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. 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 predominately lined by high-rises. History. The boulevard was constructed in 1917, 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. The park hosts a variety of events, including farmers markets, fitness and art events. 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. The  street is also served by the Las Olas Link of the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association's Sun Trolley Bus Service. Notable residents. A few of the most notable (past and present) are: