On April 26, the sliver of mangrove-lined land — which has long served as a sanctuary for native bird species — was listed for sale by real estate investor and owner Finlay Matheson. The online listing describes the islet as a "golden opportunity for a developer...or finally a very lucky individual [who] may create Miami's most exclusive address."
"Presenting Bird Key, an uninhabited 4+/- acre island in Biscayne Bay," the listing reads. "The ONLY privately owned island, zoned RESIDENTIAL with sights of Miami's skyline, amid the clear, beautiful, blue waters of the Bay — with no traffic or people — is for sale!"
Matheson says that after almost four decades, he felt "it was about time" to sell the island.
"[Bird Key] has been sitting idle for a long time. There's lots of activity on the market," Matheson tells New Times. "Now's the time."
Flocks of different bird species can still be seen fluttering around Bird Key when the weather is right.
Photo by Christopher Boykin
While conservationists fear that listing the land at such a steep price will allow only wealthy developers or private interests to swoop in and acquire it (as opposed to a nonprofit or state agency focused on protecting the precious habitat), Matheson isn't as distressed about the island's fate.
"I'm not concerned at all," Matheson says, adding that he welcomes whoever's interested to come forward to buy the land — and urges them to move quickly.
The land was marked for county acquisition for decades under Miami-Dade's Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program, but Matheson told the Miami Herald back in 2019 that he never received offers from the county. A county acquisition of Bird Key would establish environment regulation and preservation measures to protect the island and its wildlife.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava tells New Times that an offer was made to buy Bird Key "as recently as last year" through the EEL program, but that the owner rejected it. The program works with the Nature Conservancy, a global nonprofit organization, to negotiate land purchases, according to the mayor's office.
"My administration has been closely following the process at Bird Key and made a purchase offer that unfortunately did not meet the owner's expectations. Biscayne Bay is both a recreational oasis and an economic engine for our county, but it is also home to some of Florida's most iconic species, including birds, marine life, and storm-reducing mangroves," Levine Cava said in a statement. "And so, an opportunity to restore our bay and protect its wildlife through land acquisition is something my administration will always consider. We are eager to find alternatives, including state or federal support, to purchase this property and expand the footprint of our Biscayne Bay protection programs."
Christopher Boykin, a local conservationist and former executive director of Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, says "it would be an environmental atrocity to lose such an iconic greenspace to development." In addition to serving as a historically significant rookery, the island is home to protected coastal and wetland tree species, he says.
Boykin notes that the bird population on the island collapsed during the fall 2019 to spring 2020 nesting season but that conservationists had been holding out hope that it would recover.
"I was very concerned to see this historic island listed for sale and zoned residential. Other than the barrier islands, it's only one of two naturally occurring islands in northern Biscayne Bay and served as a breeding rookery for over 1,000 birds of a dozen different species until 2020," Boykin tells New Times.
Once owned by wealthy businessman Charles Deering, Bird Key was bought by Matheson and fellow real estate investor Edward Easton for $36,000 in the mid-1980s. Over the last ten years, ownership of the property shifted between members of the Matheson family, county records show. In late 2022, the title was transferred from several Matheson family members to Bird Key LLC, a company that lists Finlay Matheson as a manager in state records.
Matheson says that since he listed Bird Key for sale less than two weeks ago, there's been heavy interest in the property. He noted on Friday that two parties would likely submit bid contracts for the island within the next week.
The exclusive club, made up of four sleek solar-powered yachts bordering a natural pool, planned to host live music and yoga classes to a lucky 360 members.
Image by Arkhaus
In response to New Times' inquiry regarding the property sale, Arkhaus revealed that it is no longer planning to set up the club near Bird Key. Environmental studies and concerns over the project's impact on the potential return of the avian rookery population prompted the decision, according to Arkhaus.
"As an organization that deeply values the environment, its members, and broader community, ARKHAUS notified Bird Key ownership of its socially responsible decision to not move forward with the lease," Payrovi, Arkhaus' chief executive, says in a statement.
Boykin says he's heard rumblings about conservationists trying to round up the state's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or potentially Miami-Dade County to buy the island.
"I don't know the validity of this, but it does provide a glimmer of hope that the historic island will remain in its natural state and not fall into the hands of developers," Boykin says.
"This island is very linear and thin, so development would need to be limited to specific footprint, since the surrounding waters are protected from infilling via the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves Act of 1974. The protected seagrass resources surrounding the island are dense and resilient," Boykin adds.
Matheson says that neither the county nor the DEP have reached out with offers for the land since the property was listed. The DEP has not responded to New Times' request for comment.
Unless conservationists or the county swiftly makes a competitive bid, the land could be developed in short order, eliminating one of the bay's last island sanctuaries for bird species.
Editor's note 5/13/2024: This article has been updated with a statement from Arkhaus, in which the company disclosed that it no longer plans to set up its floating social club near Bird Key.
Editor's note 5/14/2024: The article was updated to include a statement from Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava regarding an attempt to purchase Bird Key under the county's Environmentally Endangered Lands Program.
