Nolan Mansion on Brickell Avenue

The story of the evolution of the Nolan Mansion on Brickell Avenue from a residence for a prominent pioneer family to a commercial structure that served a variety of different organizations.

Cover: Hive Brickell at Nolan House in 2018

When the Nolans moved into their new mansion in the Spring of 1926, it seemed they were moving to the to the edge of civilization. The land around Brickell Avenue was still mostly piney woods and Fifteenth Road was the end of the line for the city bus route.

While there were enough homes in the area for it to be an established neighborhood, it had a completely different feel than it does today. It was an upscale community that was very tranquil, which is very different than the urban environment of the area today.

Most of the homes in this quiet community are gone. They have been replaced with higher density condominium towers. However, there are several homes that still reside along the avenue in one form or another. The Nolan Mansion is one of those homes. It serves as a reminder of what Brickell Avenue used to be, and it provides an example of how a historic building can have a second life.