Douglas DeWitt

1961 - 2018

Douglas DeWitt (born Red Bank, NJ November 27, 1961) passed away at home on May 1, 2018, after a five-year battle with cancer. After graduating from Palmetto High and Georgia State University, Doug returned to Miami to work with the Dade County Planning Department. In the early 1980's Doug saw an opportunity to get involved in the fledgling South Beach revitalization effort. Shortly thereafter he began his career as a realtor. Doug opened New Wave Realty on 13th Street in the summer of '87, a name chosen to reflect the area's transition to an exciting urban beachfront community centered on revival and preservation of the art deco architecture. Within a few years, Doug attracted other visionaries whose redevelopment of the area put the Miami Beach Art Deco district on the map as a top tourist vacation destination. In the mid-90's, Doug switched gears and spent several years working in sales and marketing for the Avalon/Majestic Hotels and Yankee Trader/Clipper among other properties before returning to real estate in the mid-2000's. Prior to the collapse of the housing market, Doug discovered and investigated a pattern of unusual activity in property transactions that he brought to the attention of local and federal law enforcement. His unearthing of the widespread scam led to a position on the Mayor's Mortgage Fraud Task Force, and Doug became a local expert for journalists who brought the issue to international attention. As dedicated as he was to his profession and community, Doug's passion in life was his wife and children. He relished family travel adventures, boating, bike riding, and more. He spent many years coaching community soccer. He challenged Grace to continuously seek new heights in her academic and professional life and guided Jacob along a number of creative avenues. Doug was preceded in death by his father Burt DeWitt and his daughter Monica. He is survived by his mother Neisa, brothers Andrew and David, wife Sharon, daughter Grace, and son Jacob. The family will be receiving friends of Doug, Sat. June 9th, between the hours of 1:00-4:00PM at Grove Isle, Coconut Grove, FL