As a resident of South Beach for almost a decade, I am still constantly enamored by the vitality and life on Lincoln Road. Yes, we have seen several changes over the years, some for the better and some towards the mainstream and name brands. Who would have thought that we would find such generic stores on Lincoln Road such as Ghirardelli, Gap, Banana Republic, American Apparel, Guess and Swatch. On the flip side, who would have imaged the annual Comedy Festival, the incredible popularity of Halloween and free world class live jazz, R&B and soul at the Van Dyke.

Let’s face it. There are very few pedestrian streets in the world similar to Lincoln Road. Morris Lapidus, the architect of Lincoln Road, stated that “my whole concept of life is to make it more unusual, more interesting, more warm.” He envisioned Lincoln Road as a fun experience, full of energy, contrasting shapes, with enchanting storefronts and a place to be seen.

The history of Lincoln Road begins with Carl Fisher, the founding father of Miami Beach. In 1912, Fisher cleared the mangroves in the area to make way for the Lincoln Road mall, his vision for the “Fifth Avenue of the South.” Then in 1921, the Miami Beach Community Church was the first building to be erected on Lincoln Road. From the 1920’s through the 1950’s, Lincoln Road attracted major retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller, Woolworths, as well as many of America’s finest auto dealerships.

In 1957, Morris Lapidus was hired to rebuild and recreate Lincoln Road as Fisher’s “Fifth Avenue of the South.” According to historians, it was Lapidus that proposed to close most of Lincoln Road and make it solely a pedestrian destination. From 1957 through 1960, Lincoln Road was closed to vehicles and rebuilt. Then in 1960, Lincoln Road was officially re-opened and it enjoyed great success.

Unfortunately, during the recession of the 1980’s, Lincoln Road was literally empty as crime, vacant storefronts, and the homeless took over the area. According to Lynn Bernstein, a former city coordinator, Lincoln Road even enjoyed a weekly circus complete with elephants! Then in the early 90’s, the City of Miami Beach commissioned a design team led by architects Ben Wood and Carlos Zapata, to work with Morris Lapidus, and transform the storefronts and Lincoln Road to its former glory.

The latest addition to the Lincoln Road Mall will be extension of the pedestrian plaza between Lenox Avenue and Alton Road. This plaza is scheduled to open in 2010 and features a water garden, interactive public art, and a multi-use structure with an additional 250 parking spaces, high-end residential and office space. World famous designers, Herzog & De Meuron, that designed the Bird’s Nest Stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, designed the new space and extension to Lincoln Road.

So if you are new to South Beach, a resident, visitor, or live in South Florida, come and spend a day or an evening and enjoy the many restaurants, shops, art, culture, live music or just people watching on Lincoln Road.

If you would like more information on Miami Beach or South Beach real estate, please contact us at         (305) 673-5300         or email info@miamiangelproperties.com.

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