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Miami Herald
21-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Don Soffer, who sketched an idea for Aventura on a napkin, dies at 92
Aventura began as a sketch on a napkin. Now it's home to the biggest mall in Florida, one of the five biggest in the country. Aventura is also one of Miami-Dade's poshest — and busiest — neighborhoods. Real estate mogul Don Soffer, developer of Florida's Aventura Mall and the city's 'godfather,' died Sunday morning at 92, his son-in-law Craig Robins and The Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center said. The synagogue was founded by Soffer. In a statement to CBS News Miami, the city of Aventura called Soffer a 'visionary developer and philanthropist whose leadership and foresight transformed South Florida swampland into the thriving, vibrant community we proudly call home.' The condo community, once an unincorporated slice of Miami-Dade, became a city 30 years ago. 'Mr. Soffer's legacy is etched into the very foundation of Aventura,' the city said in a statement. 'His development of what would become the city's heart — from Aventura Mall to residential communities and the Turnberry golf course and brand — laid the groundwork for Aventura's incorporation in 1995. Without his vision, the city of Aventura would not exist as we know it today.' In addition, there's a charter school, Don Soffer Aventura High School that was named after him in 2019; the Don Soffer Clinical Research Center, a part of UHealth, the University of Miami Health System on Northwest 14th Street in Miami; and a three-mile Don Soffer Exercise Trail on West Country Club Drive that rings Aventura. In June, Aventura Mall, under the stewardship of his daughter Jackie Soffer, chairman and CEO of Turnberry Associates, the real estate development group that has principle ownership of Aventura Mall, was voted the best in the country in USA's Readers Choice Awards. MORE: This Miami area mall was just voted best in the country. Here's why it's No. 1 Real estate developer Robins, who developed Miami's Design District and co-founded Design Miami, is married to Jackie Soffer. He called the family patriarch his 'hero' in an Instagram post on Sunday. 'He had the vision and fortitude to take swamp land and transform it into a city,' Robins wrote. 'Following such a dynamic and visionary parent can be especially hard for their successors. Jackie has managed to brilliantly take what Don did and carry it forward.' Soffer was a 'builder of community.' He turned Aventura into 'a model city that continues to grow and flourish. Though Don Soffer never held a formal title in Aventura's government, he was, in every sense, the godfather of the city,' the City of Aventura told CBS News Miami. Famous folks like tennis champ Jimmy Connors and his wife Patti Maguire Connors, John McEnroe and Princess Caroline once owned Aventura condos. Cirque du Soleil hosted its first big show in South Florida at Turnberry in 1989. Pop superstar Elton John, a frequent guest at Turnberry Isle in the 1980s, lit the torch for the venue's Whole Earth Run in 1986. Actors James Caan and 'Where the Boys Are' co-star George Hamilton dined with Soffer in Turnberry Isle. The Monkey Business Soffer's success also afforded him the opportunity to own a mega yacht. Alas, that yacht's name became infamous after the Miami Herald exposed a scandal concerning Democratic presidential candidate Gary Hart in May 1987. Hart was aboard the Monkey Business yacht he'd leased from Soffer. So was his date Donna Rice. They weren't married. A photo of the pair — Hart clad in a white T shirt reading 'Monkey Business Crew' and Rice perched atop his lap — ran in the National Enquirer in June 1987, weeks after Hart ended his campaign. The Herald's reporting on the affair led Hart to suspend his campaign as a Democratic candidate in the 1988 presidential race. After the Coast Guard seized half a marijuana cigarette on The Monkey Business in June 1988 — no one said to whom the roach belonged but the feds were into 'zero tolerance' at the time of television's 'Miami Vice' — Soffer had had enough. 'I'm thinking very seriously of changing the name,' Soffer told a Miami Herald columnist in 1988. 'They handcuffed the crew and confined them to the fly bridge under armed guard. Then they came up and said, 'Look what we found.' They could have brought the thing on with them. They just wanted to see where Donna Rice and Gary Hart slept. If this hadn't been the Monkey Business, it never would have happened.' Soffer teased the new name for the Monkey Business could be 'The None of Your Business.' Instead, he sold the yacht. Building Aventura from a napkin sketch MORE: What did Aventura Mall look like when it opened four decades ago? See for yourself All of this fame, success and admiration from associates, friends and family stemmed from notes scribbled on a cocktail napkin. In the 1960s, the Pittsburgh Soffers, including Don, loved visiting Miami 'to golf, boat and swim in the ocean,' his family said. The Aventura and Turnberry neighborhood began when Soffer visited Northeast Miami-Dade with his father Harry Soffer, a Pittsburgh mall developer, in 1967. The father-son duo were scouting sites for a possible shopping mall. 'The first thought was to build a mall here,' said Soffer, then a principal of Turnberry Associates in a 1988 Miami Herald story. 'Most of the land was under water. I sketched out on a napkin what I thought would fit into this property beside the shopping center.' Soffer kept that napkin for years. More than 20 years after scribbling on it, and about 16 before Aventura Mall opened in 1983, and seven years before the city of Aventura was officially incorporated in 1995, Soffer told the Herald reporter in 1988 that he'd found the cocktail napkin. 'It's remarkable how close it is to the actual development,' Soffer said. Early life and education Donald Morley Soffer was born on Sept. 20, 1932, in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. In 1954, Soffer graduated from Brandeis University in Massachusetts with a bachelor of arts in economics. He attended Brandeis on a football scholarship. After graduation, Soffer weighed a few choices. He had an opportunity to join the San Francisco 49ers, the military or the family business. He chose the latter two options, his family said in an obituary. Soffer served in the United States Army's 101st Airborne Division, today known as the 'Screaming Eagles.' He then returned to nearby Pittsburgh and went into construction and real estate with his father to develop suburban shopping centers. Aventura means adventure In 1967, Soffer and his business partners co-led a groundbreaking deal to acquire 785 acres of swampland in Miami-Dade. He founded Turnberry Associates to realize that vision, his family said. Not everyone was on board. Environmentalists and controlled growth advocates didn't share Soffer's vision for the land. Through a friend, Soffer secured a five-minute meeting with then Florida Gov. Claude Kirk in Tallahassee. Soffer, his family said, often shared the story that he convinced Gov. Kirk that his idea to employ 4,000 people in a $100 million construction project to create a modern city where 100,000 people would visit daily was actually Kirk's own idea. 'That way, Kirk could pitch it to his cabinet and take full credit. That salesmanship sealed the deal,' his family wrote in his obituary. In 1969, the county approved Soffer's ambitious 23,900 condominium unit master plan. Over the 1970s and 1980s, Soffer and his business partners would go on to create what is now the City of Aventura, building everything from high-rises and golf resorts to libraries, fire stations and Aventura Mall. According to a January 2012 Biscayne Times article, local author and historian Seth Bramson said Soffer came up with the city's name after telling his father, who died in 1972 at 63, that developing the city would be an 'adventure.' Aventura is Spanish for adventure. Soffer expanded his footprint with other real estate projects like Turnberry Isle Resort and the purchase and restoration of Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Turnberry is currently led by his daughter Jackie Soffer, who used to lead it with her brother Jeffrey as co-chief executives before they split ownership in 2019. Jeffrey Soffer currently leads Fontainebleau Development and owns the Miami Beach Fontainebleau hotel and the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Aventura Mall secured South Florida's first Macy's when it opened in 1983. The Northeast Miami-Dade mall, under his daughter's leadership, recently welcomed Florida's first Eataly Italian marketplace. Other Florida first recent arrivals include Massimo Dutti wardrobe store, the fashion boutique Cinq à Sept, Dolce Vita footwear and Kim Kardashian's Skims store. Philanthropy and honors Outside of construction and real estate, Soffer, who championed an outdoors lifestyle through frequent fishing, boating and camping excursions with his children, was a philanthropist. He donated $15 million to Brandeis University. He was given an honorary doctorate at Brandeis in 2023 and inducted into the Brandeis Athletcis Hall of Fame in 2009. Soffer also supported the University of Miami, Mount Sinai Medical Center and helped establish the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center in honor of his parents, Ida and Harry, as well as helping to build the New Hope orphanage in Haiti, his family said. His other contributions include City of Hope, Best Buddies, Breast Cancer Initiative and the Humane Society of Greater Miami. He received the Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award in 2024. Survivors and services Soffer's survivors include his wife, Michele King Soffer; his sister Rita; children Marsha, Jackie, Jeffrey, Brooke, Rock and Abigail; 13 grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. His funeral service was held on Monday, July 21, in the Harry & Ida Soffer Sanctuary at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center. Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami contributed to this report.
New York Post
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Home closest to the iconic Hollywood sign lists for $2.25M
If location is everything in real estate, then 6105 Mulholland Highway may have just taken home the crown. Nestled into the hillside of Beachwood Canyon and perched just beneath the towering white letters that spell 'Hollywood,' this A-frame chalet isn't just close to the famous sign — it's the closest residence to it, The Post has learned. Listed for $2.25 million with Christopher Soffer and Trenton Armitage of The Beverly Hills Estates, the midcentury hideaway offers something few properties can: front-row views of the cultural landmark that has defined Los Angeles for a century. Advertisement 'It is extremely limited,' Soffer told The Post. 'Being the closest house to the Hollywood sign in the world is as limited as it gets.' 17 Located at 6105 Mulholland Highway, the 1963 chalet-style property sits at the end of a private road in L.A.'s Beachwood Canyon and is surrounded by untouched wilderness. Lawrence Fitz-Simon Built in 1963 and tucked at the end of a private road, the three-bedroom, 2,500-square-foot home will be the first time it will hit the market in almost 40 years. Advertisement 'It's perched up in the trees, almost like a tree house,' Soffer said. 'You have this sense when you're there that you really feel like you're entrenched in this lifestyle and this period of time that seems to have faded away with the modern age.' 17 The foyer. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 The current owners, digital artists Jeffrey Kleiser and Diana Walczak, are selling the home as part of a broader real estate consolidation. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 The kitchen and breakfast nook. Lawrence Fitz-Simon Advertisement The chalet is a rarity in both style and setting. Its A-frame design — uncommon in Los Angeles — is clad in wood inside and out, creating a cabin-in-the-woods ambiance in the middle of one of the city's most iconic neighborhoods. 'There's tons and tons of wood,' Soffer said. 'You kind of also feel like you're in a cabin in the woods, which is beautiful because the entire A-frame is essentially made out of wood.' The home's current owners, digital effects pioneer Jeffrey Kleiser and sculptor Diana Walczak, have used the space as both residence and creative incubator. Walczak, best known for sculpting the Michael Jackson HIStory statue and designing its digital version for the album cover, and Kleiser, whose credits span 'Tron' to 'X-Men,' are consolidating their property portfolio, according to Soffer. Advertisement 17 The home has hosted a slew of artists over the years. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 Walczak is best known for sculpting Michael Jackson's HIStory statue, while Kleiser's visual effects work includes 'Tron' and 'X-Men.' Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 The three-bedroom home has played host to numerous artists and musicians, including The Association, the 1960s band featured in Linda McCartney's photography book, 'The Sixties.' Lawrence Fitz-Simon 'They've absolutely loved living there and they are creatives themselves,' Soffer said. 'They've actually recorded in that house, numerous bands over the years.' One of the most famous is The Association, the 1960s band behind hits like 'Cherish' and 'Windy.' Their connection to the property earned it a cameo in Linda McCartney's photography book, 'The Sixties.' The home's creative legacy doesn't stop at music, and has quietly played host to artists, sculptors and filmmakers over the decades. 'That place kind of attracts a very interesting crowd and has a very interesting creative energy to it,' Soffer said. 17 Nearly every surface inside the house is clad in wood, giving it the feeling of a forest cabin, while expansive rooftop decks offer panoramic views of downtown Los Angeles on one side and the towering Hollywood sign on the other. Lawrence Fitz-Simon Advertisement 17 'It's perched up in the trees, almost like a treehouse,' said listing agent Christopher Soffer. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 Despite its fame-adjacent location, the home has remained surprisingly peaceful, with the owners reporting no issues from tourists or passersby. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 It has also performed well as a short-term rental, earning spots in Travel + Leisure and the Emmy-winning show Staycation. Lawrence Fitz-Simon Though it's tucked into the hills, the property is not without modern acclaim. It has been featured on 'Staycation,' the Emmy-winning travel show, and was recognized by Travel + Leisure as one of California's best Airbnbs. Advertisement The owners even produce 'Hollywood Honey' on the premises, courtesy of a small hillside apiary tended by a local beekeeper. The house's positioning on the ridge yields dual vistas: the Hollywood sign at its back and sweeping views of downtown L.A., Griffith Park, and — on clear days — the Pacific Ocean at its front. 'When you are building on a site like that, the Hollywood sign is as direct as it gets,' Soffer said. 'When you're sitting on either of the rooftop decks, all you can see is the Hollywood sign… and on the front of the house, you have these panoramic views of the city.' 17 The property even features a honeybee colony producing 'Hollywood Honey' on a hillside perch. Lawrence Fitz-Simon Advertisement 17 The surrounding land is protected from overdevelopment, with only one neighboring lot eligible for construction. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 Soffer described the home as a rare architectural gem, especially in a city where A-frame homes are uncommon. Lawrence Fitz-Simon The listing also marks a nod to the roots of the surrounding area. 'Originally, Beachwood Canyon was built by a single guy and he had done it because he wanted to create a neighborhood that was perfect for Hollywood and studio production,' Soffer said. 'When they first built the Hollywood sign, it was actually almost like an advertisement for the neighborhood.' Advertisement At the time, the sign was even illuminated at night — a touch of glamor that has since disappeared. 'They actually used to have lights on the Hollywood sign, believe it or not,' Soffer said. 'I would love to see that today, but I think it might be a little bit too bright for the current landscape of the neighborhood.' Despite its proximity to a tourist magnet, the property offers peace and privacy. 17 'Being the closest house to the Hollywood sign in the world is as limited as it gets,' he said. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 A hot tub. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 17 One of four bedrooms. Lawrence Fitz-Simon 'They said everyone is so enamored by the sign, everyone's in such a good mood when they're up there,' Soffer said of the owners. 'They've never had any issues with break-ins or trespassing or anything like that over the years.' There's little risk of competition either: 'To the right of the property, if you're facing the property, there's only one other lot that can be developed,' Soffer noted. 'As of now, there's nothing on it. It's just a raw piece of land. And beyond that, it's pure wilderness.' It's that blend of exclusivity, architectural significance, and Hollywood history that Soffer believes makes the home one-of-a-kind. 'The architectural community loves these types of houses — A-frame houses,' he said. 'They aren't typical for Los Angeles, and when they do pop up, it's something to be cherished.'
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
This Miami area mall was just voted best in the country. Here's why it's No. 1
Aventura Mall fans already know it's the best mall in the United States. Now the sprawling shopping center has national recognition, too. The Northeast Miami-Dade mall, a city unto itself with plenty of offerings and surrounding traffic jams, plays big. There's a big slide, an Apple Store, an Italian food hall and market. Now it also has a big ranking: Best Mall in America, as voted in the new USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards. 'Being named the best mall in the USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards reflects our continued commitment to curating exceptional experiences,' said Jackie Soffer, chairman and CEO of Turnberry, the majority owner of Aventura Mall. 'From welcoming Florida's first Eataly to bringing the most coveted fashion and lifestyle brands, and supporting culture through our museum-quality art collection, we're proud to offer a premier destination that continues to evolve. We thank our loyal guests for their continued support and for making this achievement possible,' Soffer said in a statement to the Miami Herald. Eataly isn't the only first-in-Florida to open at sprawling Aventura Mall. Other brands trying Florida firsts in the last year include recent arrivals like Massimo Dutti wardrobe store, the fashion boutique Cinq à Sept, Dolce Vita footwear and Kim Kardashian's Skims store. MORE: How 'Florida firsts' are defining Aventura Mall. Here are some of the newcomers Twenty malls across the country were nominated for consideration by a panel of 'USA Today experts' in the fields of travel and lifestyle, according to the publication. The public was then given a chance to vote among the nominees. The only other Florida mall to contend was the Mall at Millenia in Orlando but it fell short of the Top 10. Sorry Dadeland, Aventura's also ever-growing Kendall-area rival that recently opened the first Dick's House of Sport in South Florida. MORE: Why is Aventura Mall both loved and loathed? It comes down to more than shopping Top 10 best U.S. malls So why is Aventura ranked above the others. 'As the largest mall in the state of Florida, Aventura Mall has more than 300 retail shops, experiences, and dining options, and boasts a museum-worthy art collection,' opines the USA Today 10 Best editors. Here are the 10 best malls in the nation, according to USA Today's Readers' Choice Awards. ▪ 1. Aventura Mall, Florida. ▪ 2. Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota. ▪ 3. Galleria Dallas, Texas. ▪ 4. The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, New York City. ▪ 5. King of Prussia Mall, Pennsylvania. ▪ 6. Scottsdale Fashion Square, Arizona. ▪ 7. American Dream, East Rutherford, New Jersey. ▪ 8. Grapevine Mills, Texas. ▪ 9. Tysons Corner Center, Virginia. ▪ 10. Brookfield Place, New York City.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Toast' Host Claudia Oshry Welcomes Her First Baby with Husband Ben Soffer
Claudia Oshry is a mom! The viral podcaster, 30, has welcomed her first baby, a boy, with her husband, Ben Soffer. The couple shared the happy news via a joint Instagram post on Saturday, May 24. Alongside a photo of themselves posing with their newborn in the hospital, Oshry wrote simply: "Things I did? That. 🩵." In the comments, several of the couple's celebrity friends shared their well-wishes, including Stassi Schroeder, who wrote, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH!!!!!!!!!!! 🥹❤️." Taylor Lautner commented: "Omg congratulations you beautiful humans!!" Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The host of chart-topping pop culture podcast The Toast first announced the news that she was expecting via an Instagram Reel in November 2024. The footage showed her reading a positive pregnancy test and celebrating with her husband. Set to Taylor Swift's "Never Grow Up," the clip also showed Oshry — who runs the viral social media account @GirlWithNoJob — smiling during an ultrasound appointment. "I'M HAVIN' HIS BAAABY! 🐣" Oshry captioned the Instagram announcement, which was posted in collaboration with Soffer's complementary Instagram page, @BoyWithNoJob. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Fellow celebrities flocked to the announcement post to congratulate the New York City-based couple, who married in 2017. Josh Peck wrote, "Yessss! More oshry-Soffer's!!!" Social media star and new mom Campbell "Pookie" Puckett, shared in the excitement as well, writing, "So happy😭 love you guys." Influencer Remi Bader also commented, "I'm. Not. Well." On her Instagram Stories, Oshry showed that she and Soffer weren't the only happy ones at home. The soon-to-be mom shared a photo of a positive pregnancy test destroyed at one end, seemingly with eager animal teeth. "Romeo is really excited," she wrote of her and Soffer's dog, adding puppy and hand-heart emojis. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos' Sweet Selfie in Italy Sends 'Chicago P.D.' Fans Into a Frenzy
As dating rumors swirl, and , former stars of Chicago P.D., got fans worked up with their latest update from Italy. The two former co-stars explored Venice in dreamy new photos, showing off the scenery alongside a new selfie of the two posing together. 🎬 🎬 Spiridakos took to Instagram on Monday, Feb. 17, to share the adorable update, starting with a selfie in front of a unique walkway in the city. She then included some shots of the beautiful architecture and one of the famous Venice waterways before revealing a smiling Soffer walking in the rain. She also shared a photo of a gondola stand before stunning fans with a snap of herself and Soffer together, smiling at the camera with their heads touching one another. View the to see embedded media. "Best post to wake up to!!" declared one fan, while another wrote, "It's so cool that you're getting to explore the world together. That's amore!" One said, "Full and absolute happiness to you two, you deserve it 🩷." "Absolutely stunning both of you are just glowing, and Venice is beautiful," said another, as a different fan referenced their on-screen characters, writing, "Nice to see halstead and upton got a happy ending." Soffer and Spiridakos played Jay Halstead and Hailey Upton, respectively, who were coworkers on the police force and love interests on Chicago P.D. In 2022, Soffer left the show, although he has returned since in a role behind the camera, while Spiridakos left Chicago P.D. in 2024. Recently, there have been dating rumors surrounding the two actors, although neither Soffer nor Spiridakos has explicitly commented on them. Despite that, the two continue to appear close in their social media updates, such as last summer, when they vacationed together in Portugal. Next:
