTERIORS
FOR DEPARTMENT STORES,
AND HERE HE REALLY EXPLODED
WITH INCREDIBLE IDEAS,
FOR THE KIND OF ARCHITECTURE
THAT REALLY MADE MIAMI BEACH
STAND OUT AS A RESORT.
HE REALLY LOVED CURVES
ON WOMEN AND ON ARCHITECTURE,
SO THAT ANYWHERE YOU WENT
IN HIS BUILDINGS,
YOU WERE APT
TO FIND STRANGE,
INTERESTING SHAPES--
WOGGLES, HE CALLED THEM.
HE JUST AVOIDED CORNERS
EVERYWHERE HE WENT.
BUT MORE THAN THAT,
HE WENT ALL OVER EUROPE
BUYING A MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH
OF FRENCH ANTIQUES
BECAUSE THE DEVELOPER
OF THE HOTEL HAD TOLD HIM
HE WANTED IT
TO BE FRENCH COUNTRY.
HE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT FRENCH COUNTRY WAS.
ANYWAY, WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE
IS KIND OF A MONUMENT
TO THE DESIGN EXCESSES,
SOME WOULD SAY,
OF THE 1950s IN MIAMI BEACH.
THE GRAND LOBBY SPACES
WERE REALLY MEANT
TO EVOKE BALLROOMS
IN FRENCH CHATEAUS.
THE DETAILING EVERYWHERE
IS EXTREMELY LUXURIOUS.
AND THIS SIGNATURE STAIRCASE
TO NOWHERE WAS REALLY CREATED
SO THAT THE LADIES
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SHOW OFF THEIR GOWNS.
AND IF YOU LOOK
AT THE DETAILING
THROUGHOUT HERE,
ALL THIS MARBLE WORK,
MANY OF THESE
LITTLE SIGNATURE DESIGNS,
NOT JUST THE CURVES EVERYWHERE,
BUT THINGS LIKE
THE BOW TIE IN THE MARBLE.
APPARENTLY MORRIS LAPIDUS WORE
A BOW TIE WELL INTO HIS 70s.
WHILE MORRIS LAPIDUS
WAS BUSY PUTTING THINGS UP,
LIKE THIS WALL OF SWISS CHEESE--
IMAGINE, THE CONCRETE FULL
OF CIRCLES AND GLAZED LIKE THIS
TO KIND OF PERPETUATE
THIS WHOLE FEELING OF FUN,
IF YOU WILL,
AND BEING ON VACATION--
THE SERIOUS
ARCHITECTURAL COMMUNITY
WAS REALLY GETTING ANGRY AT HIM.
THIS IS THE TIME IN
AMERICAN LIFE AND IN THE WORLD
WHERE EVERYBODY
WAS VERY INTERESTED
IN MODERNISM,
BAUHAUS ORIGINS,
BUT YOU KNOW, MIESIAN CUBES,
THAT SORT OF THING.
PLAIN, SQUARE, SIMPLE.
AND HERE'S THIS MAN
GOING LIKE THIS EVERYWHERE.
THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMUNITY
REALLY PANNED HIM.
WELL, THAT GIVES YOU
A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA
ABOUT MIAMI BEACH'S HISTORY
AS A DEVELOPMENT
AND SOME OF
THE FANTASTIC ARCHITECTURE
THAT'S GONE UP HERE
OVER THE DECADES.
NEXT, WE NEED TO LEARN
A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THE REALITIES
OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET.
NEXT, WE'LL MEET REALTOR
GINA KIRKPATRICK
AND TALK ABOUT OUR PROJECT
IN MIAMI BEACH.
GINA KIRKPATRICK
IS JOINING US NOW.
SHE'S A REAL ESTATE BROKER
WHO SPECIALIZES
IN MIAMI BEACH PROPERTIES.
AND, GINA, LET ME ASK YOU
THE FIRST QUESTION,
WHAT'S IT LIKE
DOWN AT SOUTH BEACH
AT THE DECO DISTRICT?
SOUTH BEACH,
IT'S GREAT DOWN THERE.
IT'S REALLY EXPLODED.
SO, YOU FIND THAT
YOU'RE PAYING A LOT
FOR WHAT YOU GET.
AND YOU HAVE AREAS
A LITTLE MORE
OFF THE BEATEN PATH,
AND YOU CAN FIND THEM
AROUND 200,000.
SO, YOU CAN STILL FIND
A CONDO OR AN APARTMENT
FOR A COUPLE
HUNDRED THOUSAND BUCKS?
YES, YOU CAN.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK,
BUT YOU CAN.
THEY ARE HERE.
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE
PROPERTY GO FOR?
THE AVERAGE PROPERTY?
I MEAN, YOU CAN PAY
WHATEVER YOU WANT.
YOU CAN PAY
1/2 MILLION DOLLARS
FOR A ONE BEDROOM.
WELL, WE WERE LOOKING UP
FROM THE WATER EARLIER,
AND WE NOTICED A LOT
OF NEW SKYSCRAPERS
GOING UP THERE--
MAYBE 30-STORY BUILDINGS.
YOU'VE GOT
A LOT OF THOSE,
ESPECIALLY SOUTH
OF FIFTH,
AND THEY'RE
A MILLION PLUS.
YOU CAN ALSO
BUY A CABANA TO GO
WITH ONE OF THOSE UNITS
FOR $800,000 OR MORE.
A CABANA IS JUST
A LITTLE PLACE AT THE BEACH
WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A PICNIC.
AND ABOUT
300 SQUARE FEET.
IT'S SOMETHING
YOU CAN OWN TO RELAX
AND ENJOY BY THE BEACH.
WELL, WHAT ABOUT
IF YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR SOMETHING MORE REALISTIC,
BUT YOU STILL WANT A GETAWAY
IN SUNNY MIAMI BEACH?
WHAT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT?
THERE'S AN AREA
OFF ISLAND AVENUE
THAT HAS AN ENCLAVE
OF BUILDINGS
THAT ARE GREAT.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE
HAVE PASSED ON.
THEY'RE ORIGINAL OWNERS
FROM THE SIXTIES,
SEVENTIES,
AND YOU SEE THE UNITS,
THEY'RE STILL DATED
BACK TO THE SIXTIES
AND SEVENTIES.
BUT THESE OWNERS,
WHEN THEY PASS AWAY,
THE ESTATE WANTS
TO GET RID OF THEM
QUICKLY,
AND YOU CAN PICK THEM UP
FOR...
AS LITTLE AS 200,000.
SO, THIS IS WHY WE'VE COME
TO THIS PARTICULAR STREET,
THIS PARTICULAR AREA,
AT THE MIAMI BEACH END
OF THE VENETIAN CAUSEWAY.
OK, AND WHAT ARE WE
GONNA LOOK AT HERE?
I WANT TO SHOW YOU
A BUILDING CALLED
5 ISLAND AVENUE.
IT WAS DESIGNED
BY MORRIS LAPIDUS,
WHO ALSO DID
THE EDEN ROCK HOTEL.
AND THE FOUNTAINBLEAU.
AND THE FOUNTAINBLEAU.
SO, THIS IS A BUILDING
WE HAVE HERE
THAT WAS BUILT IN 1967.
ORIGINALLY, IT WAS
AN APARTMENT BUILDING,
BUT IT TURNED CONDO,
I BELIEVE, IN 1976.
BUT HERE YOU HAVE
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
TO BUY AN APARTMENT
BECAUSE
IT'S TURNING OVER.
AS YOU'LL SEE,
SOME OF THE UNITS
ARE VERY ORIGINAL.
THEY'RE DATED
TO THAT TIME.
HOW MANY UNITS
IN THE BUILDING?
THERE'S 139 UNITS
IN THE BUILDING,
BUT IT'S
A GREAT BUILDING.
AS YOU'LL SEE,
THERE'S STILL
TERRIFIC WATER VIEWS.
YOU'RE CLOSE
TO DOWNTOWN.
THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.
WE'RE IN WALKING DISTANCE
OF THE LINCOLN ROAD MALL, RIGHT?
YES, CLOSE
TO LINCOLN ROAD MALL.
YOU'RE ALSO RIGHT ON
THE VENETIAN CAUSEWAY,
WHICH TAKES YOU
STRAIGHT INTO DOWNTOWN.
PRIME LOCATION.
AND IF WANT TO GO
TO ANY OF THE PUBLIC BEACHES,
I CAN GET ON A BICYCLE
AND GO FOR MAYBE 3 OR 4 MINUTES.
ABSOLUTELY--
ROLLERBLADES,
WHATEVER MODE
OF TRANSPORTATION
YOU LIKE.
ALL RIGHT,
SO THIS IS LAPIDUS.
LET'S SEE WHAT
THE LAPIDUS LOBBY
LOOKS LIKE.
LET'S CHECK IT OUT.
Vila: WOW,
IS THIS PRETTY STANDARD
FOR A MIAMI BEACH
APARTMENT BUILDING?
TO HAVE A HUMUNGOUS LOBBY
LIKE THIS?
YES, VERY DRAMATIC
CEILING HEIGHT.
A LOT OF LOUNGING AREAS.
CHANDELIERS.
MIRRORED WALLS.
BIG CHANDELIERS, YES.
IT'S STILL TYPICAL
OF THE DATE:
SIXTIES, SEVENTIES.
A LITTLE DATED,
I WOULD SAY.
EVENTUALLY,
IT WILL GET CHANGED.
WELL, THE BUILDING
IS UNDERGOING A LOT
OF RENOVATION,
BUT I DON'T KNOW,
THIS IS KIND OF LIKE
A TIME CAPSULE IN HERE.
THE LOOK OF EVERYTHING
SCREAMS 1967 OR 1970.
THE PATTERNS, THE COLORS,
EVERYTHING ELSE.
DO THEY TYPICALLY
UPDATE THIS EVERY 10 YEARS,
OR WHAT?
EVERY 10,
MAYBE 15 YEARS.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS ONE'S DUE
FOR A RENOVATION.
SO, THE BUILDING
IS DUE FOR A RENOVATION,
WHICH IS A GOOD THING,
YOU'RE SAYING,
FROM THE INVESTMENT
PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S GOOD--
ONCE THE BUILDING
GOES UNDER
THAT RENOVATION,
THEN YOU'LL TYPICALLY
SEE THE VALUES JUMP UP.
WHAT OTHER AMENITIES
DOES THE BUILDING HAVE?
THEY HAVE
A COMMUNITY ROOM,
CARD ROOM,
BEAUTIFUL POOL DECK.
AND HAS ANY OF THAT
BEEN RENOVATED YET?
THEY'RE WORKING
ON THE POOL DECK
RIGHT NOW.
ONCE THAT'S DONE,
THEN THEY'LL START
MOVING TO THE INSIDE
OF THE BUILDING.
BUT RIGHT NOW,
IT'S FOCUSED
ON THE EXTERIOR.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE'RE
GONNA LOOK AT AN APARTMENT
UP ON THE 12th FLOOR?
YES.
GREAT.
Vila: WHEN WE COME BACK,
WE'LL CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITIES
FOR THIS LITTLE APARTMENT.
Vila: NEXT TIME
ON "BOB VILA'S HOME AGAIN,"
WE'RE STARTING A NEW PROJECT
IN MIAMI BEACH--
THE SUN, FUN,
AND STYLE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
THE REAL ESTATE SCENE
HERE IS HOT,
WITH LOTS
OF NEW CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY.
WE'LL SEE SOME OF MIAMI BEACH'S
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, TOO.
WE'RE RESCUING
A TIRED LITTLE HIGH-RISE CONDO
FROM THE SEVENTIES
AND TRANSFORMING IT
INTO A HIP GETAWAY APARTMENT.
WE'LL MEET
WITH THE ARCHITECT
AND TALK ABOUT HIS PLANS.
SO DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME
ON "HOME AGAIN."
Vila: NEXT TIME
ON "BOB VILA'S HOME AGAIN,"
WE'RE STARTING A NEW PROJECT
IN MIAMI BEACH:
UPDATING A HIGH-RISE CONDO
FROM THE SEVENTIES.
DON'T MISS IT.
ALL RIGHT,
SO WE'RE IN THE HALLS.
WHAT, 10 APARTMENTS
ON EACH FLOOR, RIGHT?
YES.
ANY RENOVATION PLANS
FOR THE HALLS?
YES, THEY'RE
GONNA BE PUTTING IN
A NEW SPRINKLER SYSTEM
TO BRING THE BUILDING
UP TO CODE
IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE.
WHAT ABOUT STUFF
LIKE THESE PINK DOORS?
PINK?
YOU DON'T LOVE PINK?
IT'S ALL RIGHT,
I SUPPOSE.
THAT, EVENTUALLY, YES,
THAT WILL BE CHANGING.
HMM-MMM, SO THEY'LL BE
REDOING THE FINISHES
IN THE HALLS.
YES.
CARPET
AND PINK DOORS...
Vila: IT'S KIND OF DARK,
ISN'T IT, GINA?
GIVE ME 2 SECONDS.
HERE WE GO.
SO, TYPICALLY,
LIGHT FIXTURES COME WITH--
OH, BOY,
THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE.
WE'RE ON THE 12th FLOOR.
THAT STICKS A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST
PARTS OF THE UNIT--
OUTSIDE, HERE.
YEAH,
NEVER MIND THE UNIT.
YOU WANT TO BE OUT HERE.
TAKE A LOOK.
YOU CAN SEE
ALL THE BOATING GOING ON.
YOU'VE GOT
THE BEAUTIFUL CAUSEWAY.
WE'RE FACING NORTH
UP THE INTERCOASTAL
WATERWAY.
YES.
AND WE'VE GOT A MARINA
WITHIN A STONE'S THROW.
AND ALL THE BIG
MIAMI BEACH HOTELS
AND STUFF ARE OFF
IN THE DISTANCE
TO THE RIGHT.
YES.
AND THIS BALCONY
HAS GOT TO BE...
WHAT IS IT, MAYBE,
14 FEET ACROSS?
AND ABOUT...
ABOUT 14.
MAYBE 6 FEET DEEP.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THE EXTERIOR
OF THE BUILDING
HAS BEEN TOTALLY REDONE.
THIS LOOKS LIKE
FRESH PAINT.
YES, IT'S BEEN
FRESHLY PAINTED.
AND OFF TO THE WEST
YOU'VE GOT
THE MIAMI SKYLINE,
WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL
AT NIGHT.
I BET.
WELL, LET'S LOOK
AT THIS APARTMENT.
NOW, YOU SAID IT'S
HOW MANY SQUARE FEET?
950 SQUARE FEET.
YOU'VE GOT 1 BEDROOM,
1 1/2 BATHS.
LOTS OF CLOSETS.
SO, DARK, DARK CARPETS,
BUT I GUESS YOU CAN
GET RID OF THOSE.
DOES THE BUILDING
ALLOW YOU TO STRIP DOWN TO...
YEAH,
YOU WOULD PROBABLY WANT
TO TAKE THIS CARPET OUT.
IT'S BRAND NEW,
BUT YOU CAN
TAKE THE CARPET OUT
AND PUT DOWN TILE,
WOOD FLOORS.
AND THIS CEILING.
I'M SURE YOU'D LIKE
TO SCRAPE THAT DOWN.
MAKE IT SMOOTH.
IT'S A POPCORN CEILING.
AGAIN, TYPICAL OF SIXTIES
APARTMENT CONSTRUCTION.
AND A DECORATOR TOUCH.
THAT...YOU MIGHT
WANT TO REMOVE.
AND A LOT OF GOLD,
AND A LOT OF YELLOW,
AND A LOT OF DARK BROWN
KITCHEN CABINETS.
YEAH,
THE KITCHEN IS ORIGINAL
FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO,
IT HAS BECOME OBSOLETE.
THIS WOULD NEED
TO BE CHANGED.
OH, MY, WHEN YOU
OPEN THE CABINETS,
THEY'RE EVEN
MORE DECORATIVE.
YES.
WOW...YEAH,
AND THE APPLIANCES
ARE ALL OUT OF
"THE BRADY BUNCH."
DEFINITELY NEEDS
UPDATING--APPLIANCES.
ALL RIGHT, AND THEN WHAT?
1 BEDROOM AND 1 BATH?
1 BEDROOM,
1 1/2 BATHS.
GREAT,
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
LOTS OF CLOSETS.
HERE YOU HAVE
THE 1/2 BATH.
IT'S FLOCKED WALLPAPER.
YOU'VE ALSO GOT
YOUR LINEN CLOSET RIGHT HERE.
VERY DECORATIVE.
THIS IS THE SHOWER AND TOILET.
THIS IS THE MAIN BATHROOM.
Vila: FLAMINGO.
ANOTHER SINK
AND VANITY.
THE PATTERNS
ARE AMAZING.
IN HERE YOU'VE GOT
A VERY LARGE CLOSET.
A WALK-IN.
Vila: WOW.
WELL,
THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD
A REAL SENSE OF COLOR.
I LOVE THIS.
LITTLE VANITY
WITH POMPOMS.
THIS--YOU'VE GOT ADDITIONAL
HANGING CLOSET, HERE.
SO, YOU GOT A WALK-IN,
YOU GOT A LINEN,
YOU GOT
ANOTHER CLOSET HERE.
PLUS,
YOU GOT A COAT CLOSET
NEAR THE FRONT DOOR.
YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE
HUGE AREA HERE
THAT'S ALL JUST
KIND OF A MAZE
OF LITTLE CLOSETS.
INTERESTING.
AND THEN THE BEDROOM
IS WHAT IT IS.
IT'S MAYBE 10 BY 12?
10 BY 12, 13.
YEAH.
AND THE VIEW, OF COURSE,
IS UNSTOPPABLE.
SO, GINA, WHAT'S
THE ASKING PRICE
ON A UNIT LIKE THIS?
THE ASKING PRICE
IS 195,000 FOR THIS UNIT.
AGAIN, THIS UNIT DOES COME
WITH COVERED PARKING,
A 24-HOUR DOORMAN,
A GREAT POOL,
GREAT AMENITIES,
AND YOU'RE RIGHT HERE
IN SOUTH BEACH.
YEAH, YOU'RE BUYING
MORE THAN JUST
THE 1,000 SQUARE FEET.
YOU'RE BUYING
EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT COMES
WITH CONDO LIVING.
YES.
ALL RIGHT.
I'LL THINK ABOUT IT.
THANKS SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, BOB.
OK.
Vila: NEXT, WE'LL TALK
WITH ARCHITECT MICHAEL PIERCE
ABOUT HIS PLANS
FOR OUR LITTLE PLACE.
MICHAEL PIERCE
IS JOINING US NOW.
HE'S A PARTNER
WITH D.D. ALLEN
IN AN
ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE
OUT OF NEW YORK
WITH A SPECIALTY
IN MIAMI AND L.A.,
AND SO, I'VE ASKED HIM
TO CONSULT TO ME.
WHAT ARE SOME
OF THE POSITIVES YOU SEE
IN AN APARTMENT
LIKE THIS?
WELL, THE LOCATION,
THE VIEW.
YEAH, THERE'S
NO TELLING--
HAVING A 12th-STORY
ELEVATION--HEIGHT--
LIKE THIS,
AND HAVING A VIEW
LIKE THAT IS GREAT.
IT'S INCREDIBLE.
YOU HAVE...
YOU ACTUALLY
HAVE A GREAT SPACE,
FACING THE WATER.
WE WANT TO MAKE
THE MOST OF THAT.
BRING THE OUTSIDE
TO THE INSIDE.
MMM-HMM.
WE CAN LOOK
AT THE FLOORS.
WELL, THE FLOORS
ARE THESE HORRIBLE
DARK-BLUE CARPETS.
YEAH, I MEAN,
IT'S KILLER.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK
OVER HERE IN THE CORNER.
IT SUCKS ALL THAT LIGHT
RIGHT IN WHEN YOU'VE GOT
DARK COLORS LIKE THIS.
AND YOU'VE GOT
A SLAB UNDERNEATH IT.
THAT'S AN OLD SLAB.
WE COULD GRIND IT UP.
GRIND IT UP?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
JUST POLISH IT UP.
OH, AND LEAVE IT EXPOSED.
AND LEAVE IT EXPOSED.
IT GIVES IT
THAT LOFT LOOK
THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
ARE LOVING.
WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO
WHAT THE BUILDING
REQUIREMENTS ARE,
AS FAR AS SOUND.
OH, BECAUSE SOMETIMES
YOU HAVE TO HAVE CARPET
OR SOME SORT OF
ATTENUATING FLOOR.
HENCE,
THE CARPET EVERYWHERE.
RIGHT, WHAT ABOUT FINISHES
LIKE THESE POPCORN CEILINGS
EVERYWHERE?
HOW DO YOU
DEAL WITH THAT?
THE IDEA WOULD BE
TO BRING THIS BALCONY SURFACE,
WHICH IS SMOOTH--
THE CEILING OUTSIDE.
AND BRING THAT INSIDE,
ENHANCING THIS
REFLECTIVE QUALITY
THAT WILL--
LIGHT BOUNCING
OFF THE WATER.
SO, YOU CAN
SCRAPE IT OFF,
AND KIND OF BRING IN
ONE SMOOTH PLANE.
RIGHT.
AND THE DOORS--I MEAN,
DO YOU HAVE TO GO
AND REPLACE DOORS
ON A 30-YEAR-OLD PATIO--
BALCONY--LIKE THIS?
I MEAN, THESE ARE
NICE ALUMINUM DOORS...
YEAH, THEY'RE HEAVY DUTY.
THEY'RE THIN PROFILE.
FULL HEIGHT,
AGAIN, GIVING YOU
THE SENSE OF HEIGHT.
THE FULL HEIGHT
OF THE DOORS
IS A REAL ASSET,
ISN'T IT?
REALLY A BIG ASSET,
AND...
WE COULD REFURBISH THEM.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO
WITH THE KITCHEN SPACE?
WELL, AGAIN, WE WANT
TO BRING THE OUTSIDE
TO THE INSIDE.
I DON'T WANT
TO BE COOKING IN THERE.
YEAH, YOU'RE
REALLY ISOLATED.
IT'S...A CAVERN.
SO, I WOULD RECOMMEND
JUST OPENING THIS UP,
CREATING A PENINSULA,
SLASH, BAR AREA.
THE DINING, LIVING,
COOKING EXPERIENCE
IS ALL UNIFIED.
IT IS, AFTER ALL,
1,000-SQUARE-FOOT
APARTMENT.
IT'S EITHER GONNA BE
A GETAWAY
FOR NORTHERNERS,
OR IT'S
A YEAR-ROUND OCCUPANT
BUT NOT WITH KIDS,
NOT A BIG FAMILY.
AND A FULL QUARTER
OF ALL THE FLOOR SPACE
IS CUT UP.
IF YOU--
TAKE A WALK IN THERE.
I MEAN, IT'S A BIT
OF A MAZE OF CLOSETS
AND THINGS.
WHAT WOULD YOU THINK
OF DOING?
AGAIN,
WITH THIS THEME OF LIGHT.
I WOULD BRING THE OUTSIDE
TO THE INSIDE.
THE BATHROOM
THAT'S LOCKED INSIDE,
WOULD GET
A SENSE OF LIGHT...
ENCOURAGING SOME...
MAYBE PUTTING FROSTED GLASS.
AND DO YOU THINK
YOU'D GET RID OF STUFF
LIKE WALK-IN CLOSETS?
I WOULD REDUCE THIS
IN HALF.
NO NEED TO HAVE
A WALK-IN OF THIS SIZE.
YEAH, GOOD, ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WHY DON'T YOU
DRAW UP SOME PLANS,
AND WE'LL TALK
ABOUT THEM NEXT WEEK?
NO PROBLEM.
GREAT, THANKS.
WE'RE RUNNING SHORT ON TIME.
IT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT.
COME HOME AGAIN NEXT WEEK.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD
TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
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