Was Overtown ever a nice area? (Miami, Havana: home, landscaping, neighborhood)

[Pear Martini]

I'm at home watching The First 48 and frequently they show murders in overtown. I have been lost in Downtown Miami before and ended up in Overtown. It was quite frightening because I saw vacant lots and at least 20 "crack heads" fighting each other in one alley way.

What was overtown like back in the day? Does it stand a chance of ever gentrifying?

[WINTERFRONT]

Overtown scary?? try a Latam slum... you'll fell down to your knees not being able to walk out of terror or just begging for mercy...XD

Anyways, just seeing the architecture and urban landscaping of overtown can pretty much tell you the past of the neighborhood. The "historic center" (which is just literally one street) doesn't really say much of the place. Most of the area is vacant or open (big blank lots), meaning that it was never that populated or popular, which lead us to conclude that it never had a HEY DAY.

I think only the elderly here can recall how Overtown was back in the 40's - maybe not dangerous, but still a nothing to do place.

[NCtoMiami]

I have never been in Overtown but why don't they build a police station maybe it will help cut down crime.

[WINTERFRONT]

"Police covers the crime, just like a bandage" - Burn Notice

[Momma_bear]

Here's a history of Overtown: The Overtown Collaborative

[xS☺B☺s]

It was a nice place to buy weed in the eighties. Mr Fat, the Green St Boys - lovely shops, good customer service - ah, whatever happened to the good old days?!

[WINTERFRONT]

Wow, you are a Miami Vice generation guy

[xS☺B☺s]

Originally Posted by WINTERFRONT

Wow, you are a Miami Vice generation guy

I took some neighborhood kids to see Vice filming at 5th and Wash. I sent the kids over to get autographs. They came back all excited - not because they got autographs, but because they stole Philip Michael Thomas's pen.

[WINTERFRONT]

Hahhahaha, that's epic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chelito23]

I wasn't around so I don't have first hand knowledge but here is my take. Before 95 was built, which cut through Overtown, and they bulldozed the heart of the community, starting its decline, it was alledgedly one of the more lively Black communities in the country with entertainers passing through and a business district of it's own.

Now, I don't know how accurate that is, if it is more of nostalgia or people remembering it better then it was (kind of like when you remember how good something tasted as a kid and you try it again as an adult and it wasn't all that). That is the impression I get. Because if it was some wonderful place in it's heyday, I would think that SOMEONE out there would have the initiative, find a new area to make a vibrant commercial area with African American roots say up the road in Lemon City for example...but that hasn't happened in decades...so it leaves me to wonder if it ever was "nice" and why it was so impossible for that sense of community to reconvene elsewhere at a later time or a new one to form.

I have a feeling it was probably similar to Little Havana or Little Haiti in that it was working class but had locally owned businesses and a sense of community. But for one reason or another things came apart and unfortunately I have never seen it or any reincarnation of it in Dade County in a nice way.

Maybe someone else has more knowledge rathe than speculation on my part?