In today’s Spotlight:
- Coral Gate neighbors decry Live Local Act effects.
- Experienced sailor dies in anchorage off Dinner Key.
- Art Festival poster revealed – the sweetest yet.
A supersized, mixed-use project at the site of a struggling Sears store on Coral Way is possible thanks to a new state law that preempts local zoning regulations. Nearby residents say their “jewel” of a neighborhood will never be the same.
By Izzy Kapnick

Longtime residents of Miami’s Coral Gate neighborhood – a 460-home enclave a mile or so north of Coconut Grove – see their community as a refuge from the city’s commotion and traffic-clogged streets. With modest homes, well-kept lawns and the absence of through streets, the place has a quaint and quiet small-town vibe.
“We’ve put a lot of effort into having what we call a jewel in Miami. It’s so close to everything. But we have a lot of privacy because we’ve worked very hard to put up barricades and walls around the neighborhood to keep it quiet,” Maria Doval, president of the Coral Gate Homeowners Association, says.
For those hoping to keep high-density development out of Coral Gate, unwelcome change may be afoot, however.
Last summer Miami’s Urban Development Review Board approved plans for three eight-story towers at the site of South Florida’s last remaining Sears retail store at the corner of Coral Way and SW 37th Avenue.
Coconut Grove native John Callobre, 62, dies retrieving a friend’s dinghy.
By Mike Clary

Born and raised in Coconut Grove, John Callobre grew up around the water, and was known to his family as a good swimmer, an experienced sailor and a man with a generous spirit.
So it was consistent with his nature that he would dive into the water to retrieve a wayward dinghy that had drifted away from a friend’s boat, relatives say.
That is apparently what happened when Callobre, 62, went into the water from a sailboat anchored off Dinner Key on January 15 and disappeared.
After an extensive search by the U.S. Coast Guard and law enforcement agencies, Callobre’s body was recovered later that day by Miami Fire Rescue near Dinner Key Marina at 3400 Pan American Drive, according to Miami Police spokesman Michael Vega.
Eye Candy: The 2025 Coconut Grove Art Festival Poster

How sweet, indeed. The official poster for the 2025 Coconut Grove Art Festival was inspired by a 1949 candy bar – coconut-flavored, of course – and a catchphrase made famous by comedian Jackie Gleason: How sweet it is! Festival organizers revealed the official poster last week during a rooftop event at CocoWalk. The poster was designed by artist Julia Gilmore of New Hampshire.
“As I researched Coconut Grove, I stumbled upon an item that instantly hit my sweet spot,” Gilmore said in a statement announcing the event. “You don’t need to know its story to feel its charm.” The poster does reveal a bit of the backstory, however. Gilmore’s poster credits the Curtiss Candy Company for producing the original candy bar that inspired her. The company is perhaps best known for producing the Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars. The 61st edition of the arts festival takes place over Presidents Day weekend from February 15 to 17. This year’s festival will include 285 juried artists.
Recent News
The sailing world turns its gaze to Biscayne Bay during the winter racing season, providing an economic boost for Coconut Grove businesses.
In just 13 days, burglars hit three homes in North Grove and one in nearby Silver Bluff. No arrests have been made. Miami Police are investigating a string of home…
Alarmed by development pressures and other threats to quality of life, Center Grove residents are forming a new group to voice their concerns.
Are you dreading this year’s tax season? St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on McFarlane Road makes it easy – and free – to file a return for households that earned $67,000…
The Miami City Commission approved a resolution on Thursday that will allow District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo to open an administrative office on Grand Avenue near Douglas Road in the…
After a celebrated career in New York and Wynwood, the veteran art dealer known for her commitment to women artists has chosen Coconut Grove for her next act.
Crime was down 3.6% in Coconut Grove last year. Ignore that number, Miami Police Commander Daniel Kerr told an audience last week. It doesn’t matter.
Copyright 2024 Miami News Trust, Inc. All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed up through our website or participated in a promotion.
The Spotlight welcomes your letters and commentary. Share them here.