Sunset Place may be about to change. And dear God, does it need to
Big changes could be coming to beloved Sunset Place, and by “beloved” we mean “absolutely ignored and forgotten by most of Miami.” When was the last time you visited? 1999? Back when there was a Virgin Megastore there? Same.
But now the future of the monument to heinous late ’90s design faces a crossroads. A change in South Miami’s charter could change things for the mall that used to be The Bakery Centre. Voters approved a measure to change the charter so that a four-fifths vote of the commission can relax the city’s land use code.
This could mean big changes for Sunset Place. But losing this Disney-wannabe fortress will not be a hardship. Cocowalk is making a comeback; why can’t Sunset Place?
There’s a fancy bowling alley and a terrible movie theater and a few tenacious retail outlets like Gap Kids and Hollister clinging to life. But mostly, this is what you find at Sunset Place:
False claims
Is it really?
Streets pulsing with life
Plenty of room to walk in the baking Florida sun.
These stupid stairs
Climbing these things in the sun is like taking a stroll up the side of Chichen Itza in August. Average temp of iron railings: 197 degrees.
Bars that might re-open someday
A cold drink is always welcome but not necessarily available.
Culture on hold
Well, it’s coming soon, anyway.
Broken dreams
This place used to sell something.
Psychic readings
What is the future of Sunset Place? There’s no way to go but up.
The emptiest Barnes & Noble ever
More silence than a library.
Retail outlets that can’t be stopped
Nothing can kill Forever 21. Not even Sunset Place.
This story was originally published August 22, 2018 at 4:08 AM.