Before the Venetian Causeway and much of Miami Beach were developed, a waterway was dredged through the island that made its growth possible. As Miami Beach’s oldest surviving man-made structure—overlooked by many for too long—the Collins Canal is now in the final stages of review and approval by the City of Miami Beach to receive historic status.
About the Collins Canal
The City of Miami Beach’s professional planning department staff, as well as the Historic Preservation Board and the Planning Board have deemed the canal to have historic significance based on the reasons highlighted below:
Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the history of the city, the county, state or nation.
Satisfied.
The Collins Canal, completed in 1912, is the oldest surviving manmade structure in the City of Miami Beach and is associated with the initial development period of City as agricultural farmland. The dredging and opening of the Collins Canal and the construction and opening of the Collins Bridge across Biscayne Bay made the island conveniently accessible to mainland Miami and paved the way for Miami Beach’s subsequent development as a unique oceanfront resort that significantly benefitted greater Miami and the County, State and Nation.
Association with the lives of persons significant in the city’s past history.
Satisfied.
The construction of Collins Canal was part of John Stiles Collins’ (1837-1928) agricultural project that began over a century ago. The Collins Canal, Collins Avenue, Collins Park and the John S. Collins Memorial Library (now the Bass Museum of Art) were all named for this visionary Miami Beach pioneer.
Be listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Partially Satisfied.
A portion of the Collins Canal is located within the Collins Waterfront Architectural District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 15, 2011.
A building, structure (including the public portions of the interior), improvement or landscape
feature may be designated historic even if it has been altered if the alteration is reversible
and the most significant architectural elements are intact and repairable.
Satisfied.
The original alignment of the Collins Canal has been maintained since its construction in 1912.
Images from the Historic Designation Report are excerpted below.
Next Steps:
The designation will be discussed at the upcoming June 10th Land Use Committee meeting of the City Commission, before its second and final public hearing at the City Commission. If you are interested in expressing your support, please contact us.
