At the center of what was originally dubbed ''Millionaire's Row'' on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, the Crystal House attracted celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Shelley Winters, Melvyn Douglas and Ed Sullivan. And Claudine Peikin and Erma Raflowitz.

Both 94 and original residents, the two women have memories of the building's history and its residents. ''The people who were living here and building here were people with such class,'' Peikin reminisced. Born in Algeria, Peikin moved to France and then to New York, before becoming a Miami Beach snowbird. She took up permanent residence at the Crystal House, at 5055 Collins Ave., about three years ago.

Erma Raflowitz moved in when ''they were putting marble down. We walked on planks to get in,'' said Raflowitz who bided between Miami Beach and her Catskills residence. She made the Crystal House a permanent nest about six years ago. In the early days of Crystal House, residents enjoyed two-hour lunches and planning cocktail parties with Chef Bernard in the downstairs restaurant, which used to have a three-month waiting list.

''We had a red carpet on the front steps, a gloved doorman, a monthly art exhibit and dress code -- no one in shorts or play clothes past 5 [p.m.],'' Raflowitz said. ''Meyer Lansky used to play pinochle here,'' said building manager Vincent Fragano referring to the reputed mobster leader who died in Miami Beach in 1983.

Everyday occurrences were events like a day at the races, formals and card games by the pool with ''no one wearing a diamond under five carats,'' Raflowitz said. ``This was a different era.''

The building, with 165 one- and two-bedroom units, is now filled with younger residents who should learn more about the history and about the few remaining original residents, Fragano said.

''We owe them a great deal; they have maintained this place,'' he said.

The celebration also commemorates the vision and era of architect Morris Lapidus who designed the building as a ''timeless highrise'' in 1961.

Crystal House seems to be standing up to Lapidus' predictions. While the latest luxury condo skyscrapers seem to overshadow Miami Beach's Classic art deco and mid 20th-century modern-style buildings, the 14-story Crystal House is an exception, said interior architect and designer James Pine, who moved into the building three years ago.

''This building was built 45 years ago and has more amenities to the human spirit than any building built in the last 100 years,'' Pine said.

Pine is the building's board director, and is implementing a restoration to bring back Lapidus' original vision.

'I walked in the lobby and I was like . . . `done, got it.' This building had soul, you knew something went on here,'' hesaid.

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