Miami's South Beach

Alice Burdick Schweiger

A recent trip to Miami's wonderful South Beach brought back fond memories. This revitalized area was once again swarming with tourists. The trendy sidewalk cafes, lively nightclubs with flashing neon signs and parade of in-line skaters and supermodels, were proof that this one-mile radius between 6th Street and 23rd Street and the Atlantic Ocean and Lenox Court had been reborn.

As a small child in the 1950's, our family would spend one week each December sunning on the sandy beaches, staying at one of the small-scale hotels along Collins Avenue. Towering palm trees offering a gentle tropical breeze, an inviting deep-blue ocean, restaurants serving good American fare and delicatessens specializing in thick corned beef sandwiches made this a perfect vacation spot.

But by the 1970's, tourism in the area had declined drastically. Vacationers and residents headed northward, making North Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton more desirable addresses. The only remaining residents were refugees or retirees who couldn't afford to relocate.

During a 1980 trip with my husband and two children, we found the hotels and apartments either run-down or boarded up, and the storefronts either tattered or empty. This once bustling stretch of 17 city blocks had become known for its high crime rate.

Fortunately, the decline was temporary, thanks to a group of determined Miamians and developers led by Barbara Baer Capitman, editor of The Designer, an interior-design magazine. She had the idea to turn the area into an historic Art Deco district, since most of the hotels along Collins Avenue, which had been built in the 1930's and 40's, had a modified architectural Tropical Art Deco style. With incredible uniformity, the designs of the hotels included strong horizontal and vertical emphases, fluted columns, porthole windows, abstracted versions of tropical settings, glass blocks, keystone, chrome and other metals. It had been a fairly cost-effective way to build in those days.

After great perseverance, Capitman founded the Miami Design Preservation League, and in 1992, South Miami Beach became a National Register Art Deco Historic District, with all the hotels having to maintain the Art Deco facade. Within a few years, major renovations were underway and this unique oceanside community became a desired international destination renamed South Beach.

Hollywood, too, set up shop here, and major motion-picture studios started to make South Beach the backdrop for their films. Many of the dilapidated hotels were turned into luxurious, chic accommodations, some becoming resort retreats for the rich and famous, and others for budget-minded travelers and parents seeking family packages.

Although many of the lodgings can be a bit pricey in high season, terrific deals can be found during late spring, summer and early fall.It was a pleasure to walk around South Beach and explore the vibrant Art Deco district, with all the newly refurbished buildings and flourishing art centers.

It was interesting to see first hand how the neighborhood had peaked, fallen into an urban slump and peaked again. There are a host of sights in South Beach, and the best way to get a feel for this lively and trendy neighborhood is on foot. A walk up Ocean Avenue will find a row of streamlined, pastel-colored hotels, cafes and shops on one side of the street, and the public beach and Atlantic Ocean on the other. The sidewalks along the shoreline allow bicyclists to ride without the constant worry of running into pedestrians.

Collins Avenue is dotted with colorful boutique hotels, some still in the process of being refurbished. Among the first to be restored was the elegant Delano Hotel, painted all white, with long, flowing fabric draped over the front veranda. In the back, the beautifully landscaped grounds lead to the pool and beach.

Washington Avenue is the commercial district featuring public city buildings, such as The Old City Hall, a Mediterranean Revival structure built in the 1920's with classical details. The U.S. Post Office, built in 1938, is referred to as Depression Moderne, with angular lines and a central rotunda.

For a guided tour of the neighborhood, Art Deco Historic District Walking Tours originate at the Welcome Center at Ocean Drive and 10th Street. Highlights include a close-up look at private gardens, hidden courtyards, stylish interiors, cozy lobbies and freshly painted exteriors of some of the grand hotels.

One of the stops is The Carlyle Hotel, where the movie The Bird Cage, starring Robin Williams, was filmed. This hotel is not open to the public, but is used for shooting movies. The Welcome Center also sells T-shirts, postcards, jewelry, books and memorabilia.

Although we didn't see a show, we stopped off at the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, on Washington Avenue. This was home to Gleason's hit TV series from 1964-1970. Broadway plays, ballets and concerts are now shown year-round in this 2,700-seat theater.

At night we discovered the Lincoln Road Mall, between 16th and 17th streets. A once seedy shopping area, it is now a wide pedestrian promenade filled with trendy restaurants with outdoor seating, fountains, vendors, upscale shops and art galleries. While the mall is bustling all day, there was plenty of activity long after the sun went down, especially since the stores stay open late. It was reminiscent of many thoroughfares in Europe that are closed off to traffic.

Centers for the performing arts are also located on Lincoln Road, including the the New World Symphony at the Lincoln Theater, the Colony Theater and the South Florida Art Center. Through the floor to ceiling picture windows at the Miami City Ballet, we could see the dancers rehearsing for their next production. Special events take place on weekends and antique shows operate on various Sundays.

Near the Convention Center and located on Meridian Avenue, we visited The Holocaust Memorial, an open-air memorial dedicated to the millions of Jews who died in the Holocaust. Surrounded by a still lily pond, the focal point is a 42-foot high bronze sculpture of a hand, reaching desperately for the sky. Clinging to the hand are one hundred anguished figures. A semicircular path leads to the sculpture, where pictures of the dead are etched in a series of granite slabs. A brief history of Europe from 1933-45, and the names of Holocaust victims, are engraved on the walls.

On Washington Avenue we saw the Ziff Jewish Museum of Florida, housed in a copper-domed 1936 Art Deco building with stained glass and a marble bimah. The building is also an Orthodox synagogue listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Exhibitions feature historical documents and artifacts. A video tells about 230 years of Jewish life in Florida, starting from the time Jews landed with Ponce de Leon to escape European anti-Semitism.

There are other fine museums in South Beach. The Bass Museum of Art, on Park Avenue, houses European paintings by the Masters, period furnishings, Hispanic and American art, and a collection of art objects, tapestries and sculptures.

The Wolfsonian, on Washington Avenue, showcases some 300 objets d'art of American and European provenance from the late-19th- to mid-20th-century collection of businessman Mitchell Wolfson. Glass, ceramics, furniture, posters, memorabilia, political propaganda, rare books and sculptures can be seen.

Located on the outskirts of South Beach (about 20 minutes by car) is the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, on South Miami Avenue. This grand 16th-century Italian Renaissance-style villa was once the winter residence of Chicago industrialist James Deering. Completed in 1916, the 34 rooms are furnished in 15th- to 19th-century opulent antiques and decorative arts. The ten-acre formal garden is accented by fountains and European statues.

For those with a car, three of Miami's biggest attractions can be found outside of South Beach. Monkey Jungle gives a close look at a group of fascinating primates. The monkeys roam free while visitors feel as if they are the ones caged.

Trained and tame exotic parrots can be hand-fed at Parrot Jungle, where there are over 1,200 birds and animals, along with a petting zoo for kids.

The famous Flipper and his dolphin and sea lion pals continuously perform at the Miami Seaquarium, where a wide range of marine life, endangered crocodiles and sea turtles are on exhibit.

After a couple days of sightseeing, it was time to relax in the sun, something of which Miami has plenty. The beaches at this lower end of Miami Beach are not only a perfect place to work on a tan, but a place to see and be seen, especially for the 20- and 30-year-old crowd. However, it's still easy to find a quiet spot to spread out a blanket and get engrossed in a good book without being bothered.

With the close proximity of the sandy shores and Atlantic Ocean to the bevy of hotels and restaurants, it's easy to return to your hotel for a break, or grab a bite to eat, and get back to your spot in the sand within minutes.

Aside from tasting haute cuisine and ethnic fare, seeing the sights and sunbathing, there are, of course, water sports available too. Parasailing and jet skiing, in particular, are popular along this stretch of beach. Many of the hotels also have privileges at local health clubs, some for a slight fee and some for no charge at all.

For us, South Beach had plenty to offer. And considering all the activity day and night, we were not the only ones that felt that way.

Writer Alice Burdick Schweiger has had more than 500 articles published. She has been a News Special Writer for the Ann Arbor News for 19 years.