The Homestead Historic Downtown District (“District”) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 19, 2007. The National Park Service manages the National Register of Historic Places www.nps.gov/nr/
The District is significant as the hub of South Florida’s early railroad pioneer expansion. A downtown commercial neighborhood arose here at the dawn of the twentieth century, when the Florida East Coast Railway was extended south. Most buildings historically served as commercial and public buildings and were developed to serve the resident’s economic and social needs. The District qualified for listing under two categories: it is associated with significant historical events and it contains distinctive architectural styles. Architectural styles include Masonry Vernacular, Art Deco, Mission Revival, Italian Romanesque Revival, and Neoclassical Revival.
The District consists of mainly commercial buildings found along Krome and Washington Avenues in the City of Homestead, Florida. The boundaries surround the most concentrated group of historical resources associated with the development of downtown Homestead during the period 1913-1957. The District encompasses all and part of 11 city blocks that comprise an area of approximately 12 acres. It contains 63 contributing buildings, (older than 50 years) 12 noncontributing buildings, 2 sites (Losner Park and ArtSouth Sculpture Garden) and 1 object (Losner Park pedestal clock.)
One of the oldest buildings in the District is 4 S. Krome Avenue, constructed c. 1910 as the Bank of Homestead is on the southwest corner of Krome Avenue & Mowry Drive. It has housed the Homestead Police Department since the 1980s. On Flagler Avenue you’ll find The Redland Hotel at 5 N. Flagler Ave., constructed c. 1914, and the Landmark Hotel at 55 S. Flagler Ave. The Landmark Hotel was moved to its present location from Miami in 1916, where it was converted from a theatre to a hotel in 1927. Historic Town Hall at 43 N. Krome Ave. was built c. 1917 and now offices the Homestead–Florida City Chamber of Commerce.
Today Krome Avenue has evolved into an antiques and entertainment center, and parallel Washington Avenue is a thriving commercial area of shops and services. For further information, write Sofya Belair at sbelair@cityofhomestead.com or call 305-224-4487.
Homestead Historic Downtown District Map 
Homestead Historic Downtown District Sites
In May 2004, City Council adopted Resolution No. R2004-05-49, designating the Arts, Entertainment & Antique District. The designation was done to promote the district as an area attractive to businesses, visitors, and others interested in arts, entertainment, and antique-oriented endeavors. It has no effect on area zoning or permitting. In July 2006, City Council adopted Resolution No. R2006-07-70, further expanding the district boundaries.
Arts and Entertainment District map
From the 1930s to the 1950s the agricultural labor force of the area was supplemented by African American workers attracted to the City of Homestead from all over the U.S. and, in some cases, overseas. Many of these workers settled in the southwest section. Within the area west of the railroad tracks, the residents of the neighborhood built a thriving community primarily catered to the African American population due to segregation during that period. Southwest 4th Street, which is today known as Martin Luther King Boulevard, was the main street of the community. There you could find grocery stores, a movie theatre, juke joints, restaurants, churches, and residences.
Since the 1980s, the neighborhood of 356 acres has experienced dramatic changes and lost many of its thriving commercial and entertainment businesses. While Homestead has experienced increased population and housing, concerns of potential gentrification of the low-income residents of this neighborhood arose. To address these concerns, the Homestead Economic Rebuilding Organization and Miami-Dade Empowerment Trust entered into a contract with consultants to create a Master Plan for Redevelopment of the Southwest Neighborhood, which was approved by City Council through Resolution No. R2005-03-43 in March 2005.
Southwest Neighborhood Map
The CR Area consists of approximately 1,188 acres, generally bound by US1 on the east, Lucy Street on the south, Redland Road on the west and Ninth Court on the north. Following the devastation left by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the area was identified as having the greatest need for redevelopment assistance in Homestead. In 1994, the Homestead Economic and Rebuilding Organization was created through State and County legislation, to carry out the Community Redevelopment Plan within this boundary.
Community Redevelopment assistance is necessary within the CR Area to remove slum and blight conditions, enhance the tax base, improve living conditions for residents of the area, promote recovery from hurricane ravaged conditions and to upgrade and preserve areas of low and moderate cost housing.
Further information on the Community Redevelopment Agency is also posted to the City web site, under the City Departments tab.
Community Redevelopment Area Map |
