Miami’s futuristic transformation from beach town to architectural hub is on display at the opening of the sleek, three-city-block, mixed-use Brickell City Centre in the heart of downtown. This billion dollar urban oasis, comprised of retail outposts, lounges, residences, a skyscraping hotel, and capped by a got-to-see-it-to-believe-it, glass-and-steel “Climate Ribbon” controlling the centre’s microclimate, is currently Miami’s place to see and be seen.

As someone who resided in Brickell—the flourishing Miami neighborhood south of Downtown and north of Coconut Grove—when Barack Obama first became president, this writer can attest that as much has changed within this Floridian enclave as it has in American politics. Meaning: Compared to eight years ago, Brickell is now virtually unrecognizable.

Last year, the family owned Bal Harbour Shops celebrated its 50th anniversary, going from an industry outsider that made a risky bet on luxury retail to one of the world’s most productive shopping centers. We have continued to thrive over the decades, even as South Florida’s broader luxury retail market has grown exponentially.

More on the headline, down below. But first, a simple question. What is it that makes this little town (pop 3,000), nine blocks north of Miami Beach, one of the best-known and most desirable places to live and visit on the East Coast?

Bal Harbour Shops’ most stylish night returns with a concert by Pitbull and a runway presentation by Brunello Cucinelli.

We've created an updated list of North America's most productive shopping centres for 2013.

  Dolce & Gabbana, Prada highlight group of expanding tenants at mall The Whitman family enjoyed a record sales year at their high-end Bal Harbour Shops.   Average sales at the retail hub rose 7.4 percent from 2012 to 2013, South Florida Business Journal reported. The shops generated an average of $2,800 per square foot