Star Island

Star Island is one of Miami Beach's most sought-after residential enclaves, consistently ranking among the most expensive addresses in the United States. This gated island off MacArthur Causeway features just 34 waterfront estates on lots ranging from 30,000 to over 80,000 square feet. Residents include billionaires, Fortune 500 executives, and entertainment icons. David brokered the $49.5 million sale at 22 Star Island and the $37 million sale to Ken Griffin at 11-12 Star Island.

One of America's Most Private Residential Addresses

Star Island is a 86-acre man-made island sitting in Biscayne Bay, connected to the MacArthur Causeway by a single guarded bridge. Built in 1922 by the Army Corps of Engineers during the dredging of Government Cut, the island was part of Carl Fisher's grand vision for Miami Beach. A century later, it consistently ranks among the most expensive residential enclaves in the United States.

There are exactly 34 residential lots on Star Island. That number has not changed in over a hundred years, and it never will. There is no undeveloped land, no new construction on vacant parcels, no rezoning on the horizon. When you buy on Star Island, you are acquiring one of a permanently fixed number of properties in a location that cannot be replicated. The guard gate at the causeway entrance operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Visitors do not enter without an invitation. Delivery trucks, rideshares, even real estate agents without an appointment are turned away. This is not marketing language — it is the daily reality of living on the island.

What Makes Star Island Different

The lots on Star Island range from approximately 30,000 to over 80,000 square feet, making them among the largest residential parcels in all of Miami Beach. Most properties have 100 to 200 feet of direct waterfront on Biscayne Bay with private docks capable of accommodating vessels up to 100 feet or more. The western-facing lots offer unobstructed sunset views over the bay and the Miami skyline. The eastern lots look out toward Fisher Island and the Port of Miami.

Every home on the island is a waterfront estate. There are no interior lots, no shared docks, no compromises. The infrastructure is maintained to a standard that matches the property values — underground utilities, manicured public rights-of-way, and a level of municipal attention that smaller communities simply cannot command. The island sits within the City of Miami Beach but operates with a degree of autonomy that comes from having fewer than 40 taxpaying properties generating substantial revenue.

The practical advantages are significant. Star Island is four minutes from South Beach, seven minutes from Brickell, ten minutes from the Design District, and directly adjacent to the MacArthur Causeway for quick access to Miami International Airport. It is an island that feels completely removed from the city while sitting in the geographic center of it.

Notable Sales and Market Benchmarks

Star Island has consistently set the benchmark for Miami's ultra-luxury residential market. The island's transaction history reads like a record book. In 2020, the estate at 22 Star Island Drive sold for $49.5 million — the second-highest residential sale in Miami-Dade County history at the time of closing (behind the $49.9 million sale at 3 Indian Creek Island Road in early 2019). That sale, brokered by David Hunt Solomon, was completed entirely off-market during the height of COVID-19, a testament to the relationship-driven nature of transactions at this level.

In another landmark deal, David brokered the $37 million sale of the combined lots at 11-12 Star Island Drive to billionaire Ken Griffin, who has since assembled one of the largest private real estate portfolios in South Florida. Other recorded sales on the island have ranged from $18 million to over $120 million. Lot values alone have exceeded $20 million, reflecting the irreplaceable nature of the land itself.

The owner roster, past and present, includes names that span finance, entertainment, tech, and global business. Gloria Estefan, Rosie O'Donnell, and Phillip Frost have all called the island home. But Star Island is not a place that trades on celebrity. It trades on scarcity, privacy, and the kind of generational wealth preservation that only 34 lots in America's most dynamic city can provide.

David Hunt Solomon's Star Island Track Record

David Hunt Solomon's relationship with Star Island goes beyond transactions. He was involved with 22 Star Island Drive from its construction phase, advising on the development of what would become one of the most significant residential properties in Miami-Dade County. When the time came to sell, David brokered the $49.5 million deal entirely off-market — no MLS listing, no public marketing, no open houses. The buyer was identified and the transaction completed through David's direct network of ultra-high-net-worth contacts.

David directed the aerial drone video of 22 Star Island that has been viewed over one million times, establishing a visual standard for how Miami's top properties are presented to the global market. During Super Bowl LIV in 2020, he gave CBS News an exclusive tour of the property, putting Star Island in front of a national television audience.

His $37 million sale at 11-12 Star Island to Ken Griffin further cemented his position as the go-to broker for the island's most consequential deals. With over $500 million in career sales and 20 years of experience in Miami Beach luxury real estate, David does not just list properties on Star Island — he has shaped the market here.

How to Buy on Star Island

The majority of Star Island transactions happen off-market. This is not a neighborhood where you browse Zillow, schedule a showing, and make an offer. Most homeowners are not actively listing. When they are willing to sell, the conversation happens privately, between principals and brokers who already have established relationships on the island.

This is why your choice of agent matters more on Star Island than in any other neighborhood in Miami. You need a broker who knows every owner, who has walked every property, who has the credibility to pick up the phone and start a conversation that could lead to a $30, $40, or $50 million transaction. The typical buyer's agent operating from an MLS search will never access the inventory that actually exists here.

David Hunt Solomon has personally brokered two of the most significant sales in Star Island's history. He knows the island's ownership landscape, understands which properties may become available before they hit any market, and has the trust of owners who will only entertain serious, vetted buyers. If you are considering Star Island, the first step is a confidential conversation — not a listing alert.

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David Hunt Solomon has 20 years of expertise in Miami Beach luxury real estate and has closed more than $500 million in career sales.