The neighborhood’s famed buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and are right in the path of Hurricane Irma.
Miami's famed art deco district in South Beach usually throngs with tourists — but on Thursday afternoon, the area was near empty and the iconic hotels boarded up, after a mandatory evacuation was issued in anticipation of Hurricane Irma.
"This is a serious storm. I've called it a nuclear hurricane," Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine said on Thursday. "I want people to understand this is not something you want to ride through, not something you want to be in your house or apartment for."
"There will not be public services available," he said. "You will be on your own. It's not a place you want to be. I can't stress it enough. Get off Miami beach."
Amber Jamieson for BuzzFeed News
Locals Brian Russell and his Claudia Cerda, who live three blocks back from the beach in a second-floor apartment, had just been for a swim and were still trying to decide their hurricane plans.
“We haven’t made a decision yet. This would be our first endeavor into a hurricane so we’re kinda playing it by ear at this point,” said Russell.
They were considering jumping in their car and driving to Atlanta or Panama City, leaving at 2 a.m. to try and miss traffic.
"We’re kind of adventurous people but I don't know how adventurous we want to get with this storm. It’s pretty scary for both of us. We’re going to see, and if we have to buckle down and ride it out, we’ll try our best," said Russell.
Amber Jamieson for BuzzFeed News
Cerda works at the front desk of the Victor Hotel on Ocean Drive, and said on Thursday night they'd warned all guests they had 24 hours to evacuate. She said the hotel would close until Monday.
"The flip side of that is if we leave and can't come back here [due to flooding or roads being closed], potentially she’s going to lose her job. It’s a really tough decision, that’s why we’re trying to balance the pros and the cons," said Russell.
"Unfortunately the mortgage companies aren't located in a hurricane zone so they don't care about whether you can get to work or not,” he added.
Amber Jamieson for BuzzFeed News
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