Historic Districts
Miami's significant properties are snapshots of the past and visible reminders of the community's heritage. They also illustrate the growth and development of Miami, which began as a settlement of Native Americans and resilient pioneers and exploded into a city of distinctive style and cultural diversity.
Bayside
Area: Generally between Biscayne Bay and Biscayne Boulevard from NE 68th Street to NE 72nd Street.
Years Built: 1900s-present
Architect/Builder: Various
Date Designated: 1991
Description
Developed over a period of more than 40 years, the residential buildings in the Bayside Historic District reflect Miami's growth from a pioneer settlement to a significant metropolitan area. Comprised of four distinct subdivisions, Bayside mirrors the diversity and taste of its early, fashionable residents. Houses in the neighborhood represent an eclectic mix of architectural styles including Mediterranean Revival, Art Deco, and Streamline Moderne.
Beverly Terrace
Area: 3224 and 3300 Biscayne Boulevard
Year Built: 1925
Architects: Hampton and Ehmann
Date Designated: 2003
Description
Built at the height of the Land Boom, these Mediterranean Revival style apartment buildings are impressive reminders of Biscayne Boulevard's heyday. The Davenport and Rich Development Company originally planned four buildings around a central fountain at the intersection of Biscayne Boulevard and NE 33rd Street; one of the Beverly Terrace buildings was demolished, and the fourth building was never constructed.
Buena Vista
Area: Generally between NE 2nd Avenue and N Miami Avenue from NE 42nd Street to NE 48th Street
Years Built: 1920s-present
Architect/Builder: Various
Date Designated: 1988
Description
In the 1890s, Buena Vista was a small village whose founding and growth paralleled Miami's. During the Land Boom of the 1920s, the area was developed as the Biltmore and Shadowlawn subdivisions. Originally home to many “cracker” immigrants from Georgia and North Carolina, the neighborhood soon became popular with the owners of nearby businesses. The houses reflect their original owners' rising social status and include fine examples of Mediterranean Revival, Mission, Craftsman, and Art Deco style residences.
Downtown Miami
Area: Generally bounded by NE 3rd Street on the north, SE 3rd Avenue on the east. SE 2nd Street on the south and NW Miami Court on the west.
Years: 1903-1955
Architect/Builder: Various
Date Designated: 2005
Description
The Downtown Miami Historic District encompasses the heart of the traditional downtown Miami commercial sector. The district contains a variety of building styles that include Masonry Vernacular, Commercial style, Mediterranean Revival, Art Moderne, and Neoclassical Revival.
Lummus Park
Area: Generally between Lummus Park and NW 4th Street from NW North River Drive to NW 3rd Court
Years Built: 1910s-present
Architect/Builder: Various
Date Designated: 2005
Description
The buildings in the Lummus Park Historic District comprise one of the last remaining residential neighborhoods in downtown Miami. The city's creation of public green space known as Lummus Park in 1909 spurred development in the area, and most of the buildings were constructed before 1926. In addition to a variety of Mediterranean Revival, Frame and Masonry Vernacular style houses and apartment buildings, the landmark Scottish Rite Temple, designed by the architectural firm of Kiehnel and Elliot, is located in this neighborhood.
Miami Modern (MiMo) / Biscayne Boulevard Historic District
Area: Biscayne Boulevard, from NE 50th Street to NE 77th Street
Period of Significance: 1923 - 1967
Architect/Builder: Various
Date Designated: June 6, 2006
Description
The changing fortunes of Miami are no better illustrated than in the stretch of pavement called Biscayne Boulevard. Its construction began in 1925 (peak year of Miami real estate boom). Over the years, Biscayne Boulevard would evolve and reflect the tumultuous socio-economic trends of both Miami and the nation. After World War II, the physical character of the thoroughfare exhibited its most dramatic change as it became the premier location for a new type of lodging accommodation suited for the 50s car culture: the motel (hotel for motorists). Today, it is these motels that define the historic character of the district, with their futuristic Miami Modern (MiMo) style.
Morningside
Area: Generally between Biscayne Boulevard and Biscayne Bay from NE 55th Street to NE 60th Street
Built: 1925-present
Architect: Various
Date Designated: 1984
Description
In 1924, James H. Nunnally, president of the Bay Shore Investment Company, envisioned an exclusive residential neighborhood overlooking Biscayne Bay. The result is one of Miami's most intact historic neighborhoods and the city's best surviving example of a Land Boom–era suburb. A wealth of Mediterranean Revival, Art Deco, and vernacular style houses line Morningside's wide, tree-lined boulevards. The district encompasses buildings designed by more than 40 local architects, and is equally significant for the quality of its landscape design, which features many mature tropical trees and plants. The Morningside Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Palm Grove
Area:Generally bounded on the north by the Little River; on the south by NE 58 Street; on the east by Biscayne Blvd., and to the west F.E.C. Railway
Period of Significance: 1921-1959
Architect/Builder: Various
Date Designated: 2009
Description
Miami's largest and most eclectic historic district, Palm Grove is illustrative of the growth and development of Miami from the 1920s through the late 1950s. The homes, apartment buildings, and multi-family units are representative of middle class dwellings popular in Miami through each of the key phases in the City's historical development: the boom era of the 1920s, Depression-era construction of the 1930s, and Post-War Construction of the 1940s and 1950s. Architectural styles in the district range from modest Miami style bungalows to multi-family Post-War residences.
Riverview
Period of Significance: 1920-1950
Architect/Builder: Various
Date Designated: 2009
Description
The Riverview Historic District reflects the architectural trends of the period between 1920 and 1950 with a concentration of buildings designed in the Mediterranean, Mission, Bangalow, Art Deco, and Mid-Century Modern styles adapted to the Florida’s climate and fitted for the moderate income population that settled in the region.