Miracle Mile (Coral Gables) facts for kids
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| Length | 0.503 mi (0.810 km) |
|---|---|
| West end |  SR 953 (LeJeune Road) in Coral Gables |
| East end | Douglas Road in Miami / Coral Gables |
| Construction | |
| Inauguration | 1922 |
Miracle Mile is a famous street in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. It's about half a mile long (around 0.8 kilometers). This special street is part of Coral Way and runs between LeJeune Road and Douglas Road.
It's the main street in the heart of Coral Gables, filled with lots of cool shops, yummy restaurants, and art places. At one end, you'll find the Coral Gables City Hall.
You can get to Miracle Mile using the Miami Metrorail. You would get off at the Douglas Road station and then hop on the Coral Gables Trolley. This trolley travels along Ponce de Leon Boulevard, connecting to the Metrorail.
Today, Downtown Coral Gables, including Miracle Mile, is a very popular place to shop in South Florida. It has many restaurants, unique shops, and art galleries.
How Miracle Mile Began
The downtown shopping area, including Miracle Mile, was planned by George E. Merrick. He designed Coral Gables so that every business was just a short walk away.
The Colonnade Building is a historic building on Miracle Mile. It was designed in 1926 by Phineas Paist, Walter De Garmo, and Paul Chalfin. This building mixes Spanish Colonial and Baroque styles. George Merrick originally used it for his growing sales business.
Over the years, the Colonnade Building has been used for many things. It was once home to the Colonnade Movie Studios. During World War II, it even became a factory for making parachutes. Today, it is a hotel and office building.
Trolleys and Transformations
Long ago, a free trolley system helped people get around the downtown area. It ran along Ponce de Leon Boulevard, which goes through the middle of the shopping district. However, as cars became more popular, the old trolley system was replaced.
In November 2003, a new free "trolley system" started. These are actually buses that look like old trolleys. They help people travel around the area today.
After tough times like the Great Depression and World War II, people wanted to make the area special again. Developers and businesses worked hard to turn it into a fancy shopping spot. Because of their efforts and new investments, the area was named Miracle Mile in 1955.
George K. Zain and his wife Rebyl Zain were very important in making Miracle Mile a high-end shopping street. George Zain came up with a plan to solve parking problems. He helped build parking garages in the area. In 1960, George Zain was even called the "Father of Miracle Mile."
Miracle Mile Today
In the spring of 2016, Miracle Mile and Giralda Avenue started getting a new look. A design company from New York, Cooper Robertson, worked on this big project. The plan cost $21 million to make the streets even better.
The new design includes wider sidewalks, which are great for walking. It also has low stones and plants along the street edges. The way cars park also changed to make the area more friendly for people.
