Thread by @MiamiHerald

For decades, it's been part of the view as you drive south on Interstate 95 toward downtown Miami.

The hotel at the intersection of NW Seventh Avenue and 79th Street was once a no-man's land, a hotbed of crime. (THREAD) hrld.us/2P04siL hrld.us/39DPBSX

It was built in 1969 as a Holiday Inn. At that time, the area was buzzing with small businesses, including now-closed Jumbo's restaurant, where public officials went to be seen.

But the construction of I-95 displaced residents and drained traffic.

Businesses closed. Poverty climbed.

Still, the hotel stood.

In 1986, the hotel was rebranded as a Days Inn. That year, robbers forced a man to jump off his balcony.

It became the City Inn in 2000, but the new name didn't improve its bad rep. Robberies, car thefts and assaults persisted.

In 2004, a man strangled a sex worker to death with her own belt and shoe straps in one of the rooms.

But now with a new owner at the helm, the former eyesore has been transformed into a sleek Holiday Inn.

It's now open for business and hiring.

For nearby residents, the new hotel marks a rare opportunity to have a job within walking distance.

“This area wasn’t the best area years ago, but it’s up and coming,” said Willie Dixon, a bellman at the hotel.

“It’s a great area. We have people all around the area who have been looking for jobs that they didn’t have the opportunities before.” hrld.us/39DPBSX