South beach relevance

[S.FL84]

Its odd IMO how in the early 1980's the South Beach area was a slum home to dying retirees and drug addicts, hookers and just general low lifes which is why MV was based in this area of town & now its a 'Venice' of the city which is what it was in the 1950's which is when most of the iconic hotels were built.  The Fontainebleau featured such performers as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Desi Arnez, Tito Puente, Tony Bennett, etc., etc..   Freakin' Al Capone lived here in his dying days after being medically released from Alcatraz.  Odd how an area's 'heyday' comes & goes?

[pahonu]

1 hour ago, S.FL84 said:

Its odd IMO how in the early 1980's the South Beach area was a slum home to dying retirees and drug addicts, hookers and just general low lifes which is why MV was based in this area of town & now its a 'Venice' of the city which is what it was in the 1950's which is when most of the iconic hotels were built.  The Fontainebleau featured such performers as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Desi Arnez, Tito Puente, Tony Bennett, etc., etc..   Freakin' Al Capone lived here in his dying days after being medically released from Alcatraz.  Odd how an area's 'heyday' comes & goes?

The rise and fall of neighborhoods within a city can make for fascinating history, but it is not unusual at all.  New developments often draw away wealth and cause older areas of town to decline until gentrification returns it to prominence.  It’s happening in neighborhoods right now around the US.  I’m no expert in Miami history but I know that South Beach was the first neighborhood in that area to be developed.  The wealth moved elsewhere in time to neighborhoods like Brickell, in this case.

Typically those who can’t afford to follow that wealth to new neighborhoods, often including the poor, elderly and minorities, are left behind.  If gentrification happens, it can be controversial because, while it brings much needed renovation to neighborhoods, it usually forces out those who have been there during the waning years.  

Most big cities have stories like this throughout their history.  Many people just never dig into that history.  This happens over generations, and while it may seem like things have always been a certain way in a neighborhood to those currently there, it’s often not the case, particularly older neighborhoods.  These changes occur, and the phenomena is actually pretty common.

The historic “white flight” out of urban centers to the suburbs during the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s is a massive example. It caused the decline of countless such older neighborhoods across the entire country, many of which have since gentrified, some though are still “waiting”, as it were.  
 

This topic brings together my career as a history teacher with my passion for architecture and city planning.  

Edited December 28, 2021 by pahonu

[S.FL84]

Another utterly fascinating fact about this utterly fascinating episode is the house used in the climatic scene w/ 'Maynard' & 'Stone' is ironically the house used by the CIA as a field headquarters for its amphibious landing training.  I wonder if Liddy had been there before?  Its a distinct possibility.

 http://www.keyshistory.org/LiK-LindermanKey.html

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/coldwar/florida.pdf

Edited December 28, 2021 by S.FL84