Before & After: South Beach

Before and after images in and around South Beach that illustrate the incremental transformation of Florida's most popular urban destination.

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Looking north on Washington Avenue in August 1946. Courtesy of the William A. Fishbaugh photographic collection and the State Archives of Florida.

A similar view looking north on Washington Avenue in October 2018.

In 1953, a new Burdines department store opened one block north of Lincoln Road. It replaced an Art Deco store that drew thousands, including a bevy of models flown from New York City to its opening on January 10, 1936. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.

Founded in Bartow, Florida in 1896 and headquartered in Miami, Burdines was a popular Florida department store chain that was acquired by Federated Department Stores, Inc. in 1956. On March 6, 2005, the chain was rebranded as Macy’s.

A 1946 Ocean Drive street scene with the Breakwater Hotel in the background. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.

A March 2019 view of the Hotel Breakwater Miami Beach from the opposite direction.

Designed by Morris Lapidus, the 1,504-room Fontainebleau Miami Beach opened in 1954. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.

Now owned by Fontainebleau Resorts, the luxury resort includes a 40,000-square-foot spa, 12 restaurants and bars, swimming pools and an oceanfront pool shaped as a re-interpretation of Morris Lapidus’ noted bow-tie design.

A 1980s view of Ocean Drive at 13th Street. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida. Ocean Dr. at 13th St. in Miami Beach.

A March 2019 view looking north on Ocean Drive towards 13th Street.

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Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com