LTC 119-2013 Proposed Designation of 42 Island Dr as Historic Site

7/28/2019 LTC 119-2013 Proposed Designation of 42 Island Dr as Historic Site

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MIAMI BEACHCity of M i am i Beach, 1 7 0 0 C o n v e n t io n C e n t e r D r i v e , M i a m i B e a c h , F l o r i d a 3 3 1 3 9 . iniamibed2hHgovc_OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER b% StSION05LT C NO. LETTO)

119-2013 C l T ' r c l- ETO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and

Members of th e City CommissionFROM: Jimmy L. M o ra le s , C i ty M a n a g e rDATE: April 9, 2013SUBJECT: Proposed Designation of the 42 St r Island Drive as an Historic Site

At the April 9 , 2013 Historic Preservation Board directed Planning Department staff toprepare a formal Historic Designation Report for the proposed designation of the singlefa m ily h o m e at 42 Star Is la n d D riv e , as an individual local historic si te .Pursuant to Section 118-59 1 of the City Code, when the Historic Preservation Boarddirects staff to prepare a designation report for a proposed new historic district or site,the Mayor and City Commission shall be notified of the board' s decision and the initialboundaries proposed for designation Within 60 days of the vote of the HistoricPreservation Board to direct the Planning Department to prepare a designation report,the City Commission may, by a five-sevenths vote, deny or modify the proposed requestfor designation as well as establish specific timeframes for the completion of theevaluation and recommendation and/or designation report. Wthin this 60 day period theCity Commission may aso, by a five-sevenths vote, deny or modify the proposeddesignation boundaries. The only scheduled City Commission meetings within this 60day timeframe are on April 1 7, 2013, May 8, 2013 and June 5, 2013.A t t a c h e d , p l e a s e find a copy of th e P re l i m i na r y Eva l ua t io n and R e c o m m e n d a t i o n Report ,pre pare d by th e Planning Depar tment , w h i c h outl ines th e initial e v a lua tion of th eproposed local historic site located at 42 Star Island Drive.Please advise if you would like this matter scheduled for discussion at one of these threeavailable CityCommission meetings.Attachment( 1 )

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F :\ P LA N \$ A LL \ G EN _ C O R R \ I N T E RO F F \ LT C - 4 2 S T A R I SL AN D DR . D O C XC: Jorge G . G o m e z , Assistant C i t y M a n a g e rR a f a e l E. Granado, City ClerkR i c h a r d Lorber, Acting Planning DirectorGary Held, First Assistant C i t y Attorney


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MIAMIBEACHHISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARDPRELIMINARY EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT

TO: HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD

FROM: Richard G. Lorber, AICP, LE f,Acting Planning Director

DATE: April 9, 2013

RE: HPB File No. 7351: Possible Designation of 42 Star IslandDrive - as a Local Historic Site

BACKGROUNDOn October 9, 2012, the owners of the home located at 42 Star Island Drivesubmitted an application to the Design Review Board for the total demolition ofthe existing h o m e a nd the construction of a ne w tw o story sing le fa m ilyresidence.The application came before the Design Review Board on December 4, 2012,and was continued to a date certain of February 5, 2013, in order to address th econcerns expressed by the Board a nd staff.On December 19, 2012, the Miami Design Preservation League submitted anapplication to the H is to ri c P re s e r v a ti on Bo a r d request ing that th e Bo a r d co ns i derinitiating the process for th e historic designation of the single family home l o c a t e dat42 Star Island Drive asa local individual historic site. It has been determinedby the City Attorney that under Sec. 118- 591( a)( 1 ) of the City Code, anyorganization whose purpose is to promote the preservation of historic sites hasstanding to request the initiation of the historic preservation process.At it s February 5, 2013 meeting, the Design Review Board voted to continue th eappicationfor the proposed newresidence at 42 Star Island Avenue to theMarch 5, 2013 meeting, at the appicans request.O n February 1 2, 2013, the Historic Preservation B o ar d discussed the proposeddesignation of 42 Star Island Drive as an individual local historic site. At thismeeting, the Board directed staff to prepare a preliminary evauationandrecommendationreportfor the strucurelocated at 42 Star Island Drive.


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On March 5, 2013, the Design Review Board reviewed and approved anapplication for a new proposed residence at 42 Star Island Drive.

PRELIMINARY EVALUATIONHistoric SignificanceTh e e xisting re side nc e at 42 Star Island Drive w as constructed in 1 9 2 5, anddesigned by promnen local archtecs De Garmo & Varney. Walter C. DeGarmo, a native of Illinois, born in 1876, moved to Miami and opened a privatearchitectural practice in downtown M i am i , in 1 9 0 4 . Subsequently, h e became th efirst registered architect in the State of Florida.In addition to his private design projects, such as the McAllister Hotel, Miami' sfirst high- rise hotel, constructed in 1916, De Garmo partnered with otherpromnen local archtecs onsevera important proecs in South Florida in thefirst quarter of the 20hCentury. These works included his partnership withVarney i n th e des ign of th e M iam i B e a c h Com m u ni t y C h u r c h , on Lincoln Road, in1921, as well as the design of the J. W. Popham home, at 42 Star Island Drive, in1925. In 1927, De Garmo partnered with distinguished local architects PhineasPaist a nd D e n m a n Fink in th e de sig n of th e h ig h ly celebrated ' D o ug l a s E n tr an c e ' ,in Coral Gables. With the advent of World War ll , De Garmo moved to PanamaCity, Florida, where he designed " Liberty Ships" for the war effort, beforereturning to South Florida in 1945, and reopened his private architecturalpractice. Walter De Garmo died in Coconut Grove, in 1952.The 1925 residence at 42 Star Island Drive is a Classically influenced structurewthPalladian symmetrica overtones. Both the street facing fagade a s well a sth e ba y fro nt fa c a de are dist inguished by a strong th re e story central blockflanked by long two story side wngs, imply ing symmetry. This tripartiteconfiguration was often found in the revival of Roman symmetrical planningduring the late 19hand early20hCenturies. On th e p rim a ry fa c a d e , fa c in g S ta rIsland Drive, th e stro ng th re e story c e ntra l block of th e h o m e is div ided into t h r e eequa bays. At the groundfloor level, it proecsforward to createa stately portecochere wth a three bay classically conigured arcade facing the crcuarenrancedrive. The second floor of this central block is distinguished on theprimary facade by three handsome round arch windows, classically proportioned.The third floor of the central block was originally designed a nd constructed a s anopen loggia with classical balustrades between rectangular columns, supportinga h i p p e d roof with barrel tiles. M o re re c e n tly , th is c o ve re d th i rd floor te rra c e w asfu lly e n c lo se d w it h m u lti- p an e w ind ow s se t in b e t w e e n th e columns and th e toprail of the balustrades. Flanking th e dominant th re e story c e ntra l bloc k of th eh o m e , t h e tw o s to ry side wings are o f sim p le r d e sig n, def ined originally by tw os to ry o pe n verandahs ca p p e d by h i pp e d ro ofs with ba rre l t ile s .Th e original floor plan for this 1 9 2 5 waterfront residence was essentially a longshalowbar-type pan approximately 24' in depth, inclusive of the depth of the


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openexterior verandahs. The bar is approximately 100' in length ( spanningsubstantiallyacross the peshaped lot). At its center, the bar plan is crossed atit s center by the deeper t h r e e story cent ra l b lock.The two story sidewngsofthe home weredesigned wthshalowdepth to takefull advanage of natura cross venilation from the b ay . This was anenvironmentally sensible des i gn objective in th e decades be fore a ir conditioning.The down side of this arrangemen, however, was that the rooms wereconnected substantially e nd to e nd in railroad car fashion making a morecenraizedcrcuationpanfor the home impossible. Access to the rooms wassubstantially from the openverandahs. Unfortunately, the original gracious openair verandahs were later fitted with continuous windows so they could function asencosedarcondtionedcorridorsaccessing the rooms. At the.northendof thehome, the original plan varied in depth at the ground floor level to provideadditional space for the kitchen and service areas.As viewed from the front entrance gates as well as from the waterfront, the 1925De Garmo and Varney designed residence, despite insensitive but re lat i ve lymodest later alterations, continues to project a stunning and gracious presenceonStar Island. Standing ou t amo ng other residences on th e is land, it c lear lymeets the visual definition of a ' landmark' structure in Miami Beach.In staff's opinion, there is no doubt that the existing residence at 42 Star IslandDrive possess an integrity of location, design, set t ing, materials, workmanship,feeling a nd association and satisfies the e v a lu atio n c rite r ia for local historicdesignation on s e v e r a l l e ve l s , including association with events contributing tothe City's history; embodying the characteristics of a historical/architecturalperiod; possessing of high artisticvaues; representing the work of a masterarchtec(s), and; yielding information important in history.Notwithstanding th e a bove , h o w e v e r , th e P la nn in g D e p a rt m e n t is v e r y re luc tantto recommend that the Historic Preservation Board direct staff to prepare aformal Designation Report for local individual designation as an historic site. Thisserious reluctance is entirely due to the very late date for initiating thedesignation process, at which time the owner of the property was alreadyproperly before th e D e s i g n Review B o ard se e king a pprov al of a ne w r e s i d e n c eonthe site. If designation had been initiated well prior to the current owner of thehome purchasing the property, staff would not have the same reluctance inrecommending the commencemen of the designation. In that instance, theprospective home buyer w ould h av e been fully aware that the home could behistorically designated, and could h av e m ade a d e c ision of whether or no t top roc e e d w ith the pu rchas e accordingly. This unfortunately is no t th e c ase , andthe currenowner purchased the home with no expecationthat it mghtbecomehistor ical ly d e s i g n a t e d .Wh i l e staff w ish e s v e ry m u c h t h a t t h is ra re e arly and h i g h l y signi f icant res i dencein Miami Beach, designed by promnenarchtecsDe Garmo andVarney, coud


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be retained, restored, and even added onto in an appropriate manner, staff doesnot believe that local historic site designation of this property would beappropriateat this time. If however, the Board does direct the staff to preparethe designation report, staff is requred under Section 118- 591 ( b) of th e CityC o d e to notify th e Ci ty Commission of th e B o ar d ' s decision a nd th e initialboundaries proposed for designation. Within 60 days of the vote of the HistoricPreservation B o a rd to direct th e Planning Department to prepare a designationreport , the Ci ty C o mmi s s i o n m a y , by a five-s e v e n t h s vote, deny or modify th eproposed request for designation, as well as establish specific timeframes for thecompletion of the evaluation and recommendation and/or designation report.For additional historical information relevant to the subject property, please referto Appendix 'A' ' Preliminary Historical Resources Report,' prepared by D a n i e l G.Ciraldo a nd Jeff Donnelly for the Miami D e s i gn Preservation League in Februaryof 2013.RECOMMENDATIONIn consideration of the above Analysis of the Request, staff recommends that theBoard not direct staff to prepare a Designation Report for the possibledesignation of 42 Star Island Drive, as an individual local historic site.


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1

42 STAR ISLAND DRIVEHPB: 7351February 2013PRELIMINARY HISTORICAL RESOURCESREPORT

THE BUILDING

Th e original owner of today s 4 2 Sta r Island D riv e w as J . W. Po p h a m . C . R . J us ti w a s th e g e n e r a lconractorfor the strucureand Permit# 1463 was puledin September 1925. Plumbing a nd electricalpermits followed in D e c e m b e r 1 9 2 5 , Th e C M B building c a rd li st s the dimensions as: front 1 26 f e e t ,depth 24 feet, height 29 feet, stories 2 for a 1 3 room r es i den c e a nd g ar ag e . Th e C M B building card liststhe cost a t$ 3 5, 0 00 , a nd the card do es not sho w any signi f i cant modifications to th e structure sinc e it sconstruction

HistoryMami( formerly History M u s e u m of South Florida) ho l ds drawings a nd p la ns forResidence for J . W. Popham, Miami Beach." There are 31 numbered drawings and several unnumbered.

Th e first numbered drawing h e l d there is d a te d A ug u st 1 0, 1 9 25 a nd signed by Walter C . D e G a r m o ; thisdrawing is marked"vod." Th e sec o n d drawing is dated August 2 5, 1 9 2 5 a nd is signed by Walter C .DeGarmo A IA a nd George A. Varney.

The unnumbered drawings dated in 1926 include plans for decorative ceilings with theirassignedcoors.From the beginning, 42 Star Is la nd w a s recognized as distinctly representative of its period. In

the winter of 1933, the Popham estate was one of six in Greater Miami listed as destinations for apopular house and garden tour program. The New York Times described the tours" to the gardens ofnotabeestateswthnthe Greater Miami area. (January 22, 1933)." 42 Star Island was the first of threeMami B e a c h h om e s on the tour and the second overal l , after Villa Serena, a now- landmarked propertyin Coconut Grove.

Th e size of the property and the bui lding, their public visibility, their extravagant e l e g anc e , a ndtheir place in g e o g r a p h y and time all argue for it s signi f i cance as an i r replaceable piece of h is tor ica levidence and for a public process to determine that.


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THE LOCATION OF THE PROPERTY AND IT S PLACE IN HISTORYStar Island is a man- m a de is la nd originating from spoil e x c a v a t e d from Biscayne B ay a d j a c e n t to

today' s West Av e n u e and B ay Roa d on Mami B e a c h . John H . Levi , as President and Director, w as th el eading f igure an d guiding e n g i n e e r of th e M i a m i O c e a n V ie w Company w h i c h under took th e d re d g e a ndfill operation that created Star Island.

Star Island, while not the first dredge and fill operation on Miami Beach, did represent asignificant a d v a n c e from ear l i e r efforts w h i c h h ad a d d e d t o a lre a d y e x is tin g land masses. Th erecruitment of the P o p h a m s to buy an d build in su ch a prominent public location on Star Islandrepresents the culmination of t h e s e promotional and development efforts by Fisher , Levi , a ndHighleyman at the end of the first great Miami Beach boom in real estate development.

Levi had piloted Carl Fisher' s boat around thesouthern end of the Florida peninsula, intending tomeet F i s h e r in Jacksonvi l le w h e n , fatefully, h e urgedFisher to join him in Miami.

Levi was first elected to the Miami BeachC o u n c i l in 1 9 1 8 , serving more than 20 y e a r s . L ev i w a salso President of Miami Beach First National Bank.

i i, , Later, John H. Levi, as Mayor of Miami Beach,appeared on the cover of Time Magazine1940.02. 19).

The creator of Star Island, John H. Levi, isremembered today in the c o- naming of Fifth S t r ee t onMiami Beach.

w Built at the end of the first great boom, 42Star Island Drive was the culmination of Levi' s realized

o vision

If l


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THE ARCHITECTS

G eo r g e A. Va r n e y ' s footprints in history a p p e a r more in litigation than in architecture; Walter C .D e G a r m o is on e of the m o s t significant f igures in So ut h F l or id a ' s architectural history.The J . W. Popham residence on Star Island is marked on the drawings held at HistoryMiami asWalter C. DeGarmo' s 238th Commission. It is one of several that he prepared for properties on StarIsland and one of at least 32 he prepared for structures on Miami Beach. DeGarmo was a significant partofan archtecuraera.

D e G a r m o , who c a m e to Mami by 1 9 06 , w as the first registered Florida architect In th e area.Among other s ig n i fi can t b u ild in g s , D e G a r m o is responsible for: C o ra l G a ble s Bank and Post

Office, J . C . P e n n e y R e s i d e n c e , McAllister Hotel, Hugh Matheson R e s i d e n c e , Mami B e a c h CommunityChurch, Highleyman R e s i d e n c e , Coral G a b l e s Administration Building, Ogden R e s id e nc e , a nd h iscollaborations on the Douglas Entrance and Colonnade Building.

Of the era, Beth Dunlop wites: "N o e ra before or since offered up so m a n y romant icpossibilities for Florida. Though the finished products often reflected the spontaneous whims of thearchitects a nd the improvisational impulses of thecraftsmen, they were persuasively old a nd e x c e s s i v e l yeegan" (" Inventing Antiquity: Th e Art a nd Craft of Mediterranean R e v i v a l Architecture," Journal ofDecorative and PropagandaArts, 23, 190-207). The J . W. Popham residence is more restrained and neo-c lass ica l than other revivalist structures of the era , but it participates in that spirit of" e x c e s s i v e l yeegan."

R 4o, ;


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Photo via exMiam, Curbed.

THE OWNERJames William Popham( 1861 Hardin County, Kentucky1951 Miami, Florida)

JWPopham was a successful insurance broker who worked hisw ay from humble beginnings in Kentucky to b eco m e a successfullife insurance broker a nd an influential member of Atlanta S o c i e t y .He w a s a ls o on e of th e ear ly owners of M i a m i B e a c h real estate ,selling h is original h om e to Al Capone before moving on to h is finalhome of his own commission at 42 Star Island.

Popham was born 1 50 years ag o during the C iv i l War in asmal l town in Ke n t u c ky . His h i g h e s t l e v e l of educat i o n was B c hg r a d e , y e t h e worked h is wayto be c om e one of th e m ostsuccessful Insurance brokers in America. He held a series ofmanagerial positions that would take him around the South, fromK en t uc k y to North Carol ina, Missouri, O k l aho m a, an d Dallas withh is positions published in s e v e r a l industry n e w s outlets of th et ime. B y 1 9 0 6 , Popham was listed a s th e 4 1 h h ighest earningmanager of 19 territorial managers across the U S for GermaniaLife Insurance Company. In fact, h e e a r n e d almost double the

salary of thecompany s President at the time. (Annual Report of the Superintendant of Insurance of th eState ofNew York New York( State). Insurance Department, part 2. Page 74).

In 1 9 1 1 , JW P o p ham w a s appointed State Manager for Texas by Th e State Life of Indianapolis.B y that time, he wasnotedfor his vastexperience: "Mr. Popham comes to the State Life with years ofexperienceandstartsou to witenot less than$ 5,000,000 ofnewbusiness the first year" (TheS p ec t a t o r . An A m e r i c a n W e e k l y R ev i ew of Insurance, Vo l u m e s 8 6- 87 , pages 8 4 - 8 5, publ ished 1 9 1 1 ) .In 1886 he marriedModesta Popham in Hopkinsville, 1, 0 o W % 1NIe eor Youns" Soljyn,.a,rne eo , nrnr rrsr!. Iwlr,m u,Ion;Kentucky. In 1896, two oftheir three chldrendied of a L a m n m o n dr+ s p r c R e n , m , c o m u m n c a + ! w ! Imembranouscroup wthn19 days ofeach other. Lovely M e m b e r s o f Y o u n g e r Se fAtlanta Constitution March 18`h 1896" Lost Twoosty?klFSiMY, A t1[1^ H'% rt *; t lnarva+u+ nNrcl sxsmniPw IAww a :_+_TheirChildren," page 9 ). Two years after the tragedyModesta gave birth to son Kimball. He would befollowed by son Frederick anddaughters Delphine r fz 'and Dorothy. (Sources: 1900& 1920 Census).

In 1922 the family movedto Atlanta. Their 2 nsingedaughters wereintroduced to societyas qLovely Members ofYounger Set in a 1922 profile q: . ._

by theAtlanta Constitution. Th e P o p h a m familyleased the home ofJH Whitten on Peachtree road inAtlanta' s fashionable Buckhead district.

Dorothy graduated from WashingtonSeminary a nd subsequently attended M r s. S e m p le ' sschoo in New York. She competedher educationin y ' a ;;'`'' }` tEurope, where she spent several months travelling.Before moving to Atlanta, Mss Popham " was astudenat the fashionable Miss Hockaday s schoo in rAT ,.rPw u :tit"; iace!+ t 3 i i x o x ?a i w r l v x a s v

M U e : I S ' -h ln P a P h o m e u 1 M i f f U o l o l h 7 P o P h e m , r e e m l e t n rm i n p e d d l l l r r m v A t m t e e y o n n p a r f e e .hey eeth s{ 'h l ee o r Mr. an d Mn . J . W . P o p h a m , In " nery o f D ' I I., Teaof, e o A + A lh I h d r puenle Iym!the aam er e e , the Qm ; U 1, Trrnae, dlr. and h ri, e' opbm have. 01 , Inoved Into th e h om e o f h t r, e nd h In.J, u, Wh" en au Pnahtree read. Whic h they h ave Ieaul.Reprotlucod v911pprMeaVndtoo CDpyfpMONnar. Fuller rapldwlonptohblanWAhoWtwmdetlan.


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Dallas, Texas. According to the announcemen, " Miss Popham and her sister, Miss Delphine Popham,have endeared themselves to a host of friends since their residence in Atlanta and have enjoyed a widepopularitywththe youngersoca coningen" (Atlanta Constitution, Se p 1 7 1922, pa ge E4 " L ove lyMembers of Younger Set").

Dorothy married Frank L Stanton, Jr, in 1 9 25 at the family h o m e on P e a ch t re e Road in Atlanta.Her husband was a son of Frank L Stanton, who was the first poet laureate of the State of Georgia, apost to which h e w as appointed by Governor Clifford Walker in 1925. Frank' s brother V al liv e d in M i a m iat the time of the engagement. Mr. Stanton was a n advertising manager of the George Muse Clothingcompanyandconsidered" oneofAtlanta' s wel-known young business men" (Atlanta Constitution, Se p20, 1925," Mss Dorothy Popham Wll Wed Frank Stanton, Jr in October")

P o p ham ' s affinity for Mami B e a c h w as widely known a nd p re s s about h is travels h e l p e d buildawarenessfor Miam Beach in its earliestyearsofdevelopment. "Mr. Popham left Atlanta last week tospend thewinter at h is magnificent Florida home on Palm island, off Mami, the place being on e of th eshowspotsofthatcityand abounding in excelenyear-roundfishing" (Atlanta Constitution, Oct 191924), SUIT FILEDON C.4PONE' S ARAMHOMEL os A ng e le s Times( Mg-CurnmiFlle): Sep 13 , 19 , 28;

James W Popham puchased93 Palm Avenue fromrea for Pro uesMtoricaI Lm Angelo Times( 1 8 8 1 . 1989)Clarence Busch, whohad built the home as aninvestment.

L FILEDUnknowingly, Popham later sodthe house to At Capone. Capone was SUITnot in searchofa house, but wasapproachedby hotel ownerParker ON CAPO Y 9 SHendersonJr., son ofa former Mayor ofMiami and then Miami Mayor MIAMI HOME,John Lummus, Jr, whowasalso a reator.S e e i n g Popham' s home, r `Capone wasimmediately hooked. Popham wasfuriouswhenhe found Foreelosrlre O! Mortgageout through insurance records that Capone was to be the new owner of Sought' in Mitigationthe house, as he had believed that he was selling it to Parker Nantftig Gang. C1i iafenderson, Jr. (Source: Myalcaponemuseum.com)

In 1928, JW Popham filed sutto foreclose onAl Capone' s MIAMI (Pla.) Sept, 1 2 , 10Awnerhome. Pophamalegedthat he sold the propertyonPalm Island suit to foreclose n mortgage on thefor$30,000 to Parker Henderson and that the Capones never paid the whiter hojne hero of Al Capoi, e ,indebtedness oranypartofit( Los Angeles Times: Se p 13, 1928, page t h a t th e gang loader, find requestlin th e court appoint n receiver5). to take over the proporty pendinglitigation, were tiled In Dodo CountyCircuit Court by J. W. Popham, for-mer owner, against' Parker A. H e n -derson, so n of a formes Mayor ofMiami, and Mrs, Mae Capone,J O P o phrun I n h i s s a n i t , setsto t h l t h a tiendorson entored Into an agrea-

I. W, 11ophnm, Hunlin((,,'andFishln Fxhert,' relis Interesting B l g - Genie- Hunt Sturic ment to purchase tho Patin WandTheAN"n" Consfilydinn( 18A1- 1949); Oct I , 1) 4; property from him' for $3 0 , 0 0 0 . TllcProQucst Historical Newspapers AtImunConsdlutlon( 1868- 1945) Indebtednea was secured by a mort-l; a : o d e e d - on th e house, and lot.J. W. Popham, Hunting ndFishing Expert, Three promssory notes a# $ 1 0, 00 0P , e a c h w e r e s igned by. Handersoi i for.Fells interesting Big-Game-Hunt Stories aummatpedtonA p r i l 2. i a s t " ' a con-Tho Caponca are mentioned inI, W. Popham, local hunt ing { The trophies include the the stilt As nonresidents of Vaide

find fishing expert, and his son, i n ouned h e a d of a pint buck county With their l e g a l raldq'ne oFrederick Popham, displaying r Idled In Teau, and two b e l i e v e d to be in Cook' county, 1 1 1 -some of their most prized li utt- mouned abacores, welshing Inoill,a1 pounde uch caught ol ItleridalaQll 13 Called all agentInl; and flslling jropitles. for the Mpon6.9' ln-tho twusaction,,the Callfnnda tonal. Tho defendants 3 1 60 , according tothe suit, hav0 Sailed and refusedto pa y the Indebtedness or an y partof to

Reproduced wth permPoolon of th e copyrightowner. Further,n.

ttixi ` y J

ia(S ,i' sue.


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Popham was known as an expert hunter and fisherman. At 63 years old, he recounted some ofh is adventures to theAtlanta Constitution in 1924. He described h is greatest hunting prize, a giant deerof300 poundscapturedin Texas that hung in the family home in Atlanta: " Mr. Popham stood on theside of a hi l l , and with a R e m i ng t o n . 3 0 calibre automatic rifle, bowed over the bi g b east as h e s to od o nanoppositehillside 400 yardsawayacrossa valley". (Oct 191924 Atlanta Constitution, page 7)

At the age of 64, Popham commissioned Walter DeGarmo to build 42 Star Island, which wouldbe his most elegant and final home in Miami Beach. It would serve as his Florida base until his death inMiam in 1951, at the age of 90.

In the 1930 census, JW Popham' s home was valued at$ 70,000. Popham, 69 years old at thetime, w as l isted as stil l working as an insurance broker. He l i ved at the h o m e with h is w i fe , d a ug h t e rDelphine, a nd the family c o o k and gardener.Modesta Popham( 18601957)

Modesta Popham was a well-regarded socialite ofAtlanta and Miami Beach. Born the yearbefore James W Popham in a nearby town in Kentucky , Mrs. Popham m ar r i ed James in 1 8 86 . T h e ywould spend 65 years together before James' s death in Miami in 1951. One incident demonstrates thatMrs. Popham believed that land use decisions deserved public participation and that women should bepart of the process.

In 1 9 0 9 , Mrs. P o p ham joined her Atlanta n e i g h b o r s in opposing the construction of what theybelieved to be an out-of-place hospital near her home. The objection was published in the AtlantaConstitution:

Th e sect ion is exclusive ly a re s id e n c e s e c t io n an d h as b e e n built up with splendid h o m e s , m u c hof the property b e in g p urc h a s e d sub j ec t to building restrictions, and i m p r o v ed in the faith thatno objectionable buildings or institutions would be erected in thecommunity. While theproposed institution is a notable charity with w h i c h w e sympathize, w e feel that it wouldsucceed as well located elsewhere; that its location at said site would be decidedly unpleasantto us a nd would be a very great disadvantage to our property, a nd if located at this particularplace , a v e ry g r e a t disadvantage too ur c o m m u n it y.W e earnestly request that y ou abandon this location a nd se e k another."

AtlantaConstitution, Oct 7, 1909, page 6, " Objection is Made to Hospital Site")

Mrs. Popham' s social outings were documented in both the Atlanta Constitution and the Miami News,AtlantaConstitution, March 26 1923, Miami News, March 24 1927). Mrs. Popham died in Miami in 1957at the age of97.

Th e Popham family, t y p i ca l and y e t distinctive a m o n g the n e w l y r ich fa m i li e s r e c r u it e d by Fishera nd h is partners to bring wealth a nd so c ia l prominence to Miami B e a c h in th e 1920s, played, by theirpresence a signficanroein the history anddevelopment ofMiami Beach.


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SUMMARY

This preliminary survey d e m on s t ra te s th e c a pa c ity of th e available resources t o d oc u m e nt the publ ic ' sinterest in the possible historic designation of theproperty.Daniel G . CiraldoJeff DonnellyMiam Design Preservation League

Attachments

Building Card for 42 Star Island DriveNew York Times, January 22, 1933.


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8peclm to Taly Noff your'. T.it Yox'xr-T."'Jundcubo. M(nwr'q. cve rgeI IVA Ung (chnax to "Jm noch-RIP IAc 1 LoUOnegay CiffSutt(pr,UvItivf4 o .' anuqury wll bQ theI BeOA(eey 001 andD. Glento - M u c -forma Oncrrxhlg otho "MarR Cllu'b on Alilf,ye "zA p &" nans the bcifter kllov'nngh.. !?-kalch, eta asofinbrn-"' p"Yers aneried.

dt"& orytothe aauasariegw'gaa Contipuirjp,f h., eugtomfj R k T ; G 11qCUS om%thn RI%ersid s Ga Te do 7i6 i Club ofthe cub ths WJ.-aa. Tlhiena hau Igedrl arrrulq'ed' a " jerie'sbeerk much o tour&tothogardens o uho bWth--, Zar aC than 2mI Club - Ln4 eniatea within tho Greatk-k -theBath Cuband.M2 r>;vcnt and the InTIVal Vsft JaW.ides o ' notable Im-nnO 011mv, P z i0 the Thursday to ViRla. g e r e n i a , bryZrontIMOMTM 1h'LIG 92r P 2 1 - estae horne of ths Rate VMH;\=xt' radr.ntupo-a thepeiodo horge " V :. wnlngxj "Rrynn in Coconut Grave,

hR2' just, ltae: Its Rpll be folovred by -,- v--Ot thisffi re).16 , F'aIiaeah"" 91C, TMU0011, ' Wth ThursdRy to 01ho pstRo nV X., W.Xnany athe *Elalm nach"Se, ;. an at- p(3p3Im1), Qtap ][.c; l G L R -kd inE_qpct,ynetendrx.cs. Bay, uml Oucceeding visits txl VIC,381rian :Iecy(-etaryothe C. C ,00J(nb.q re tasks ' e "t C.Oeorj='Sorechlb hp_cocnqpetnd.thest-ed- ' iC yw ) Cecb.. 2; iheestateaikrsueany dnner da'T'Icoa to )poft,".Sat- ] EWoU F. Shepard- Mura Ieach

9.0rdnynkorn-2a upenng. PLIARSO 32 '1- i on)F'eb. D. the. HughM Dfiathe, neude a pay aa r4eb. 4 antffed;estateacocojut on )U V O :taatictxts e. . " YalloAtInWo boAl and t 6 h q , pYran D. Ifi-MeronFeb, U a psmvty o?' tWeb, 19 or.- Agivml ' U acjj on p-

idtRed Vene,%ti.; the Aniau&. c--nva( 00 Feb. 25; a M'Omba Carloparty on Adarch d, and ths, ainywkilLfDrange Ball cfancludinjg: Vn.e aarAeo,00Wareh Al. xzk addilgrin ' W' AlX bpthe -nsual Thursday rilght rjupAperdances throughou the ontlAork.

Anaouff, the Yhotabla evanbj rW WeJr-aammy AIR he the Outhngnit the cum-anittee of onfo hundred20 't C00010ho Clay, On fE AvIe to IM 4

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fvlaneu Inerc. fair teyrxd-q and' notabRePIP-Verp- corfl-'Mttfiff will zev tuxs i c Ihe

t2lAnlachasmnplonshfips urhRch, 2panrored bythe Yaar-Romafll ChAbo, wAllopentumoy"Tow= tho couWADA of the,J,Xiayrn Isatmorp Country CubCOTO GahNag, to cevatintan to Jal.PM Oxngles mndl doublm events.wllfea1ure "'h( tournmunent, tha OanglrwnqwAnnex to be awardred the hard.-conile trophy prpsented by HaTalry L.

9beNc1uflorklAmeoPublished: January 29, 1 1 9 3 3

Copyright @ The NowYork Times

Documents

LTC 119-2013 Proposed Designation of 42 Island Dr as Historic Site