Exotica 1925
One of the unique houses in Coconut Grove was home to a celebrated artist and his family. The 2 story house was built in 1925, has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, with over 3,200 square feet situated in an ample woodsy corner of Opechee & Taluga Drive in North Grove. This distinctive house fits the definition of Art Deco, a style seldom used in houses. It’s a combination of many modern themes. There is cubism, spotted on the external walls, with dramatic use of cylinder, spheres and turrets on the roof. The craftsmanship of the interior oval wood stair railings, and the clean linear lines on the fireplace mantel hint of an industrial precision that would later be called Streamline Moderne. The geometric patterns and classic grey exterior give the house its exotic look. The surrounding mature woods consist of Florida oaks, mangoes, palms, and a Poinciana.
There is no denying the freewheeling extravagance of the Gatsby era can be found in this old house. The high ceilings, the grand entrance, the huge windows are characteristics of the wealth and exuberance of the 1920s. Lucky for us, this Coconut Grove house has not changed very much at all.
Its celebrated owner
Tony Scornavacca was an American painter born in Newark, New Jersey and the son of Italian immigrants. After serving in World War II, he studied commercial art at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. In 1950 he moved to Miami, where he continued to study fine art, and became a successful artist and gallery owner. In 1955 he met, courted and married the fashionable Angela Mantovani, RN. She was also artistic and worked as a nurse for many years at Mercy Hospital. Scornavacca was an innovator and painted anything that interested him: contemporary, portraits, landscapes, and abstracts. Along with other local Grove artists, he was one of the first artists to exhibit and support the Coconut Grove Art Festival in 1962. He also loved the Hamptons, and opened an art gallery there. In 1961 Tony and Angela Scornavacca purchased the house for $25,000 and would raise their children there. Tony painted at his studio in the house and enjoyed the recognition that came from supporting the arts in the late 1960s and 1970s in Coconut Grove. His gallery located on Commodore Plaza, where the Cruz building sits now, welcomed everybody. Social, with a terrific sense of humor, he was an integral part of the Grove art vibe of that period. In 2005, a family friend recommended to the City of Miami that a road be named in Tony Scornavacca’s honor. You can find SW 26 Avenue designated Scornavacca Avenue, dedicated to Tony and Angela in the North Grove, not far from the house they shared. His 4 adult children are honored to have their father and mother remembered as community influencers of art, music, culture and healing in a city that too often neglects its history.
In 1976, the Scornavaccas sold their big house for $85,000. In 2017, after changing ownership a few times, the house was sold for $865,000. The agent was Tony Scornavacca, Junior. A successful local realtor and principal al Tigertail Realty. Selling his childhood home, knowing it was still in its original condition, with the exception of a screened patio added, was very gratifying, he says. Tony Scornavacca Sr. passed away in 1986. They say every house has a story. In this case, the personal story also follows Coconut Grove’s profile. Once upon a time, a WW II veteran moves to Miami, finds true love, raises a family, builds an artistic career and leaves behind a legacy. You won’t find this description listed on Zillow.
Tony Scornavacca at his Coconut Grove Gallery. 
Be the first to reply