The preservation and redevelopment of a historical waterfront district
The Ocean Drive Improvement Project combined preservation and public-private development to revitalize Miami Beach’s historic Art Deco neighborhood. The 26-acre oceanfront historic district includes 15 city blocks with Art Deco hotels and apartment buildings and a new public park. The district has become a vital entertainment and tourist center, garnering international attention for its successful integration of residential, retail, and commercial reinvestment.
Ocean Drive Improvement Project took a lively and comprehensive approach to the revitalization of an entire zone with great historical and architectural significance rather than isolate individual monuments.
1991 Selection Committee
Completed in 1990, the project renewed interest and investment in a historic and architecturally significant section of Miami. A total of 28 historic buildings were rehabilitated, 50 new restaurants opened, and $4 million of public money was raised, including a $3 million bond issue that financed infrastructure improvements. The project’s success is the result of rigorous planning, zoning, and historic preservation regulations, physical improvements, fundraising, and promotional advertising.