Pinecrest Gardens is Saving the Spirit of Parrot Jungle

The 88-year history of Parrot Jungle started in Pinecrest and in some respects will always be a part of Pinecrest, yet Parrot Jungle will soon be relegated to the dusty history books. As a Pinecrest Realtor and resident, this has always been such a wonderful place to get in touch with nature.

Parrot Jungle opened on December 20, 1936 as a beautiful 20-acre zoological park at Killian Drive and Red Road in Pinecrest. It was owned by Francis "Franz" & Louise Scherr, and for 25-cents visitors could see Scherr’s birds, trees and flowers and hear him talk about them. Over the years more than a million people visited, including Sir Winston Churchill, Jimmy Carter and Steven Spielberg. And, its flamingos were shown in the opening credits of Miami Vice.

In 1988, the park changed ownership and ran for 14 more years before Parrot Jungle moved to Miami’s Watson Island. On December 17, 2002, the Village of Pinecrest purchased the Parrot Jungle site and on March 8, 2003, the newly named Pinecrest Gardens opened as a municipal park. In spirit and in action, Pinecrest was keeping the essence of Parrot Jungle alive.

The Watson Island Parrot Jungle was later renamed Jungle Island in 2007, and as of the November 2024 elections, Miami voters approved a referendum to replace Jungle Island with a condo tower and mixed-use project, thus ending the near century run of Parrot Jungle. The new project includes a 13-acre waterfront park that will be free to the public, and a residential high-rise condo development on the remaining land. The good news for Miami is we gain a public park that will be built and maintained by the condo developer. The bad news is another chapter of our history will be lost.

Interestingly enough, while Jungle Island winds down, Pinecrest is in the midst of a huge restoration project at Pinecrest Gardens to keep it in tip-top shape. The garden terrace overlooking the pond and areas leading up to the Lake View Terrace had started to significantly deteriorate in recent years. The Pinecrest Council jumped into action, and with a matching grant of $500,000 from the State of Florida Division of Historical Resources, work began on August 15, 2024 with an estimated completion date of April 2025. During this time, they are levelling floor of the terrace and repairing the incline of entrance ramps. Two sets of stairs leading to the terrace will also be restored to its former glory. In addition to all the walkways, ramps and flooring, the columns of the Lake View Terrace roof will be upgraded. Made of oolite limestone and topped by a hipped roof of thick clay tile, it was learned that they needed to add concrete and rebar to reinforce the entire structure.

Angela Gasca, Pinecrest’s Assistant Village Manager and project manager

“We’re trying to be good stewards. We've done everything possible to preserve the history of Parrot Jungle. A lot of things had to be upgraded and we didn't know where any electrical or plumbing was, just the basic infrastructure. So, we've kind of discovered that as we go,” explains Angela Gasca, Pinecrest’s Assistant Village Manager. “But we're definitely trying to keep with the heart and tradition of the of the property, making sure that everything fits with having modern advances.”

Most impressive in this project was their ability to painstakingly analyze, catalog and photograph every inch of the intricately designed mosaic tiles and bricks that made up the walkways and terrace floor before everything was carefully removed. Now, a proper foundation layer is being added to ensure that the flooring and walkways never tilt and break apart again. The project will conclude by accurately restoring every brick in the beautifully designed flooring from the original design.

drone shot for project from september 2024

The entire $1.4-million project will not only restore the park area to its former glory, but add electrical and plumbing where it was lacking.

“We are proud of this restoration project and the current Council and all prior Councils recognize what a valuable resource Pinecrest Gardens is to Pinecrest and they have made sure we are honoring the park and its history,” explained Angela Gasca, who is also the Project Manager. “Things have been going great. We were actually about a week or two ahead of schedule before the hurricane warnings came. But, even with that, we we're on time. Our staff and the contractor have found a way to carefully do the project and still keep Pinecrest Gardens open to the public during the work.”

Once the current project is complete, Pinecrest will be addressing the concession stand that is adjacent to the Lake View Terrace. It, too, needs some TLC to keep it looking as good as the rest of the park. The Cypress Café is also closed as they renovate and make way for a new restauranteur to take over the space.

“Miami is a young city and we don't have a lot of history, like Parrot Jungle. Most people who come here say, ‘Oh, I came as a kid and now as a parent I want to bring my kids,” explained Gasca.

old parrot jungle sign hanging in the pinecrest gardens office

Speaking of bringing your family here, from December 6 – January 4, you can experience an enchanting winter wonderland at Pinecrest Gardens, featuring new light shows and displays! Immerse yourself in a magical world of twinkling lights, festive treats, Santa sightings, a Holiday Bazaar, story time, live performances in the historic Banyan Bowl, and more. Please check the website for the details.