We reported yesterday on the 106 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus related to the Fair Havens Assisted Living Facility. Today, unfortunately, we have to report on 4 fatalities related to the Fair Havens Center located on Curtiss Parkway.
Fair Havens has 106 total confirmed cases of the Coronavirus. Residents account for 89 of the cases while 17 staff members tested positive as well.
According to the new report from the Florida Department of Health, 3 residents have died from the Coronavirus. No staff members have died from the disease at this point. However, there’s an additional confirmed report that is listed as “under investigation” by the state. (See the full report of fatalities among assisted living facilities in the State of Florida.)
NBC 6 COVERAGE
Now, as you know, Miami Springs residents have been walking, jogging, running, cycling, and skating up and down Curtiss Parkway right in front of this facility. It’s unclear if any of the infected staff members ever used the path to get to work or to take a break. Nevertheless, this reinforces the need to cover your face in public. Even on Curtiss Parkway. (To be honest, I’ve been guilty of walking this path without a mask, but no more. Too many people use this path and we need to protect each other by wearing face masks.)
WSVN COVERAGE
Miami Springs officials said Fair Havens Center has 106 confirmed cases of #COVID19, making it the assisted living facility with the highest number of reported cases of the virus in Miami-Dade County. https://t.co/LDmkHmgrug
— WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) May 2, 2020
UNIVISION COVERAGE
Juan Castellanos tiene a su madre de 83 años de edad enferma con el virus. Ella reside en el hogar Fair Havens Center de Miami Springs, donde 17 trabajadores y 89 adultos mayores han dado positivo. #coronavirus #COVID19https://t.co/nn1A6xwaTJ
— Univision 23 Miami (@Univision23) May 2, 2020
Hotel Country Club of Miami Springs taken during the 1920s before it became Fair Havens
Built by Curtiss-Bright Properties at an estimated cost of $275,000., this massive multistory Pueblo revival style hotel opened on December 15, 1927. This was the largest of the Pueblo theme buildings in Country Club Estates. Glenn Curtiss wanted to have a luxury hotel available for the tourists coming here from the North who were devotees of golf and other sunshine sports and he spared no expense to make this building (commonly called “Pueblo Hotel”) as authentic as possible. Furnishings were in the Pueblo Indian theme, and there were hand woven Pueblo Indian rugs on the floors. The Thunderbird motif (Indian symbol for rain and prosperity) is on the front facade of the central section of the building and was used elsewhere as a decorative feature throughout the interior of the hotel.
Unfortunately, after the economic devastation of the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 (ironically the same year as the incorporation of the City of Miami Springs) and then the devastating impact of the Great Depression, the local economy could not support the hotel.
In 1929, DR. JOHN HARVEY KELLOGG, internationally known physician nutritionist (Kellogg’s cereals) rented a home in Country Club Estates and liked the area so much from a healthful standpoint that he decided to open a health sanitarium here. He patterned it after his famous Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan. Mr. Curtiss offered him the “Pueblo Hotel” for the token sum of $1.00, and he gladly accepted. Miami-Battle Creek Sanitarium opened in 1930. During this period of use by Dr. Kellogg, some very distinguished persons came to the facility including Thomas Edison and George Bernard Shaw During World War ll it was used as a rest camp for the Air Transport Command. After the war, it continued in operation as Miami-Battle Creek Sanitarium.
It was sold in 1959 and converted to a health spa (Paten Spa). It was sold again in 1962 to the Lutheran Services for the Elderly, Inc., who operated the facility as FAIR HAVENS CENTER (a long-term health care facility and retirement home). Because of the unique architectural and historical significance of this landmark building, it was the first site to be DESIGNATED MIAMI SPRINGS HISTORIC SITE IN FEBRUARY 1984 by the City of Miami Springs Historic Preservation Board.
Unfortunately, Fair Havens fell into the hands of Philip Esformes, the convicted Medicare Fraudster. Philip Esformes was sentenced to 20 years in prison and had to forfeit the property. (See the story below.)
We reported in January of this year that Fair Havens was sold for $29 Million. (See story below.)
