News
Morningside Historic Home Tour Spotlights Dade Heritage Trust Days By Kim Steiner
Miami’s Morningside neighborhood is hosting its widely popular Morningside Historic Home Tour in conjunction with Dade Heritage Trust Days on Sunday, March 2 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The neighborhood, which is Miami’s first recorded historic district, spans east of Biscayne Boulevard from Northeast 50th Terrance to Northeast 60th Street. Advance tickets to the event are available online for $20 and on-site for $25 at the intersection of Northeast 57th Street and Northeast 6th Avenue. Approximately eight historic homes will be on the tour, with trolley shuttles, food, history booths and more. Located in Miami’s Upper Eastside, Morningside is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. Morningside is a planned subdivision with tree-lined boulevards that was built in the 1920’s, with a predominantly Mediterranean Revival style of architecture. Homes built in the 1930s and early 1940s have a more Art Deco influence. Morningside was the first historic area in central Miami to experience gentrification, with many of the large, historic homes that were once derelict being brought back to their glamorous splendor in the 1990s. The Historic District is still today one of Miami’s most intact historic neighborhoods. The earlier buildings in the district are predominantly Mediterranean Revival in style, while structures built in the 1930s and early 1940s are frequently Art Deco. Outstanding examples of both styles are found here. Morningside also features a large number of masonry vernacular buildings that frequently utilize elements of several styles. An unusual Tudor Revival style house and one of the City’s best examples of Mission style architecture add to the area’s architectural diversity. The Morningside Historic District is significant to the history of architecture, landscape architecture, and community development in Miami. Morningside is still regarded as one of Miami’s best-planned subdivisions, featuring wide, tree-lined boulevards that contribute to the character of the area. The neighborhood was envisioned as an exclusive, residential community, and its amenities and location on Biscayne Bay attracted many influential and prominent local residents. Despite the number of post-1941 buildings in the area, Morningside retains a high degree of historic and architectural integrity. This is due, in part, to new construction in the area being intrusive and attention to the neighborhood’s architecture, scale, setbacks, materials, and workmanship. Morningside residents recognize the special character of their unique area and desire its continued preservation. For more info: HistoricMorningsideHomeTour.com.
Page 8 • Thursday, February 27, 2014 • SunPost Weekly • www.miamisunpost.com
Alton Rd Construction to End This Year Beach Officials Urge FDOT to Move Faster By Kim Steiner
The completion date for the Florida Department of Transportation’s Alton Road construction project has been fast-tracked to December 31, 2014, seven months ahead of schedule. Last week, Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine and City Manager Jimmy Morales traveled to Tallahassee to meet with Governor Rick Scott and State of Florida Secretaries of Transportation and Environmental Protection to explore ways to expedite construction on Alton Road. “I am thankful to all of our state partners who have worked so diligently in speeding up construction along one of Miami Beach’s major arteries for our residents, business and visitors,” said Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine. As a result of the visit, the Alton Road construction project will be accelerated. The completed project will alleviate traffic congestion and street flooding with the installation of
three new pump stations. Additionally, the City of Miami Beach will be strategically installing over 30 pump stations throughout Miami Beach to reduce flooding. On February 12, 2014, Miami Beach City Commission passed a resolution approving all options including extending the hours of construction activities to expedite the project. In an effort to improve access during construction, the City of Miami Beach launched a free trolley service last month that operates from Fifth Street to Lincoln Road, along Alton Road and West Avenue, with 21 stops along the way. Trolleys service runs approximately every 10 minutes from 8 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Sunday. The city also negotiated free, four hour parking at the Fifth & Alton Garage with the use of a trolley voucher. For more information on the Alton Road Project: .fdotmiami.com.