Ocean Beach Park
Ocean Beach Park takes up the entire east side of the 200 block of Ocean Drive. Bounded by the 301 Ocean Drive condominium to the north and the newly constructed Marriott South Beach — and its dismal incorporation of the beautiful Century Beach Club — to the south, this park has had its share of problems, such as a small but intractable homeless community. With its central playground and long winding concrete paths, the park serves as an oasis in this neighborhood for families and rollerbladers.
This structure at 222 Ocean Drive, which apparently was a private home at one time, is the only historic building on this block of Ocean Drive. Designed in Mediterranean Revival style (note the red tower at the rear), it sits squarely in the middle of the block and has been engulfed by three much larger structures on all sides being built by the noted design firm Arquitectonica (see below).
In the foreground on the southwest side of 2nd Street and Ocean Drive is Ocean Place, a two-structure development (the second structure being on Collins Avenue behind 222 Ocean Drive) designed by the award-winning architects at Arquitectonica. Farther north, just beyond 222 Ocean Drive is yet another project by the same firm. Although showy, this is good design, yet there is some question as to how well these new buildings relate to their surroundings, not the least of which is the Mediterranean Revival structure at 222 Ocean, which is completely lost in this photo.
222 Ocean Drive
Arquitectonica projects (Ocean Place)