This property near Miami International carries a West Indies style and has two restaurants. Frequented by pilots and flight crews, it has a departure board in the lobby. It is connected to the slightly odd “mall” of the Miami Convention Center, which is redeemed for having an Au Bon Pain in the center.

The hotel opened as a Radisson, and the exterior has the classic 1980s Radisson look, namely smoked glass. Sadly, as with most hotels these days, the windows have been locked shut, though you can step out to the east steps at the end of the hall and get some fresh air on each floor. Do get a room to the north side, so you can see the jumbo jets come in from around the globe.

They have two restaurants, and a decent pool area.

“In 2009 we announced that we would actively pursue growth through fee-based services. We couldn’t be happier with the interest shown in our services and the quality of properties we now have under contract,” said David Pontius, President of Bluegreen Management Services. “Now that we have expanded into hotel management at these particular locations, we can continue to broaden our service footprint, delivering the true Bluegreen service experience, from the moment our hotel guests plan their vacation, to the moment they leave the resort.”

The Sandhurst Hotel, located on Hutchinson Island in Ft. Pierce, Florida, is designed for leisure and offers waterfront accommodations just steps from popular area attractions and local businesses. Although Bluegreen owns, operates, or manages many other Florida resorts, this particular vacation destination extend Bluegreen’s specialized hotel management services into a boutique hotel location.

“We have continued to focus on ways to expand our business by leveraging our service and management expertise, while conserving capital,” says Bluegreen’s President and CEO, John Maloney. “We believe that the expansion of our fee-based services model into the boutique hotel arena validates both our ongoing commitment to and successful execution of these strategic initiatives. We believe that there is a sizable market for our style of hospitality services in the hotel business as well as in our core business of vacation ownership.”

And this time, they are a bit different than they were five years ago. They are coming to scoop up bargains and foreclosures and short sales, for prices that are a fraction of what they were a few years ago. Very often, a substantial house that was $250,000 or more is now less than $100,000. The best bargains are the houses that were abandoned during foreclosure, and got a little run down.

Read more at CNN.

Sponsor: Florida Timeshares: Florida is home to thousands of gorgeous timeshare suites, popular to individuals looking for inexpensive and comfortable lodging. These prime properties boast many high end amenities such as full gourmet kitchens and multiple bedrooms. Visitors can buy timeshare suites on the resale market for far less than the resort prices, and will still be able to enjoy everything the resort has to offer.

There is nothing completely showy here, real estate wise; you will have to head up to Casey Key in Sarasota for that. Instead, there are some nice condos, great houses and lots of Northeastern bluebloods on golf carts.

This is a great time to look at Sarasota Real Estate under $200K. Some good stuff still out there.

HIALEAH – The storied Miami Jockey Club racetrack, one of the great landmarks of the Roaring Twenties, will reopen November 28.

Hundreds of workers are preparing the racetrack for opening day.

The club began in 1924, when Joseph M. Smoot established the Miami Jockey Club and constructed a racetrack and grandstand adjacent to an existing greyhound track. The track that opened on January 15, 1925 consisted of a clubhouse, an administrative building, a paddock area and stables. The park also had jai-alai and rides.

Through its history, it has been known as the world’s most beautiful racecourses.

The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and has been deemed eligible for being named a National Historic Landmark, both of which convey significant tax benefits. It declined in recent years, and finally closed in 2001. Virginia internet entrepreneur Halsey Minor has been attempting to reopen the park.

Horses began arriving at the park again Nov. 12 for the track’s 40-day meet, according to Bloodhorse.com.

Find out more at SaveHialeahPark.com.

SARASOTA – For those of you who have dreamed about a glorious retro ranch house from the 1950s, terrazzo tiles and all, now is the time. Sarasota, home of the Sarasota School of Modern design, is the place you want to be looking. Other than Palm Springs, California, this is the place. Prices have dropped, and there are some great deals.

Before you come, think about the following areas to look:

South Gate: Just south of downtown; some of it is in the city of Sarasota and some just outside in Sarasota County. Houses are three bedroom or so, and built in the 1960s. Part of the original development is the Westfield Southgate Mall, which has a Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Dillards, all within walking distance. The Sarasota Memorial Hospital is nearby.

Gulf Gate: This area is less than a mile from Siesta Key, and just off Tamiami Trail. The houses here are smaller, some two bedrooms. Not as architecturally interesting as South Gate, but some great houses nonetheless. A great shopping area, also called Gulf Gate, is part of the neighborhood. This shopping area includes all manner of funky bars and restaurants, as well as Publix, Stein Mart, Books a Million and Old Navy. Nearby are all the major car dealers, and bike trails in Palmer Ranch are adjacent. The Catholic Church sits in the middle of the neighborhood; its Sarasota School too.

Paver Park: One of many groovin’ neighborhoods in Sarasota is Paver Park, which sits just east of downtown. Smaller houses, but some really good ones. Paver also developed Kensington Park, seen above in an old advertisement.

There are other pockets of modern are all across the city. Siesta Key has many gems, including some by top architects. These tend to be waterfront extravaganzas, and while their prices have moderated, there are no cheapies less than $200,000 to be had.

The Cohen House was designed by Paul Rudolph in 1955, and it is back on the market and priced at $1.1 Mil.

The Cohen House was recently featured in the book, MODERN AMERICAN HOUSES, Fifty Years of Design in Architectural Record. Early Cohen House photos by Ezra Stoller in this vintage “Architectural Record Houses of 1956″ article are here at Architectural Record.

It is open this Sunday June 21, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m, at 101 Garden Lane, Sarasota, on Siesta Key.

Questions? Contact broker Martie Lieberman at 941-724-1118. She has a survey, floor plan and many details to share. The house is the subject

of this year’s AIA Florida/Caribbean 2009 Award of Excellence, Merit, as renovations to the house by Seibert Architects PA will be bestowed next month. See a slideshow of the house at http://www.srqvm2.com/101gardenlane/slide.html

But dress for warmth, please. The house is unplugged and unfurnished.

See www.modernsarasota.com