1628-12 Various Miami Beach mh04 EVENT TO RECALL STYLE OF '50S ARCHITECTURE 05/06/2004
• THE MIAMI HERALD
Copyright (c) 2004, The Miami Herald
DATE: Thursday, May 6, 2004 EDITION: Final
SECTION: Neighbors BC PAGE: 3MB LENGTH: 46 lines
SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: BY CASEY WOODS, cwoods@herald.com
EVENT TO RECALL STYLE OF 'SOS ARCHITECTURE
In the years after the dark days of World War II, local architecture
exploded into the whimsical tail fins, curvy interiors and sweeping
porte-chocheres that were the signs of the optimism of the times - the
elements that have become known as MiMo, or Miami Modern.
As the country now faces new conflicts, the North Beach Development Corp.
1 is inviting residents to revisit that exuberant period at the MiMo in May
series, with events celebrating the 1950s architecture through tours,
{ performances and parties.
"This architecture is all about enthusiasm, and God knows with all the
unenthusiastic things in the world today, we could use at least a taste of
something whimsical, " said Jeannie Tidy, executive director of North Beach
Development Corp. "We're trying to get more people aware of this style of
architecture and what it means to North Beach. "
North Beach, which experienced a development boom during that postwar time,
has a concentration of MiMo buildings.
"So many places in the United States have torn down this kind of
architecture, so there's not much left, " Tidy said. "This is the largest
amount left in one place. "
The series comes after a breakthrough year for MiMo that saw the creation
of the first historic district specifically designed to protect the
architectural style.
The North Beach Resort Historic District gained final approval from the
commission in March. It runs from 60th to 72nd streets, mostly along the east
side of Collins Avenue, and includes some of the resort hotels that define the
era, among them the Radisson Deauville and the Casablanca.
A highlight of the series will be the unveiling of a map that details a
walking tour of the district and locates dozens of the area's MiMo gems.
Organizgrs hope the festival will one day rival Art Deco Weekend, the •
cultural institution that regularly draws half a million people to South Beach
each January.
The series kicked off Tuesday with a reception at the Dezerland Beach
Resort and includes free activities every Saturday until the end of the month.
Among the options are walking tgurs led by MiMo experts and a beach party
featuring a classic car show and hula hoop contests.
For more information on MiMo in May, call the North Beach Development Corp.
at 305-865-4147.
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