In 1920 a private investor purchased a 2.26-square-mile tract of land for 

development as a tourist resort. He named it Sunny Isles - The Venice of 

America. In 1997, the citizens of this area voted to incorporate as a 

municipality. Sunny Isles Beach began major redevelopment during the real estate boom of the early 2000s with mostly luxury high-rise condominiums and some hotels under construction along the beach side of Collins Avenue (A1A) replacing most of the historic one- and two-story motels along Motel Row. Due to the afternoon shadows of the newly-erected condominiums that now loom over the beach, some longtime Sunny Isles beachgoers refer to the

area as Shady Isles. In 2011, construction began on two more high-rises,

Regalia, located on the northern border of the city along A1A, and The

Mansions at Acqualina, located adjcent to the Acqualina Resort. Additionally,

the 641 feet Porsche Design Tower was proposed.