With its vivid, ever-changing murals and bustling outdoor eateries, Wynwood Walls is one of Miami’s most eclectic and art-packed areas, topping travelers’ must-see lists.
But this wasn’t always the case. In the early 2000s, this area just three miles north of downtown — a once-thriving Caribbean immigrant community and the city’s garment district — had fallen into a state of neglect. Many considered the abandoned factories and warehouses eyesores. Then, in 2009, a developer came along and saw renewed potential for the edifices as large-scale artist canvases.