Located on the east side of Biscayne Boulevard, the Bayfront Park has been refurbished and gives a new look in the 1980 's. Highlights include the electronically controlled Pepper Fountain, a large amphitheater used for various events and musical performances, a tower for laser illumination and featuring three very important monuments; Challenger commemorative warnings for the Challenger crew exploding in 1986, a Touch of friendship; A symbol of Miami's relationship with Central and South America and World War II warnings. Known as the Miami front porch, the park begins as a small reserve for political and religious gatherings amidst the railway and tidal marshes. In 1922 the city built a retaining wall, assigning Warren Manning, who worked for Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. In the late 19th century, to design a park, and spent 17 months retaking the coastline.
The design of Manning for 62 hectares of parcel used winding paths through palms, tropical almonds, and the Royal Ponciana, a circular bed of exotic flowers, and a wide pedestrian street that stretches East Flagler Street to the bay. Most of Manning's design was destroyed by storm in 1926. A year later, the City installed ribbon shells, caves and stone parks by the beach. The U.S. Navy ruled the park through World War II but allowed the city to install the Dade County War Memorial in 1943. Destroyed from the military occupation, the park was restored to the city in 1950 and a public library was built blocking the view of the bay. . The next two decades saw little investment in the park.
The design of Manning for 62 hectares of parcel used winding paths through palms, tropical almonds, and the Royal Ponciana, a circular bed of exotic flowers, and a wide pedestrian street that stretches East Flagler Street to the bay. Most of Manning's design was destroyed by storm in 1926. A year later, the City installed ribbon shells, caves and stone parks by the beach. The U.S. Navy ruled the park through World War II but allowed the city to install the Dade County War Memorial in 1943. Destroyed from the military occupation, the park was restored to the city in 1950 and a public library was built blocking the view of the bay. . The next two decades saw little investment in the park.
The park began construction in 1924 under the design plan of Warren Henry Manning and was officially opened in March 1925. Starting in 1980, the park underwent a large redesign by Japanese modernist artist and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi. Currently, Bayfront Park is managed by the Bayfront Park Management Trust, a limited agent of Miami City, Florida. Bayfront Park is bordered to the north by Bayside Marketplace and the American Airlines Arena, to the south by Chopin Plaza, to the west by Biscayne Boulevard and to the east by Biscayne Bay. Bayfront Park is host to many major events such as the New Year drop ball, Christmas celebrations, concerts, Amphitheatre Bayfront Park, Tina Hills Pavilion, as well as boat tours around the Biscayne Bay.