Wynwood is a neighborhood in Miami, FL that recently has attracted a lot of attention and for good reason!   It has become a mecca for art, restaurants, bars, breweries and high end shopping.

Rust Wynwood

This neighborhood dates back to 1917.  Happy 100th birthday this year! This was originally farmland developed by Miami’s first real estate agent EA Waddell before being sold to a couple of Miamians who were responsible for the modern day street names and numbers in downtown Miami and surrounding areas.  After the construction of Interstate 95 the neighborhood border was unofficially changed.  The western border of Wynwood is commonly considered I-95. It is roughly divided by North 20th Street to the South, I-95 to the North and I-95 to the West and the Florida East Coast Railroad to the East.

This was an area for working class families.  Eventually it attracted commercial business including Coca-Cola, an orange juice bottling plant and the American Bakeries Company. Then the garment industry moved in to the southern portion of Wynwood with both clothing retailers and manufacturers.  It is said that the Miami Fashion District was part of the largest garment district in the country according to an article in 1980 in the Miami News.  The fashion district is still a bustling community in Wynwood.  By the late 1970’s the area had gone into severe decline with drugs and unemployment playing premiere roles.

Art Installation at Wynwood Walls:

In the middle 2000’s the area got a big boost when Goldman Properties took a keen interest in the area having been a force behind the revival of SoHo and South Beach.  They saw an opportunity for artsy neighborhoods.  Below Wynwood Block images:

Wynwood Walls, an open air gallery opened in 2009. The entire neighborhood became a canvas for street art.  The area now boasts awesome restaurants, bars and retailers and there are plans to build condos, a hotel and many new retail establishments.  (see Slideshow below)

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It is worth the time if you are visiting Miami to venture over to Wynwood!  Located north of Downtown Miami and Overtown and adjacent to Edgewater, it is divided into two distinct areas: Wynwood Art District in northern Wynwood and Wynwood Fashion District along West 5th Avenue.

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I had the pleasure of visiting both districts!    I was amazed at the extraordinary talent of these artists at Wynwood Walls.  In one of the galleries there was an exhibit by an artist Peter Tunney.  I was blown away by his pieces. He is an Neo-Pop artist with a message; as you can see below.  He uses language and text and convey his message. His pieces are mixed collaged materials.

Don’t forget to look down at the street art!

Of course don’t forget to make time for South Beach! But more on Miami another time.

Lowes Hotel, South Beach

South Beach

Brickel City Centre, Brickel, Miami

Don’t miss Miami at night- Spectacular!