The island was built in 1912 by developer Carl Fisher in honor of his partner, Jim Allison. Allison Island’s development started in 1926 when Fisher and Allison built Allison Hospital to serve the residents of Miami Beach. In 1927, the Sisters of St. Francis was contracted to run the hospital, and when Allison died in 1928, the sisters purchased the hospital and renamed it St. Francis Hospital. In 1992, the hospital was demolished, and the property was sold to developer Craig Robbins, who built the neighborhood of ​Aqua ​on this location.
