Have you seen South Beach look like this? Check out the lost vibe
South Beach — with its sexy and high-octane mix of sun and neon — has seen its fortunes sag and surge over the years.
While many of the notable Art Deco buildings that give the area its charm were constructed in the 1930s, Miami Beach had a second heyday in the 1950s and ’60s, when TV stars including Jackie Gleason helped draw tourists to the town with the backdrop of swaying palm trees and a tropical moon.
Senior citizens on fixed incomes poured into the small hotels and apartment buildings in South Beach in the 1960s and ‘70s. They fanned out at Lummus Park during the day, soaking up the sun, and passed the days on the breezy hotel porches facing Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue.
Then came a downward spiral that followed in the ‘70s and early ‘80s. Crime. Deterioration.
But then, another renewal as the ‘80s unfurled, this time when “Miami Vice” depicted candy-colored South Beach through a new and flattering lens, equal parts alluring and dangerous.
The area has continued to thrive since then, with a celebrity-fueled club scene, the annual Art Basel influx of money and culture, and a reputation as an international playground.
Let’s take a look at South Beach’s early days through the photo archives of the Miami Herald:
South Beach community
Future Versace home
South Pointe
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On South Beach streets
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South Beach schools
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Lincoln Road
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