LTC 133-2012 Award from Florida Trust MIAMI BEACH 'R E C E
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER 2012 MAY 17 PM 1: ( 3
NO. LTC # 133 -2012 LETTER TO C(JMMI :SS,101
TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: May 14, 2012
SUBJECT: Award from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation for MiMo on the Beach
website and brochure
The purpose of the LTC is to inform the Mayor and Commission that the City has won an
award for outstanding achievement in Media /Education from the Florida Trust for Historic
Preservation. The award is for the website and brochure entitled "MiMo on the Beach." The
award ceremony will take place on Friday, May 18, 2012 at the Annual Statewide Preservation
Conference in Gainesville, Florida. Joyce Meyers from the Planning Department will be
accepting the award on behalf of the City.
The website, www.MiMoOnTheBeach.com and the companion brochure are intended to
educate the public about the significance of the Miami Modern style of architecture and to
promote tourism. There are four historic districts in this material: Morris Lapidus /
Mid - Twentith Century District, North Beach Resort District, North Shore National Register
District and Normandy Isles National Register District. The international exposure afforded by
the website should help to bring tourists and potential investment to North Beach. This is not
unlike the process of education and publicity about Art Deco architecture that took place in
South Beach many years ago.
The brochure is distributed to visitors in Miami Beach through the hotels and visitor information
centers. While the brochure contains a brief summary of MiMo and the four historic districts, its
main function is to encourage people to visit the website where they can find a plethora of
information and photographs, including self - guided walking tours that they can download to
explore the MiMo districts while visiting Miami Beach. There is also contact information about
the monthly guided walking tour jointly sponsored by MDPL and NBDC.
This project was directed by the Planning Department with assistance from the Public
Information Office and the IT Department. Graphic design and website development were
provided by an outside consultant. The project was financed in part with a historic preservation
grant ($9,200) provided by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior,
administered through the Bureau of Historic Preservation, Division of Historical Resources,
Florida Department of State, assisted by the Florida Historical Commission. The total cash
outlay by the City was $2,543.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
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MiMo on the Beach Website and Brochure
FTHP Award Nomination
The "MiMo on the Beach" website ( www.MiMoOnTheBeach.com ) provides a comprehensive
introduction to the tropical, resort -style form of postwar modern architecture, locally dubbed
"Miami Modern" or "MiMo." It also features four historic districts in Miami Beach that contain
high concentrations of MiMo style buildings, ranging from glamorous resort hotels to modest
garden apartments. A companion brochure is distributed to hotel guests and visitors, encouraging
them to tour the MiMo architectural districts while they are visiting South Florida, as well as to
'direct them to the "MiMo on the Beach" website for detailed information. The website and
companion brochure were completed by the City of Miami Beach in September 2011 with
assistance from a federal grant administered by the State of Florida Bureau of Historic
Preservation.
The overall goals of the website and brochure are to bring public awareness to a style of
architecture "from the recent past that is not yet well understood or valued by the general public, to
generate heritage tourism and to stimulate investment in rehabilitation of MiMo buildings. To be
sure, the public has recognized and embraced the significance of a handful of iconic MiMo
buildings such as the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc hotels, but appreciation lags far behind for the
small tourist hotels, motels, apartments and commercial buildings that characterize the Post WW II
building boom. There are estimated to be over 700 MiMo buildings in Miami Beach and many
more throughout South Florida. Lack of knowledge of the significance of MiMo architecture is a
major threat to contributing buildings that are not protected by local historic designation.
A particular objective of the "MiMo on the Beach" website and brochure is to shine a light on the
concentration of historic MiMo architecture in the North Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach.
The North Beach neighborhood, located between 63 Street and 87 Terrace, is home to three of
the four MiMo districts in Miami Beach. The two largest districts, North Shore and Normandy
Isles, are Fisted on the National Register of Historic Places, but they are not protected by local
historic district designation. The North Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach has much potential
to become successful for both the residents and business owners, much like the successful
economic revitalization of South Beach following the National Register recognition of the Art
Deco district. The Normandy Isles and North Shore National Register historic districts contain a
population that is predominantly Hispanic and low -to- moderate income. Most businesses are
locally owned minority businesses. Shining light onto this neighborhood will present opportunities
for entrepreneurs to tap into an underserved market and encourage locals and tourists to visit the
neighborhood and support the businesses. The website and brochure are part of an overall
strategy to generate community awareness and pride in the special character and sense of place
that is created by the MiMo buildings. That strategy also includes events, tours, lectures, articles in
magazines and newspapers, and a MiMo exhibit consisting of eighteen graphic panels that are
displayed at various events and public spaces.
"MiMo on the Beach" approaches the challenges of public education with the tag line, "Futuristic,
Flamboyant and Fun." It sharp period- themed graphics, vivid photos and appealing narrative
to capture the viewer's imagination. The "MiMo 101 " page on the website not only describes
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what MiMo architecture is, but it relates it to the context of the popular culture of the 1950s and
1960s; capitalizing on the current popularity of "Retro" design in the fashion, furnishings,
television and movie arenas.
The website contains a wide breadth and depth of information that is efficiently organized for the
viewer. Casual visitors to the website may simply enjoy the photos and graphics or find maps
and MiMo tour information. More motivated viewers can find in -depth information about the
MiMo style, the'districts, individual buildings, prominent architects, preservation resources and
news. There is an extensive glossary of MiMo architectural terms that is cross - referenced by
hotlinks throughout the website. There are photo galleries and links to the district designation
reports for each MiMo district. To supplement the one monthly guided-tout offered in the North
Shore District, there are self - guided tours for each of the four MiMo districts that can be
downloaded and printed for visitors to use at any time.
The visual imagery, variety and layers of information on the website are designed to appeal to
local residents and property owners as well as to an international audience. As noted previously,
one objective is to motivate property owners and /or potential investors to preserve and
rehabilitate MiMo buildings; another is to promote heritage tourism, especially in the lesser
known North Beach neighborhood. By choosing the internet as the principal vehicle for this
message, the city hopes to capitalize on the international popularity of the Miami Beach, South
Beach and Art Deco "brands." As people surf the internet looking for cool, hip things to do and
see in South Beach, they may find "MiMo on the Beach" to be the most unexpected "futuristic,
flamboyant and ,fun" new attraction..
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