Poem's stories and comments
City’s Okay for naming part of NE 18th Avenue for Maurice Gibb
North Miami street : Brothers Gibb BoulevardStory published on August 28th. by David Ovalle
From the time Flipper was filmed at Ivan Tors’ North Miami studios in the ’60s to the time when Miami Vice cemented pastel and flamingos as Miami clichés, North Miami has touted itself as the “Capital of South Florida’s Film, Video and Recording Industry.”
Today, the city’s slogan may be somewhat misleading. Most filming has moved to South Beach and last year the city folded its Film, Video and Recording Board.
But that doesn’t mean the city can’t honor its quasi-glitzy past.
North Miami’s City Council on Tuesday passed a resolution dubbing part of Northeast 18th Avenue in honor of the late Maurice Gibb.
Gibb died in January at age 53 after emergency surgery for a blocked intestine at a Miami Beach hospital. The late Bee Gee’s North Miami connection: His famed band recorded several albums at Criteria Recording Studios, including Saturday Night Fever and Jive Talkin‘. The studio, purchased several years ago by New York City-based The Hit Factory, is located at 1755 NE 149th St.
North Miami’s “Brothers Gibb Boulevard” will be just outside the studio, on Northeast 18th Avenue from Northeast 142nd Street to 151st Street.
“They certainly contributed to the success of the studio and the industry regionally,” said Trevor Fletcher, the studio’s general manager. “It’s about time they were rewarded with something. I just wish it had happened when Maurice was alive to enjoy it.”
The studio has also agreed to pay for “Brothers Gibb Boulevard” street signs, although it’s too early to tell how many signs there will be and how much they will cost.
High-profile recording artists, from Michael Jackson to Missy Elliott to Alejandro Sanz, have recorded recent albums at Criteria.
Later this year, Miami-Dade County will likely rename its portion of 18th Avenue to ”Brothers Gibb Boulevard,” said North Miami City Councilman Scott Galvin. Roughly, the county controls the east side of the avenue while the city controls the west side.
“A lot of people don’t realize that a lot stuff was recorded in North Miami. North Miami has a huge music legacy,” said Galvin, whose jukebox at home contains several Bee Gees 45s.
North Miami isn’t alone in its attempt to honor Gibb. Miami Beach — the current hub of South Florida’s film, video and recording industry — will ask voters to rename a South Beach park in Gibb’s honor!!
Gibb was a longtime Miami Beach resident.