Lincoln Road Magazine....

LINCOLN ROAD:

THE PAST AND PRESENT

'FIFTH AVENUE OF THE SOUTH'

Lincoln Road is back and it's better than ever. Known in the 1950s as the 'Fifth Avenue of the South,' Lincoln Road was (and is again) one of the most elegant shopping, dining, and cultural meccas in America. The past is definitely repeating itself in Miami Beach and on 'The Road.'

Built through heavily wooded mangrove swampland in 1914, Lincoln Road was constructed as the centerpiece for a burgeoning Miami Beach, which would soon become one of the world's top winter playgrounds and a center for Art Deco architecture and style. Miami Beach's 'Main Street' was strategically placed between 16th Street and 17th Street, stretching east-to-west from the Atlantic Ocean to Biscayne Bay (at the northern end of what would become the historic Art Deco District).

To build Lincoln Road, legendary South Florida developer Carl Fisher had a 100-foot strip hacked through the mangroves, filled it with dirt from the bottom of Biscayne Bay, and placed two sidewalks on it. Upon its completion, Fisher said, "Some day, Lincoln Road will be the finest and most beautiful street in the world." That day soon came--and it's come again.

As late as 1921, a mere handful of shops and one apartment constituted Lincoln Road's development. But by the late-1930s, Lincoln Road had become a place where you could see the world's fashions and buy everything from a mink to a manicure. Most of New York's great specialty shops opened branches along it, spawning the appropriate moniker, 'The Fifth Avenue of the South.' Any furrier, jeweler, or antique dealer with a reputation simply had to have a shop along Lincoln Road.

After World War II, Lincoln Road merchants broadened their offerings to meet the new wave of prosperity. Rather than just fashion, Lincoln Road also met daily shopping and dining needs for locals and visitors. New buildings rose into the bright blue Miami Beach sky and nearby parking decks greeted the growing number of drivers. Some buildings were razed to make room for bigger and better structures, while others of note escaped the bulldozer. The first church, now called Miami Beach Community Church, was built in 1920 and still stands.

By the 1950s, there were almost 250 shops and a growing number of restaurants, theaters, and lodging possibilities. The street's success and popularity led city officials to make it pedestrian-free, while adding palm trees, grass, flowers, and fountains. The 'new' Lincoln Road was designed by renowned architect, Morris Lapidus, who designed the Fontainebleau, Eden Roc, and other Miami landmarks. It opened in time for the 1959-60 winter season. The broad boulevard had truly arrived and it set a standard for many of America's pedestrian malls.

Along with becoming known as the 'Fifth Avenue of the South,' Lincoln Road's success lead to comparisons to Bond Street in London, the Champs Elysees in Paris, and Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. But Lincoln Road was a tropical version, where shopping and strolling became a standard activity for visitors and locals alike.

During the 1970s and 80s, Lincoln Road, like much of Miami Beach, saw slowed growth and many vacancies and closures. But as the Art Deco District and Miami Beach became neon-hot with tourists and smart residents, Lincoln Road rode a wave back to success. It's popularity mirrored the rebirth of Ocean Drive in some ways, but history repeated itself with lots of locals and in-the-know international visitors making Lincoln Road hot once again.

The early-90s brought much renewed interest to the area and city officials, as they had done before, created plans to make Lincoln Road grand again. A stunning $18 million physical improvement plan was completed by the City of Miami Beach last year, which included new landscaping, enhanced lighting, clear blue pools, and a new physical infrastructure. A new free tram service transports visitors the entire length and the ElectroWave, Florida's first free electric transportation, make several stops there.

Thanks to these developments, Lincoln Road is bustling again. More than 50 new businesses have opened and the street is going through nothing short of a renaissance for shopping, dining, entertainment, and culture. Hot boutiques of all kinds, home and design shops, a cornucopia of new restaurants and old favorites, top art galleries, modern office spaces, and much more have made Lincoln Road as sizzling as any street in the nation. Coming attractions include a new multiplex theatre, more retail shopping, additional gallery complexes, and continued cutting-edge dining.

"Strolling through Lincoln Road is a unique experience," says Miami Beach City Manager Sergio Rodriguez, who recently formed the Lincoln Road Marketing and Promotion Organization. "The combination of good design by Morris Lapidus, the arts, great restaurants and specialty stores, and interesting people makes it one of the true great pedestrian areas of the world." Past and present are definitely a perfect combination on the 'Fifth Avenue of the South.'