Las Olas Boulevard
Las Olas Boulevard is a major east-west thoroughfare in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States that runs from SW 1st Avenue in the Central Business District to Florida State Road A1A in Fort Lauderdale Beach. The name "Las Olas" means "The Waves" in Spanish. The road once carried the designations of State Road A1A Alt. and State Road 842.
 Las Olas Shops facing northeast | |
| Length | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Fort Lauderdale |
| West end | SW 1st Ave in downtown Fort Lauderdale |
| Major junctions | |
| East end |  SR A1A on Fort Lauderdale Beach |
| Construction | |
| Completion | 1917 |
The easternmost section begins on a barrier island and crosses the intracoastal waterway. The road then enters the residential neighborhoods of Seven Isles and Hendricks and Venice Isles. West of SE 17th Avenue, the road enters a commercial shopping district, which is itself colloquially called "Las Olas". This portion of the road is lined with low and mid-rise bars, nightclubs, bridal stores, shops, boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. The road passes over the Henry E. Kinney Tunnel and enters the city's financial district. The westernmost part of the street is predominantly lined by high-rises.
History
The boulevard was constructed in 1917 by S.P. Snyder & Son Co., when Las Olas was just a dirt road that crossed the swampy wetlands to the barrier island at Fort Lauderdale Beach. The Las Olas Isles were dredged in the 1920s to create land for a waterfront residential district. The modern commercial segment of Las Olas Boulevard was constructed during the Post World War II era. The buildings surrounding the westernmost downtown segment underwent significant redevelopment since the 1970s.
In the early 1980s, Las Olas went through a major renovation program to enhance property values. The land was worth much more than that of the standing homes. It was decided that anyone who wished to buy property on one of the isles would have to tear down the existing home and build a home of equal or greater value than the land. Professional tour companies provide tours that take people down the waterways to show off the celebrities homes and yachts.
In 2020, the city completed construction on the $49 million Las Olas Oceanside Park project at the intersection of Florida State Road A1A and Las Olas Boulevard. This project provided a 650-space parking garage behind and a beachfront park and plaza.[1] The park hosts a variety of events, including farmers markets, fitness and art events.[2]
Notable buildings
- Elbo Room bar
- Riverside Hotel
- The Governor's Club Hotel (1936-1995, demolished) [3][4]
- Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale
- Bank of America Plaza
Public Transportation
Las Olas Boulevard is served by Broward County Transit Route 11 along most of its length, between SE 3rd Avenue and Fort Lauderdale Beach.[5] The street is also served by the Las Olas Link of the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association's Sun Trolley Bus Service.[6]
Notable residents
A few of the most notable (past and present) are:
- Johnny Weissmuller, actor who played Tarzan.
- Wayne Huizenga, CEO of Waste Management, Inc, Blockbuster Video and AutoNation.
- David L Cook, Christian music star and entrepreneur.
- Connie Francis, actress and movie star who was featured in the movie, Where the Boys Are which was filmed on Las Olas Blvd at the famed Elbo Room.
- Dan Quayle, former Vice President of the United States.
- Lee Majors, actor who played The Six Million Dollar Man and former husband to Farrah Fawcett.
- Sonny and Cher, singers and actors.
- Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, television and movie stars. Stars of I Love Lucy fame.
- Gloria Vanderbilt, designer and socialite.
- Preston A. Wells, Jr, Owner of much of the Las Olas Blvd real estate, including the Riverside Hotel, and the owner of the development company, The Las Olas Company.
- Frank and Ivy Stranahan, founding pioneers of Fort Lauderdale and the first residents of Las Olas Boulevard. Their trading post Stranahan House is located between the boulevard and New River. Ivy established the first public school in Ft. Lauderdale and later donated the land which would eventually become Stranahan High School.[7]
References
- "Skanska Completes $49M Las Olas Beach Park Project". Connect Media. 2020-06-23. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- "Las Olas Oceanside Park". My Fort Lauderdale Beach. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- Benedick, Robin (1995-06-17). "Hotel Won't Check Out With Bang". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- Dolen, John (2019-07-02). "Old Lauderdale: In the Club". Fort Lauderdale Magazine. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- "BCT System-wide Map" (PDF). Broward County Government. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- "Beach and Las Olas Links". Sun Trolley Fort Lauderdale. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- Historic Stranahan House Museum. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
External links
- Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale One East Las Olas
- Stranahan House Historic home with daily tours