WGM: Don Soffer's Legacy, the Shelborne Reborn, & the Raleigh is for sale, again.

Inside Miami’s highest non-waterfront sale, the return of a storied hotel, and a tribute to one of the city's true visionaries.

Welcome to your cultural cheat code. This week, we’re tracking Miami’s biggest non-waterfront real estate flex, the revival of a legendary hotel, and the passing of a man who helped invent modern South Florida. From $13 million deals with no ocean in sight to breakfast worth waking up early for, the city’s changing fast—but always on its own terms. Let’s get into it.

LOCAL LEGENDS

Don Soffer (1933–2025): The Man Who Dreamed a City into Existence

It’s not every day you meet someone who reshaped the skyline, and the soul, of South Florida. Don Soffer wasn’t just a developer. He was a force. A visionary. A man who stared out at a mangrove swamp in the late '60s and somehow saw what would become Aventura.

Don passed away this week at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy that quite literally changed the map. If you've ever shopped at Aventura Mall, played a round at Turnberry, or walked the Don Soffer Exercise Trail, you’ve felt his impact, even if you didn’t know his name. But around here, you did.

Born in Pittsburgh, Don brought a steel-town work ethic to the tropics. His ambition was matched only by his relentlessness. The guy didn’t build buildings, he built belief. In what a place could be. In what Miami could become.

He understood something elemental about South Florida: that it was a blank canvas for bold people. And so he colored outside the lines. Luxury condos, world-class resorts, championship golf courses, Don didn’t just develop properties, he developed experiences. And in doing so, he helped define modern Miami living.

But beyond the concrete and contracts, there was the man. Sharp as hell. Always in control. And still, deeply human. He was proud, protective, and generous, especially with his family, who carry forward the torch of everything he stood for: ambition, loyalty, and legacy.

To honor Don is to acknowledge the weight of vision, and the responsibility that comes with building something meant to last. He didn’t just play the game. He changed the rules.

Thank you, Don, for seeing something in this city before the rest of us did.

BEACH BUSINESS

Raleigh Hotel Update: Nahla Capital bids $275M for Shvo’s UltraLuxe Project

Last week we alluded to it and this week it is real. A potential buyer has entered the ring at The Raleigh, a long-stalled hotel and condo project in Miami Beach.

New York-based Nahla Capital reportedly won the bid with a $275 million offer. But developer Michael Shvo and his firm still have right of first refusal—and are trying to match it.

Rosewood is still set to brand the project, which includes restoring the historic hotel and adding a new 17-story oceanfront condo tower. Peter Marino and Kobi Karp are the names behind the design.

To retain control, Shvo will need to raise serious money—either new debt, a refinancing deal, or new partners. Buckle up.

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Jills Drop a Bomb, Miami’s Biggest Non‑Waterfront Sale

The Jills aka the Hertzberg’s just made real estate history, with zero ocean views. A newly built mansion on La Gorce Island closed at $13.35 million, setting a record for the most expensive non-waterfront home sale in the area.

Why It Matters
Privacy still reigns supreme. Buyers are showing they’ll pay top dollar for elite, tucked-away addresses even without water access. In Miami, it’s no longer just about shoreline—it’s about lifestyle and architecture.

The Details
The buyer? A high-profile real estate executive who plays the long game. The home itself? Modern design, open layouts, luxe everything. It’s a quiet flex—and a sign that the market’s evolving.

Personally for $13.35 million I think its a pretty fugly, but as we say taste is not for sale.

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HOSPITALITY INSIDER: THE SHELBORNE IS REBORN