Aqua on Allison Island

If life on a private, guarded island in the tropics sounds appealing, then Aqua on Allison Island is the ideal home for you. This unique option provides a wide range of home sizes, from the Spear to Chatham and Gorlin. Each of these condominium buildings features unique architecture and design, as well as a host of amenities for enjoyment.

Allison Island is a private resort, reserved for those who demand the ability to get away from it all. This community provides incredible views of the surrounding waters, as well as the skyline of Miami Beach.

Options for residence at Aqua on Allison Island include the Chatham floor plan, which features post-Art Deco architecture and design. Private rooftop solariums, penthouses, adjoining terraces with hot tubs and a spectacular swimming pool are just some of the amenities found with Chatham.

The Spear is a unique design option, linking two separate buildings and providing incredible views from every residence. A sculptural covered driveway is the visual focal point for the development, while the veranda facing the water is an excellent place to unwind. The island’s square lies directly in front of the Spear, and the Promenade is behind it. Penthouses and two-level loft residences make up the bulk of the units here.

The Gorlin building is divided into four separate sections, each pointing in one of the cardinal compass directions – north, south, east and west. Each floor features three corner units, each outfitted to provide guests and owners with the ultimate view and incredible comfort.

All units in Aqua on Allison Island provide some of the most spectacular kitchens available. SubZero refrigerators and freezers are available, as are Gaggenau radiant glass stovetops. Blanco stainless steel dual compartment sinks are provided, as are Dornbracht faucets. Javento marble countertops provide a splash of brightness, while the larch wood cabinetry is simply delightful in color and design.

Bathrooms in all units feature additional luxury amenities for guests and owners. Dornbracht fixtures are the rule in all bathrooms, as are Phillpe Starck toilets and bidets. All bathrooms feature whirlpool tubs for relaxation and refreshment. Allison Island is home to some of the most luxurious properties in the Miami Beach area and owners will find that they are right at home. However, they will not lack for opportunities to venture to areas that are a bit further out –South Beach, Miami Beach, greater Miami and Bal Harbour all lie just minutes away.

Adding to AQUA’s distinctive architectural environment are scattered sculptures and two commissioned public art installations: Richard Tuttle’s site-specific abstract “Splash” mosaic mural on the side of the Chatham building and Guillermo Kuitca’s first public art piece – a sunken mosaic plaza in AQUA’s landscaped gathering place known as St. Francis Square.

AQUA Allison Island Recreation

AQUA Allison Island offers a serene refuge… a place to unwind and recharge. On-site are swimming pools, a spa and private boat docks. Golf and tennis facilities are close by, including the private La Gorce Country Club with a golf course, six tennis courts and clubhouse.

The exclusive Indian Creek Golf Club is easily accessible by traveling north on Collins Avenue and west on 91st Street. The renovated and well-regarded city-owned Normandy Shores Golf Club is a few minutes away, and to the south, Miami Beach Golf Club on Alton Road offers a fine course.

AQUA Allison Island ShoppingAQUA condos and town homes are conveniently situated close to North Beach, the Bal Harbour Shops and Aventura Mall to the north. The stretch of Collins Avenue from 69th Street to 75th Street has a range of neighborhood retail, with a Publix supermarket, Walgreens and other drugstores, ethnic food, butchers, bakers and useful service establishments such as dry cleaners and hairdressers.

To the south, Mid-beach and South Beach also offer many stores of all kinds. The Shops at Midtown are just across the Julia Tuttle Causeway from 41st Street.

AQUA Allison Island DiningThere are dozens of varied restaurants in the area offering ethnic to haute cuisine. Please visit our Miami Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, North Beach and South Beach neighborhood pages for more information.

AQUA Allison Island Schools and Houses of WorshipStudents from the AQUA Allison Island neighborhood are served by the following Miami-Dade public schools: North Beach Elementary, Nautilus Middle School and Miami Beach Senior High School.

Aqua Allison Island History

From 1926 until 1999, concrete hospital buildings occupied the prime southern end of Allison Island. AQUA developer Craig Robins of Dacra Development, who was born in the old St. Francis hospital on the Island, bought the long-closed hospital complex.

Four neighborhood associations mounted a fierce anti-development campaign because they did not want high‑rise buildings towering over their single-family homes on the west side of Indian Creek. Robins’ concept was the antithesis of “condo canyons,” and he voluntarily reduced the building heights and made the density of AQUA’s condos and town homes less than half of what was allowed. The site plan, which rejected height and bulk in favor of breadth and depth, gained the support of the community.

The master plan transformed the Island’s barren acres with three mid-rise condo buildings on the east, which juxtapose the high-rise condo towers on nearby Collins Avenue. AQUA’s low-rise town homes blend nicely with the single-family homes across the water on the west.

The hospital’s original sturdy garage building underwent major adaptive reuse to transform it into a residential parking structure that keeps with the aesthetics of the rest of the Island.