Bob Vila discusses and visits Lincoln Road, with architectural historian Allan Shulman. Carl Fisher, �Mr. Miami Beach�, imagined Lincoln Road as a grand thoroughfare in 1915, along the lines of Fifth Avenue or Avenue de la Paix in Paris. Lincoln Road was home to elite shops, department stores, hotels, and theaters until its decline in the 1950s. It was reborn as a pedestrian mall through the vision of architect Morris Lapidus, who recreated Lincoln Road as a pedestrian mall and city garden for Miami with exotic plants and fanciful pavilions scattered throughout. In this century, Lincoln Road has once again been rediscovered and renewed. Today it is a Miami hot spot for shopping, dining, and people watching. Shulman describes the theatres, hotels, restaurants, and stores and how the buildings have evolved architecturally throughout Miami�s history.

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Before you remodel, consider how long you plan on owning your home. Some choices make more sense if you re selling sooner. Others, like adding personal touches, are better if you re planning on staying in your house five years or more. Keeping up with the Joneses can actually be a good rule of thumb if you re planning to sell your house within the next five years. First, take a look around your neighborhood. If it s rife with gourmet kitchens in granite and stainless-steel, bringing yours up to speed makes sense. But if homes are more modest in your area, a simple upgrade to your appliances, flooring and countertops might be more prudent. Bathrooms are always a safe bet for boosting your home s value. A new half bath (or two!), master bath or a larger, updated shower in the family bath are worthwhile remodels. But beware of super-fancy or trendy fixtures that can date quickly or not appeal to potential buyers taste. Studies have shown that new low-maintenance siding, windows and decks easily pay for themselves when you sell. But unless you plan to stay in your house for 10 years, skip the baroque fountain and the hot tub! Here s one more tip. Rather than bumping out for more living space, look to existing areas that are underused. Not only will it cost less per square foot, finishing your attic or basement will make the rest of your house more energy-efficient, and that sells, too. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Bob Vila meets with Bob Berle at Elm Court in the Berkshire Hills. Berle�s great-great grandparents, Vanderbilt-Sloanes, had the home built in 1886. It expanded through several additions to become the largest shingle-style home in the United States. The original architects, Peabody and Stearns, oversaw all the additions to the home and kept it within its original character while adding some flare, like the Tudor timberwork and towers. The Vanderbilt-Sloanes liked size and when they copied a fountain from the Piazza Mattei in Rome, they increased it by about 20 times the size of the original. The grounds and surrounding gardens were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect who designed Central Park in New York. The grounds beautifully transition the home into the surrounding countryside. Elm Court, named after a three hundred-year-old Elm tree in the backyard, has been the site of several historic gatherings including the 1919 Elm Court Talks that led to the Treaty of Versailles.