MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – April 2, 2007 – Shutts & Bowen LLP represented New National, LLC in its recent purchase of the National Hotel, an historic Art Deco structure located at 1677 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach. New National purchased the 151-room, 11-story hotel from Florida Resort Management Ltd., a Florida partnership whose principal is Hans Krause. Shutts & Bowen Partner Kevin Cowan, who co-chairs the firm’s real estate practice, and real estate partner Florentino L. Gonzalez handled the legal aspects of the sale for New National LLC.
Built in 1939 and renovated in 2003, the landmark National Hotel is considered by many to be an Art Deco masterpiece and features a 200-foot-long swimming pool that is believed to be the longest in Florida. The beachfront hotel is situated along world-famous Collins Avenue, the location of many other high-profile hotels, including the Setai, Delano, Raleigh, and Ritz Carlton.
According to Cowan and Nathalie Goulet, in-house legal counsel to the buyer, New National principals Mr. and Mrs. Claude Dray are avid art collectors, who have a long-standing appreciation of the Art Deco style in particular. They have been Art Deco collectors for many years and recently sold one of the world’s leading collections of Art Deco pieces. Because of Mr. Dray’s appreciation of the Art Deco movement and his penchant for owning, developing and retaining properties in the most exclusive locations (i.e., St. Tropez, beachfront in Miami Beach, Paris, New York City, Brickell Avenue in Miami, Florida, Jerusalem, etc.), Cowan believes Mr. Dray is the perfect owner/preservationist for this Art Deco gem. Cowan also noted that Mr. Dray is always looking for further Miami Beach investments.