Located on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach is an oasis that will transport you back in time to a whole new place. It’s where cobblestone streets and designer boutiques meet to give a luxury experience set in a Mediterranean landscape.
Via Mizner was built 1923-1925 by Addison Mizner, an architect who used his travels as inspiration for his work. Aimee Sunny, director of education at the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, spoke in an interview with C&G Media Group about Mizner’s legacy. “Mizner wanted anyone visiting Via Mizner and Via Parigi, for that matter, to feel like you’ve been transported to a different place,” Sunny says. “He wanted you to feel like you were walking into a collection of buildings that have been there for a few hundred years and that have evolved organically over time.”
Addison Mizner originally came to Palm Beach because of a friendship with Paris Singer, one of the children of the Singer sewing machine family. Together they created the Everglades Club and shortly after Mizner built Via Parigi—which is named after Singer (Parigi is Italian for Paris)—and Via Mizner. “Paris Singer initially wanted to open up the Everglades Club as a convalescent hospital for veterans returning from World War I and Addison Mizner had a dream of what that area could look like,” Sunny says.
Via Mizner became Mizner’s home and workspace where he created an outdoor showroom for his architectural elements. This Via also holds the grave marker for one of his beloved pet monkeys, Johnnie Brown. He was known for his exotic pets and always had a monkey or parrot on his shoulder.
When asked where Sunny would go when visiting Via Mizner, she says Pizza Al Fresco. Johnnie Brown’s grave is tucked among the landscaping at the restaurant. Today, those who wish to stop by Pizza Al Fresco’s courtyard for a slice can look up for a view of Mizner’s tower—which was his home and office. Via Mizner is also home to Piccolo Gelato, Leta Austin Foster & Associates, Jennifer Miller Jewelry, DEA Fine Linens, and Lana Marks.
To celebrate the cultural richness in Via Mizner, the Preservation Foundation has an exhibition through March 7, showcasing some of Mizner’s influences called “All Roads Lead to Palm Beach.” Mizner is said to have pioneered the Mediterranean revival style in Palm Beach, using architectural elements like chandeliers from Spanish castles and 300-year-old paneling. Sunny says they have acquired a collection of items from Mizner that are expected to be featured in the exhibit.
The architectural heritage and European inspiration that surrounds Palm Beach and Via Mizner makes it seem as if it hasn’t been touched by the modern world. While renovations have been done over the years, Via Mizner still holds that vintage charm and character. “It has been touched in small ways and it’s a beautiful example of what can be done with a landmarked building using preservation practices today,” Sunny says.