Bay Harbor Islands

Cradled by the Biscayne Bay's sparkling blue waters, the town of Bay Harbor Islands greets every morning with lush tropical flora, the smell of the ocean and South Florida sunshine.

There are, quite literally, two sides of Bay Harbor Islands. The west island strictly comprises single-family residences, while multifamily properties, commercial areas and the community's K-8 school sit on the east island. "It used to be like Mayberry from 'The Andy Griffith Show,'" says Eric Broad, a third-generation real estate broker with M. Kotler Real Estate and lifelong resident of Bay Harbor Islands. "As kids, we'd walk to and from school and get ice cream on the way home, but now it's been discovered." A building boom is underway, with a focus on high-end plans, such as prominent developer Ian Bruce Eichner's luxury condo project La Baia. "Another developing project on the tip of the east island, Onda Residences, is already almost sold out," Broad says. Despite these new developments, the neighborhood maintains its small-town charm, largely thanks to the town's height restrictions, limiting buildings to 75 feet.

Bay Harbor Islands can be found less than a mile west of Bal Harbour and Surfside, so residents benefit from proximity to the beach, restaurants and the luxury retailers at Bal Harbour Shops. Of course, you don’t have to leave the island for day-to-day shopping, dining out or water access. Main thoroughfare Kane Concourse runs across the islands; on the east island, it's flanked by convenient businesses, like doctors' offices and a local market, as well as small cafes and eateries, such as Bay Harbor Café and Emilio's Trattoria, an authentic Tuscan restaurant.

On the west island, an eclectic variety of single-family properties sits on lush lots brimming with tropical flora. "Bay Harbor Islands was founded in the 1950s," Broad says. "So you have a good mix of older homes from the '50s, '60s and '70s and new construction." From grand, waterfront Mediterranean Revivals and sprawling contemporary estates to quaint Spanish eclectic ranch-style homes and unique bungalows, this island is bursting with character. Home prices range from $3.1 million to $8 million for a residence on a dry lot, and waterfront properties cost upward of $25 million, with those on the canal being less expensive than those facing the open bay. Meanwhile, empty lots go for $2.6 million and up. On the east island, market prices of multifamily properties, including condos and fourplexes, start around $265,000 for an inland one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 530-square-foot condo, and cap around $6.3 million for a new construction, four-bedroom, four-bathroom condo in a luxury building.

Students living on the Bay Harbor Islands have the benefit of beginning school less than a mile from home at Ruth K. Broad/Bay Harbor K-8 Center. "One huge draw is that we have our own school that supplies education through eighth grade," Broad says. "It's public, and it's good for the whole zip code. It's been highly rated for many years." Currently, this convenient neighborhood school is rated with an A-minus on Niche. Students can transfer to Miami Beach Nautilus Middle, rated with a B on Niche, for grades six through seven, or finish up on the island before moving on to Miami Beach Senior High, rated with a B-plus on Niche. This high school offers an extensive array of academies to help students get a leg up on future careers and postsecondary education. Take the Academy of Marine and Environmental Sciences, for example; it provides students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade with opportunities to shadow and assist local organizations, including the Environmental Coalition of Miami and the Beaches, Tarpoon Lagoon Dive Center, the Big Blue and You Foundation, and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Pockets of green space can be found in the community at the local tot lot, which features bayfront views and shaded playgrounds, and at Officer Scott Winters Park. The latter boasts more open space and shaded playgrounds, plus it's adjacent to the neighborhood dog run.

Fall in love with your every day, surrounded by Bay Harbor Islands' gorgeous homes and paradisal views. "I've lived here my whole life," Broad says. "And I never want to leave."

Photography Contributed By

Gabor Kovacs

Video By

Robert Edmonds