Miami Beach has the world's most concentrated collection of Art Deco buildings. Hard to believe today, but in the 1960's and 70's hundreds of these hotels, offices, and restaurants were to be demolished. Miami Beach had a shady reputation as a place full of poor retirees from the north, drug dens, and rat infestations. A local woman named Barbara Baer Capitman led the effort to preserve and restore the neighbourhoods. She had a background as an artist in design and publishing. The Miami Beach Art Deco District was eventually listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Today it is the #1 tourist attraction and the properties hold tremendous dollar and iconic value.
Barbara died in 1990 but her struggles and successes live on in the annual Art Deco Weekend, this year in the 34th edition. The high-style Ocean Road strip is closed off and a street festival takes over. There are fashion shows, furniture exhibits, seminars on the fine points of Art Deco, a poster contest, lots of food, and a fun but community-spirited parade (see Part 3). It is so cool, hip, and awesome that even the mannequins have implants. Way to go Barbara.
No comments:
Post a Comment