One of the most popular shopping, dining, and entertainment hubs in Miami Beach, Lincoln Road, was merely a mangrove forest a century ago. In 1912, a developer named Carl Fischer recognized the potential not only in Miami Beach, but also in Lincoln Road, the road that he came to call “the Fifth Avenue of the South.” By 1920, Lincoln Road had established itself as a social hub for the city.
Since its inception over 109 years ago, Lincoln Road has reinvented itself a number times, with its latest makeover happening in 2021. Extending from the Atlantic side of a barrier island to the Biscayne Bay, the road peaked in popularity in the 1930s and 1940s, when major department stores such as Cadillac, Saks Fifth Avenue, Elizabeth Arden, and Bonwit Teller drew visitors to the area, which extended from Washington Avenue to Alton Road.
The thoroughfare remained busy into the late 1940s. Unlike today, when it is common to see tourists and residents simply hanging out, a trip to Lincoln Road and the mall area was a special occasion, where everyone dressed in their finest gear.
While the rest of the island eventually experienced a boom in hotel construction, Lincoln Road and the mall area declined in popularity. But in the 1950s, city planners commissioned architect Morris Lapidus to redesign Lincoln Road, which led to the road experiencing a renaissance.
The architect created an outdoor marvel for the Miami Beach community. With a budget of $600,000, the road and new mile-long mall featured geometric patterns, shaded walkways, electric trams, piped-in music, animated fountains, and lush landscaping, complete with mounds and alcoves.
This new redesign quicky became popular. Images of the time show Miami Beach residents and visitors basking in the South Florida sunshine as they window shopped and dined at the restaurants on the road.
Unfortunately, this brief peak in popularity only lasted a few years because of a shift in local the demographic. As Jewish residents and transplants from New York moved out of Miami Beach and people from Latin America moved into the area, interest in the mall and the road waned for a season.
For much of the 1980s, this area of Miami Beach suffered from the impact of a drug war that took root in the city. Popular areas along Washington Avenue and Espanola Way became riddled with gang violence. Fortunately, the art community ultimately stepped in and saved Lincoln Road.
While the area was in a slump, not everyone chose to leave. Quaint restaurants and other small businesses remained on Lincoln Road. In 1989, Books and Books opened a store on the once popular road.
Sometime later, Miami City Ballet moved to Lincoln Road, attracting people back to the area. Dancers practiced in rooms with large windows where bystanders could watch, and this drew a daily audience.
By this time, visitors no longer had to worry about dressing to impress. Described as “America’s living room,” Lincoln Road became a place for everyone from models walking their dogs after photo shoots to artists and even in-line skaters who occasionally stopping for bottled water at local cafes that lined the road.
By 2015, Lincoln Road became restless again, in search of a new look, and one that connected with the times. Developers recognized the potential in the area as a business district, and began making plans. Already designated a National Register of Historic Places in 2011, Lincoln Road is expected to become a hub of offices for investment firms, media organizations, and law offices, according to a February 2021 article in the Daily Business Review.
