Editors Note: The Barbara Baer Capitman archives “Historic Threads” project is partly sponsored by the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, and the State of Florida.
The annual Back to the City conference was a significant gathering focused on urban preservation and revitalization efforts in historic American cities. The conference served as a platform for discussing the resurgence of residential and commercial interests in decaying inner cities, aiming to rejuvenate and preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of these urban areas.
The following quotes are from a ‘Miami Today’ article found in the Barbara Baer Capitman archives, written by Barbara herself, titled “Revitalizing America’s Historic Resorts.” The article highlights the annual Back to City conference that took place April 13-15, 1984, in the Art Deco District of Miami Beach.
The annual Back to the City conference, which has been a force in the urban preservation of such famous cities as San Antonio, Wilmington, Minneapolis, St. Paul and, in 1983, Brooklyn, will come to the 20th Century Art Deco National Historic District of Miami Beach April 13, 14, and 15. The conference is creating a great deal of interest in financial circles here because of its theme, “Revitalizing America’s Historic Resorts,” placing Miami Beach back in the leadership of nostalgic tourism efforts.
The article highlights Barbara’s son, Andrew W. Capitman, and his pivotal role as conference chair:
Andrew W. Capitman, president of the Miami Design Preservation League and director of marketing for the Art Deco Hotel Corp., is conference chairman. He is a long time friend of Everett Ortner, chairman of Back to the Cities, who made several trips from New York to the District before the conference board decided to meet here.
1984 became a year of growth for the Art Deco District. Restoring the historic Art Deco Buildings became the start of a movement towards preserving Miami Beach’s built heritage:
Back to the City was organized to discuss the growing movement of residential and commercial interests back to decaying inner cities. In the past its been chiefly concerned with the renewal of 18th and 19th century neighborhoods. This year’s meeting will also explore the possibilities of the recent past — as typified by the Deco District — and the future for urban historic resorts, both new themes.
Mr. Capitman firmly believed in the power of restoring Art Deco architecture and what it would mean for the development of the city:
“The conference will develop a perspective on the architectural, historic and social fabric of the nation’s famous resort cities,” Mr. Capitman said. He said resorts include Nice and Brighton in Europe, Rio de Janeiro in South America, and hundreds of places in the United States, from Bar Harbor, Maine, to San Diego, Calif. “They have been plagued with the problems of crime, decay and poverty. But because of their architecture, environment and history, they offer more hope than many cities for renewal and development.”
The article further notes how the Miami Design Preservation League and the Art Deco Weekend festival played an influential role in the resurgence of the district:
MDPL, said Mr. Capitman, “is making every effort to show delegates the richness of a historic district with the events and settings it engenders.” There will be an Art Deco Weekend, which is becoming a quarterly event. Dubbed the Spring Festival, it will have Art Deco antique booths, antique cars, a Miss and Mister Art Deco Fashion Contest, and continuous live big band music. The Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday. Members of the American Society of Interior Designers, the American Society of Interior Designers, the American Institute of Architects and other visual design groups will host a reception for the conference at Club Z on Friday evening. A “Moon over Miami Ball” will be held Saturday night.
