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During the 1990s, Miami developed new businesses and cultural amenities that developed as parts of the New South. After Haitian refugees began arriving in the city in the 1990s, Little Haiti developed as a predominantly Haitian neighborhood. Although Miami had been a refugee haven, its status as a poor city by the 1990s resulted from tremendous financial burdens. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew caused more than $20 billion in damage just south of Miami-Dade.
Miami was the first Florida city to have a state-appointed oversight board appointed after experiencing a budget shortfall of $68 million and being given a junk bond rating by Wall Street. Voters in the city rejected a resolution trying to dissolve it and make it one with Dade County. Miami’s financial problems continued until political outsider Manny Diaz was elected mayor in 2001.
Below are some fascinating photos that will take you back to the 1990s in Miami.
#1 Along Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#2 A young woman rollerblading in the slow-moving traffic on Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami, 1990.
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#3 Miami Tower with Metromover Train, 1990s
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#4 The Marlin Hotel and a vintage Cadillac convertible at kerbside on South Beach, Miami, 1990.
4 Points
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#5 The Hotel Webster on Collins Avenue, South Beach, Miami, 1990.
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#6 Essex House, Miami Beach, 1996
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#7 News Cafe, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#8 Miami Beach, Feb 1996
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#9 Coconut Grove, Miami, 1990s
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#10 Downtown Miami from Miami Avenue, 1990s
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#11 Motorcycle and bicycle in Miami beach, 1992.
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#12 Miami Beach, 1992.
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#13 Miami Beach, Feb 1996
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#14 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#15 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#16 The Chesterfield, Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#17 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#18 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#19 Looking north to downtown Miami from Brickell Avenue, 1990s
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It shows 5 cars on the road. Compare that to a mess we got now
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#20 Flagler Street, downtown Miami, 1990s
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#21 1970s vintage Miami Towers, 1990s
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#22 Miami-Dade County Courthouse, 1990s
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#23 Sunrise on Ocean Drive, featuring Art Deco frontages, on South Beach, 1990.
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#24 The entrance to the Colony Hotel on Ocean Drive, with its permanent accessory, Miami, 1990.
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#25 Facade of a restaurant in Miami, 1992.
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#26 Ocean Drive at sunset Miami, 1992.
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#27 Skyline of Ocean Drive, Miami, 1992.
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#28 Sherbrooke Hotel, Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 1990s
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It’s stunning how the Sherbrooke’s body is painted in white, red, and black.
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#29 The Fairmont, Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#30 Empty Bottles in the Alley, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#31 Miami Beach Alley, 1990s
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#32 Breakwater, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#33 Miami Beach Neon, 1990s
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#34 Atlantis Brickell, Brickell Avenue, Miami, 1990s
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#35 Sharkey’s Miami, 1990s
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#36 An abandoned van under a banyan tree off Old Cutler Road, Miami, 1990.
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#37 Art Deco trompe l’oeil or false windows on a building at Deco Plaza, 5th Street, on South Beach, Miami, 1990.
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#38 Alley between Ocean & Collins, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#39 8th & Collins, Miami Beach, 1990s
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#40 MacArthur Causeway, looking toward Miami Beach, 1990s
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#41 Atlantis Brickell Condominium, Brickell Avenue, Miami, 1990s
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#42 Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, Miami, 1990s
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#43 Coconut Grove, Miami, 1990s
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#44 Brickell Avenue, Miami, 1990s
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#45 Brickell Avenue, Miami, 1990s
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#46 Looking north from Brickell Avenue (at Tamiami Trail), Miami, 1990s
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#47 Downtown Miami, 1990s
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#48 Flagler Street, downtown Miami, 1990s
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#49 East Flagler Street, downtown Miami, 1990s
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#50 Downtown Miami, 1990s
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#51 Southeast 1st Street, looking east, Downtown Miami, 1990s
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#52 Flagler Street looking east, downtown Miami, 1990s
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#53 Miami, 1990s
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#54 Miami Tower, Miami, 1990s
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#55 The Crescent apartment building, designed by Henry Hohauser, on Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami, 1990.
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#56 Entrance to a restaurant in Miami, 1992.
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#57 Facade of the Carlton Hotel in Miami, 1992.
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#58 Automobiles Outside Artistically Decorated Restaurant, 1992.
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#59 People in South Miami Beach on May 23, 1992.
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#60 Exterior view of the Hyat Hotel Coral Gables on May 25, 1992
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Written by Aung Budhh
Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.
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I find it odd how the lack of condos and apartment buildings makes Miami and Miami Beach seem like sleepy towns when I’ve heard it’s anything but. Would anyone like to comment on Miami nightlife during the early 90s?
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I have no idea how old this comment is but I lived on SoBe in the 90s and it was amazing! Models mixed with devout Jews mixed with retirees mixed with Cuban folks. Wasn’t stupid expensive and the party was always on tap. Amazing.
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not that old 😒😒😒😒…. Thank you for the info 😊
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It was so much better bohemian and less touristy & commercial.
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Agree…
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Older houses from the 1940s or earlier all had fireplaces, as Miami used to be colder. People in their older years used to turn them on a lot. Now you rarely turn on the heater, maybe three or four days a year?
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The nightlife was still a bit too young for me, but I remember seeing Phat Black puss*Cat, as well as Pearl Jam and Beastie Boys at the Cameo and Smashing Pumpkins at Washington Square. South Beach was still somewhat shady at night, and we parked wherever we wanted.
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South Beach in the 1990s was amazing.
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Downtown looks nicer and newer. In comparison to today, half of the buildings and storefronts are derelict.
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The malls and shopping districts put them out of business. In contrast to South Beach which had just been redeveloped and upgraded, Downtown Miami was once a destination
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Anyone who wanted to buy really good and affordable electronics would come to downtown to buy anything from Cameras to TVs along with huge selection of clothes at really cheap prices, but all that changed with all the brand name stuff and overpriced.
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To be honest, it doesn’t seem that different to me! The camera took some great pictures, so that’s good. I might even mistake some of those images for being from today if I didn’t know beforehand.
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Yeah, it looks mostly the same to me
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It’s weird to be reminded of life before smart phones. Nobody is hunched over a phone in these pictures.
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Due to hurricane Andrews, there are fewer trees. This is especially true on south beach. The grove looks the same. Downtown looks better than before.
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The closure of Ocean Drive is a good thing. When it was open, it must have been a terrible show.
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