Neighborhoods

South Florida Condo Neighborhoods

Downtown Miami
Bound by Biscayne Bay and the region's largest cruise and commercial seaport, Miami's city center combines lofty high-rise condominiums, apartment buildings, and new residential developments with sleek office towers and hotels - all complemented by buildings and lively shopping arcades in the downtown shopping district.

Brickell Avenue
Named after the 19th-century founders of Miami , William and Mary Brickell, this area serves as Miami 's traditional business and banking district, boasting prestigious Class-A office buildings, top-tier hotels, luxurious, high-rise condominiums, neighborhood shops, and sophisticated restaurants.

Coconut Grove
One of Miami's oldest communities, Coconut Grove is rich in history and perfectly situated on Biscayne Bay , just 10 minutes from Downtown Miami. The Grove's winding, tree-shaded streets offer a wide variety of residential options and entertainment venues including waterfront parks and marinas and sidewalk cafes. Shopping is a pleasure at trendy boutiques and specialty stores on the two main streets or at the name-brand shops at CocoWalk and the Streets of Mayfair.

Coral Gables
Upscale and quietly elegant Coral Gables carefully guards its reputation as "The City Beautiful" with strictly enforced zoning codes and architectural guidelines. Downtown is centered on the stretch of Coral Way known as Miracle Mile, featuring noted signature restaurants, specialty shops, boutiques and art galleries. The city offers a vibrant business center with Class-A office buildings, cultural venues, and many entertainment options, in addition to two private golf courses and public and historic landmarks. Shopping venues include the new garden-like Village of Merrick Park.

As to education, Coral Gables counts with well-regarded private and public schools, and The University of Miami, a Carnegie I Research University.

Key Biscayne
An island getaway just 10 minutes from downtown Miami , Key Biscayne is connected with the mainland via the Rickenbacker Causeway leading to Virginia Key - home to the Miami Seaquarium and the University of Miami 's Rosensteil School of Marine Science.

Key Biscayne is noted for its parks, including Crandon Beach and Bill Baggs State Park , which feature a public golf course and tennis center - home of the annual Ericsson Championships.

Housing on Key Biscayne offers numerous options, including condominiums, traditional single-family homes and waterfront estate homes.

SOUTHWEST - Pinecrest
Located west and south of Coral Gables , Pinecrest is one of the most desirable, upscale residential communities in Miami-Dade County . The area offers a spacious, rural atmosphere, a convenient commuting location, highly regarded public schools, and excellent municipal services, in addition to plenty of shops and restaurants.

SOUTHWEST - South Miami
Nestled between Coral Gables and Pinecrest and located on the Metrorail line, South Miami operates around a neighborhood-oriented downtown located on and around Sunset Drive. The recently-opened Shops of Sunset Place add a new shopping and entertainment dimension to this stable community. Homes in this area range from estate homes to low-rise condominiums and apartments.

SOUTHWEST - Kendall
Kendall is Miami-Dade County 's largest and most diverse suburb, which ranges roughly from Bird Road (SW 40 Street) to Coral Reef Drive (SW 152 Street), and from Coral Gables and Pinecrest westward to the Everglades . Located on the Metrorail line, the area features many of the most popular family neighborhoods in the county, with many well-regarded schools, active PTAs, churches and synagogues, in addition to busy parks and recreational programs. Dadeland Mall is one of the most successful shopping centers in the nation, and its surrounding area has become "downtown" Kendall , with new retail, office and hotel development now underway.

SOUTHWEST - Westchester
North of Bird Road (SW 40 Street) lies the family-oriented community of Westchester . Florida International University 's Tamiami campus and the Dade County Youth Fair and Exposition at Tamiami Park are both located in Westchester , along with many schools, churches and parks.

SOUTHWEST - Perrine-Culter Ridge
Perrine and Cutler Ridge are unincorporated communities located along U.S. 1 south of Kendall . The two neighborhoods have attracted a multiethnic population. The Cutler Ridge Mall is the region's main shopping center.

SOUTHWEST - The Redland
A semi-rural lifestyle characterizes the Redland, a large region of Southwest Miami-Dade County centered along Krome Avenue (SW 177 Avenue) east of the Everglades . The Redland features many farms and nurseries, and the area serves as a major source of winter vegetables and tropical fruits.

SOUTHWEST - Homestead-Florida City
Located in the southern end of Miami-Dade County , downtown Homestead has been restored with an "old-fashioned" look that has attracted antique stores, restaurants and other shops. Homestead is considered the hub of the county's agricultural industry. The city's Motorsports Complex is the home of NASCAR, Formula One and many other racing events.

THE BEACHES - Miami Beach
Miami Beach is more than a picture-perfect tourist playground of sandy beaches, azure blue ocean and glitzy hotels. The seven-mile-long barrier island is home to some 93,000 people, with nearly 50 percent of them Hispanic. Spanish is heard everywhere and the atmosphere is definitely exotic. It's quite a change from 1920, when there were just 644 permanent residents on the island.

Since then, Miami Beach has gone through boom, bust and boom, culminating in its present incarnation as a thriving community where people live, work and play. South Beach, just two square miles at the southern tip of he barrier island, has rhythm all its own, played out against a back drop of colorful, whimsical Art Deco-style hotels and apartment buildings. Home here may mean a condominium in a shiny new waterfront tower in SoFi-south of Fifth Street ; a loft in a lovingly-restored historic building or a mansion on one of the islands in Biscayne Bay .

South Beach lifestyle centers on being within easy access of Downtown Miami across the MacArthur Causeway or working close to home in one of the Beach's impressive new office buildings. With the vibe of Ocean Drive, Washington Avenue and Lincoln Road in your "backyard," you can stroll to fine restaurants and bistros or enjoy snacks at any hour in always-open eateries; find cultural diversion in the neighborhood's are galleries, museums and theaters; stay up all night at hip dance clubs and posh watering holes; or take time out to shop the designer-name stores and boutiques on Collins Avenue and the eclectic shops on Lincoln Road.

Miami Beach 's streets are arranged in a grid system with numbers increasing as they go north. You'll find everything from tiny cottages to grand mansions, studio apartments and vast luxury condominiums, all set among lush tropical vegetation, canals and golf courses. Single-family homes in the mid-Beach area, (north and south of 41st Street ) date back to the 1920s, 30s and 40s. You won't find any cookie-cutter houses here - designs are quite individual, ranging from coral rock bungalows to Deco delights with a tropical Mediterranean-style predominating. Several public and private schools serve children in the community.

Going north beyond the hotel area, Collins Avenue leads through a long row of luxury residential towers along the oceanfront and waterfront on Indian Creek. Many were originally deluxe rental buildings later converted to condominiums. North Beach and Normandy Village around 71st Street were formerly Miami Beach 's least expensive neighborhoods, but are now undergoing a makeover.

THE BEACHES - North Bay Village/Surfside/Bay Harbor Island/Bal Harbour The island community of North Bay Village lies nestled on the shores of Biscayne Bay along the 79th Street Causeway linking Miami Beach and mainland Miami . Until recently a sleepy backwater, the town is seeing a surge of development. Luxury condominiums and lofts designed to capture the impressive water views are being built or converted from apartment buildings. There is also a good choice of rentals and single-family homes conveniently close to the main shopping restaurant areas.

Due north of Miami Beach, bordering the North Shore State Recreation Area's unspoiled beachfront nature preserve, are three popular residential areas. Surfside is a quiet family-oriented, oceanfront town with a wide, secluded beach bordered by a path through the dunes. Here, Collins Avenue (A1A) is lined with luxury condominiums limited to a height of 12 stories. Two blocks inland, you'll find streets with modest 1940s and 1950s single-family homes, many of which have been updated. Harding Avenue retains the feel of an old-style main street with small shops and a 50s corner drugstore and soda fountain, and even a brand-new Mediterranean-style supermarket.

Bay Harbor Islands spans Kane Concourse leading from 96th Street in Surfside to 123rd Street in mainland Miami across the broad causeway. Of its two islands, one is occupied entirely by large single-family homes, and the other is home to condominiums and a commercial area of medical offices, fashionable shops, art galleries and restaurants. A highly regarded elementary school serves the surrounding communities. The town is seeing its first new condominium development in decades.

Neighboring Bal Harbour , occupying a third of a square mile between the ocean and the bay, may be one of the smallest municipalities in Miami-Dade County , but it's also one of the most exclusive and prettiest with abundant landscaping and a curving arc of beach bordered by a lush walking path. The village's community of large homes and oceanfront luxury condominiums is complemented by a world-famous upscale shopping center. Bal Harbour Shops' tropical garden setting is the backdrop for a collection of internationally renowned boutiques and stores.

THE BEACHES - Sunny Isles Beach-Golden Beach
Sunny Isles Beach on the northeastern tip of Miami-Dade County is reinventing itself from a traditional seaside vacation area to an upscale residential city. Construction cranes along Collins Avenue (A1A) signify the end of tired 50s motels and the arrival of sculpted, luxury oceanfront condominium towers and condo-hotels. The west side bordering the bay is equally busy with several new apartment buildings recently completed or going up. There are also two areas of single-family homes. In the busy shopping area some new, fine restaurants are attracting patrons from all over the sea.

Golden Beach , extending north to the Broward County line, is an exclusive small municipality of single-family homes and bay front and oceanfront mansions.

NORTHERN MIAMI-DADE
Aventura
In the 1990s, Aventura has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Miami-Dade County . The recently incorporated area includes many high-rise and mid-rise condominium and apartment complexes that take advantage of the scenic Intracoastal Waterway . Neighborhoods like Turnberry Isle, Williams Island , The Waterways and Mystic Point have attracted a professional population base that enjoys the area's golfing, boating, shopping and dining amenities. The Aventura Mall, the county's largest shopping center, has undergone a major expansion, and many new residential projects are also underway.

NORTHERN MIAMI-DADE
Lake Lucerne
To the west of Aventura near Pro Player Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins, lies Lake Lucerne , a thriving middle-class neighborhood along the Northern Miami-Dade County line. Lake Lucerne 's location near major expressways its attractive to commuting families.

NORTHERN MIAMI-DADE
North Miami Beach-North Miami
North Miami Beach is an island community that lies between North Miami and the county line. Primarily a neighborhood of single-family homes, North Miami Beach has a busy shopping district along NE 163rd Street . Other attractions include Greynolds Park and a peaceful Spanish monastery. Florida International University 's North Miami campus is located east of U.S. 1 and south of 163rd Street .

North Miami is a family-oriented community between U.S. 1 and NW 7th Avenue . The downtown area stretches along NE 125th Street , and other stores line West Dixie Highway . The Museum of Contemporary Art and Johnson and Wales , a culinary arts institute, are located in North Miami .

NORTHERN MIAMI-DADE
Miami Shores
Since its founding in 1932, Miami Shores has been noted for its tree lined streets, moderately priced homes and family ambiance. A city-owned country club and recreational center is a major amenity. A small downtown area is located on NE 2nd Avenue , and Barry University is on the north edge of the village.

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE
Miami Lakes
One of the region's few master-planned communities, unincorporated Miami Lakes is a thriving mix of residential neighborhoods, shopping areas and business and industrial sites. Developed by the Graham Companies since the 1960s, Miami Lakes has single-family homes, condominiums and townhomes, along with a Main Street shopping district. Curving streets, parks, schools and recreation facilities that include Don Shula's Golf Club and Athletic Club are among Miami Lakes ' attractions for professionals.

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE
Hialeah
The second largest city in Miami-Dade County , Hialeah is a busy industrial and commercial center with a wide range of family-oriented neighborhoods. The largely Hispanic community is the home of Hialeah Park Race Track, Milander Park and more than a dozen other recreational facilities. A mile-long business strip on NW 103rd Street ( NW 49th Street in Hialeah ) is the main commercial area, although all parts of the city are served by retail areas.

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE
Miami Springs-Virginia Gardens
A triangular-shaped city just north of Miami International Airport , Miami Springs is a quiet residential community originally planned by Glenn Curtiss, a pioneer aviator. The Miami Springs Circle is the city's commercial center. Just southeast of Miami Springs is the small village of Virginia Gardens , a family-oriented neighborhood.

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE
Doral
Since the 1960s, the Doral Resort and Spa west of Miami International Airport has been the center of a growing residential community. Townhomes, low-rise condominiums and single-family offer golf-course views and a central location with a short commute to the airport's commercial areas. A number of new subdivisions have been built in the 1990s, and new restaurants and shopping centers have sprung up to serve the area's growing population.

FISHER ISLAND

Fisher Island is a private community that offers its residents and club-members the utmost in opulence and luxury. This glorious neighborhood, located just south of Miami Beach and accessible by only ferry or air, is designed in classic Mediterranean style. Once the winter retreat of William K. Vanderbilt II, this 216-acre residential and club community is currently home to the world's most privileged and influential. Fisher Island was originally the brainchild of famed Miami real estate investor, Carl Fisher. He intended to build deepwater docks for the thriving marine industry, but political opposition inhibited his progress. The political battle raged until Fisher met William Vanderbilt II who saw the island, rich with mangroves and coconut palms, as the perfect location for his winter retreat. Fisher, at the same time, coveted Mr. Vanderbilt's 250-ft. yacht. They traded properties and thus the legend of Fisher Island began. Vanderbilt, known for his avid love of fishing and sport, built a 1.5 million dollar mansion with guesthouses. In addition, he constructed a nine-hole golf course, swimming pools, and tennis courts. Foliage planted throughout the estate was lush and vibrant and the island became a playground for the international elite today, the international elite continue to choose Fisher Island as a place to live and play. Lush surroundings and unheralded privacy and security attract residents from over 40 nations. Vanderbilt's original estate, with its quaint guesthouses and cottages, has been refurbished into a glorious hotel and resort. Brilliantly manicured amenities contribute to the area's opulence and grandeur.

The Links is a stunning par 35, nine-hole golf course laden with glorious lakes and lush surroundings. For tennis enthusiasts, the Mediterranean style, Grand Slam tennis center has 18 exquisite courts conveniently lit for night play. Clay, grass, and hard courts are all available at this world-renowned facility that hosts professional and celebrity events. 131 boating slips with the ability to hold yachts in excess of 200 feet are available in the deepwater marine and yachting center. </p>

The Spa Internazionale is rated as one of the worlds greatest. At 22,000 square feet, this immense facility provides its clientele with the absolute best. Perhaps a milk and honey body wrap followed by a deep tissue massage is in order at the Salon di Bellezza. Personal fitness trainers may also suit your desires at the state-of-the-art fitness center. However you choose to indulge, this fabulous spa made for the services of kings and queens will accommodate you.

Residents, club members, and hotel guests can enjoy any one of Fisher Island 's eight restaurants. From ocean front bars and lounges, to gourmet dining, to clubhouse grills, the eateries on Fisher Island are world class.

With a growing number of families now calling Fisher Island home, a need developed for education and after school programs. A chartered, non-profit school is designed to educate children pre-k to 5 th grade. This beautiful 4,000 square foot facility is designed in the Fisher Island style and offers stellar education opportunities. Fisher Island also offers preschool and junior camps.

For those who are not residents or club members, Fisher Island 's hotel is rated as the best in Miami-Dade County . As a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the Fisher Island Hotel & Resort pampers guests with personalized services in true resort fashion. One and two-bedroom cottages on the picturesque grounds have been beautifully restored to their original grandeur. The lovely three-bedroom Rosemary's Cottage, once the home of the Vanderbilt's' daughter, is also available.

Other accommodations include luxurious courtyard villas or spacious one, two and three-bedroom suites overlooking the Atlantic Ocean . Registered guests receive complimentary use of all the Fisher Island amenities.

For those wishing to live on the prominent Fisher Island , lavish condominiums are available with stunning views of Miami Beach , Downtown Miami, and the Atlantic Ocean . Starting at two million dollars, these exclusive residences are for those who desire the best. Dazzling single-family homes are also available in limited supply. These mansion-style estates start at just under four million dollars. Fisher Island remains the treasure of South Florida . With convenient access to Miami Beach , the Port of Miami , and Miami International Airport , the luxurious island is perfect for its jet-set guests and residents that demand the best.

Miami River
Renaissance
After decades of neglect, the industrial Miami River is now an urban redevelopment hotspot. Lofts, new restaurants and high rises are transforming its banks. Can a balance be struck between the historic waterway and the invasion of urban chic? By Johanna Marmon
On a blustery morning at the beginning of August, a group of about 40 children - all wearing their summer camp's same brightly colored t-shirts - line up for roll call at Bayside Marketplace's marina. After sounding off to their names, the kids board a double-level tour boat for a meandering ride along the Miami River, the 5.5-mile long waterway that runs literally through the heart of Miami . The tour, arranged by the Miami River Commission - a 16-member group formed in 1998 by the state legislature to serve as the river's watchdog - is meant to instill in these children the importance of the waterway and its role in Miami 's history.
As the boat churns out of Bayside's harbor and toward the mouth of the river - where the ruddy water spills into turquoise Biscayne Bay - it's hard not to feel that this should be a required activity for any resident of Miami , not just schoolchildren. It's like seeing the city from an entirely new perspective, even as the lumbering vessel slides past familiar landmarks. First there is Brickell Key, with its cluster of condos and offices. Then comes the Miami Circle , the ancient native burial ground that was saved from development a couple of years ago and is now set (pending a bill in the legislature) to become a part of Biscayne National Park . The jaws of the Brickell Avenue bridge open to allow the vessel through, the financial district's glass towers glittering on the left, downtown's central business district looming on the right.
Then comes the disconnect: Wherever you look, there are overgrown empty lots that dot the south and north banks of the narrow channel. You cannot help but wonder: how have developers ignored such opportunities?
The reality is that, regardless of past apathy, developers are no longer ignoring the river. They have been snapping up parcels of land that are among the last remaining pieces of waterfront real estate in South Florida . From One Miami - the Related Group's massive undertaking at the mouth of the river - to the new One River View Square office building next to the Miami Avenue bridge, the waterway is undergoing a dramatic transformation that has been decades in the making. A virtual flurry of condominium and office projects are either underway or in planning stages, with a crop of new restaurants sprouting up on the river's edge. Tying everything together will be a $24 million public "riverwalk," planned to run the entire length of the waterway, paid for in part by developers and in part by public and donated funds.
At the forefront of the river's rejuvenation is Lissette Calderon, a young developer who's building two residential projects on the south bank of the river. Calderon saw opportunity in the river long before the current spate of interest took hold. Her flagship project, the 199-unit Neo Lofts, has just topped off at its river site west of I-95 after more than two years in the pipeline; four blocks closer to Biscayne Bay, the 443-unit Neo Vertika is set to rise on a 2.2-acre waterfront site next door to Big Fish restaurant in the Brickell Village area. In a nod to the new interest in the river, Calderon says Neo Lofts is just about sold out, "save for a few remaining developer units." Neo Vertika, which launched its sales effort about three months ago, is already more than 85 percent pre-sold. Together, her developments represent an investment of more than $100 million into the riverfront.
"We felt this was one of the last frontiers of waterfront development and we really wanted to capitalize on that," says Calderon, who cut her teeth working for Related's Jorge Perez before branching out on her own to build Neo Lofts. "When you look at other cosmopolitan cities like Chicago, for example, that really take advantage of their river, and then you see Miami, which underutilizes it, you think to yourself, 'Wow, we really need to start doing something here.'"
Neo Vertika will also do its part to help create a neighborhood urban fabric, with 24,000 square feet of retail space in the development's ground floor. While none of the space has yet been leased, Calderon says there's been significant interest from potential tenants, ranging from restaurants to retail stores to coffee houses. "We're going to make sure that when we put retail out there, it will make people who don't necessarily live there want to come and hang out," Calderon says. "We not only build for our residents but also for the residents in the neighborhood." Because Calderon got in on the wave of development early, she was able to offer units in her projects at affordable rates; prices at both Neo Lofts and Neo Vertika start below $200,000. She says the pricing has attracted true urbanites to the area, young trendsetters who see value in the still-underdeveloped riverfront.
"In our two projects I really don't see any examples of gentrification," Calderon says. "What we'd like to do is just bring new life to the area, and in the case of Neo Lofts we actually cleaned up an entire city block that was just a bunch of old warehouses when we bought the site." What she has also done, incidentally, is help drive up property values in the area; she says the Neo Vertika site cost her more than four times than the $1.66 million she paid for the land where Neo Lofts sits.

While Calderon broke the first riverfront ground, she is hardly alone. Near to Neo Vertika, also on the south side of the river, is the site for Michael Bedzow's Brickell on the River, a two-tower development totaling more than 700 units. With prices ranging from $180,000 to $600,000, Bedzow's attracting the same type of buyer as Calderon: young couples, and people who work in the central business district but are sick of the commute from places like Kendall .
"People love the fact that we're so close to Brickell Avenue ," Bedzow says, noting that the project's 5th Street location is about 500 feet away from Brickell Avenue , which is undergoing its own transformation. "We're trying to make the development very value conscious for those who work downtown." Bedzow also says the river itself has been a big selling point for the development. "People love the fact that they're on the water. It creates spectacular views."
Mike Gentry, director of marketing for The Related Group of Florida , says the same about the two-tower One Miami, set to rise dramatically on the north bank of the river. "The river has definitely been a selling point for us on One Miami," Gentry says. "We really feel like it's such a prime piece of property because it's at the mouth of the river where it meets the bay. The views are as good as what you get on South Beach , but in the opposite direction." Gentry also says the riverwalk will be a critical part of One Miami; Related plans to incorporate several million dollars worth of sculpture and mosaics along its stretch of the promenade.
Other planned projects include redevelopment of the Dupont Plaza (next door to One Miami on the north side of the river), the aging '50s hotel on the site where Henry Flagler built his first luxury hotel in Miami . Well-known developer Ugo Colombo has joined forces with Lionstone Hotels and Resorts on that particular project; Colombo reports that it will be at least 18 months before any forward movement is made on the development, however. "I don't know if we're going to do office, a condo, a condo-hotel," he says. "It's just too early to tell."
Further up along the north bank of the river is a project being planned by developer Epoch Corp., which is tentatively called Miami River Village . On the site of a proposed (but never built) Florida Marlins stadium, the village could incorporate up to 3,000 units. Nearby is a site earmarked for the River House Lofts, a four-phase development on North River Drive between SW 2nd and West Flagler streets that will incorporate residential, retail and office space. It's being planned by Peter Swartz, the owner of the now-defunct East Coast Fisheries restaurant, which stands boarded up next to the site.
New restaurants, too, are on tap for the area. Tony and Virginia Kay - former owners of the Clevelander Hotel and current owners of Finnegan's and Finnegan's II on South Beach - are planning five new restaurants on separate parcels along the waterway. The first, Finnegan's River, is slated to accommodate 500 people at their 401 SW Third Ave. site. The new eateries will fill the gap between long-time institutions such as Garcia's and Joe's Seafood - up the river in the industrial marine section - and the off-Brickell Big Fish, which has already transformed itself from a river-front dive to an upscale urban hangout (see pg. 78).

Not all of the new development has been met with open arms by residents who currently live in the historic neighborhoods - like Spring Garden , Durham Park and others - nestled along the river. Case in point: Terrazas de Miami River. The proposed 34-story project is slated to rise on the site of the former Dodge Hospital mental institution next door to Sewell Park , a Miami-Dade parks system gem on the river's southwest bank. Ernie Martin, a Spring Garden resident and former director of community and economic development for Miami-Dade County , says the project has angered residents of Durham Park . "It will cast Sewell Park into shadow for most of the day, and we feel like the project isn't compatible with the site," says Martin, who also sits on the Miami River Commission. "But it's within the zoning regulations and the project is going forward."
Similar issues have arisen with Hurricane Cove, a 1,100-unit project planned at 1884 NW North River Dr . Under scrutiny by local residents are plans to eliminate a do-it-yourself boatyard on the site; Greenberg Traurig land use attorney Lucia Dougherty, who represents the project's developer, Tony Acosta, says the boatyard doesn't fit in with the residential use for the site. As it stands now, the River Commission has recommended that the developers and residents meet to try to hammer out a compromise.
And at the old Miami News building adjacent to historic Spring Garden , a 700-unit project is proposed by Royal Atlantic Development that would bring two 25-story buildings to the area. "They're proposing two tall towers, but they're working with us to get it so the buildings make a minimum impact on the view," Martin says.
In the long run, however, the biggest opposition to development marching up the river may come not from long-time resident but from its entrenched marine industry.
The Miami River Urban Infill Plan, a comprehensive document developed by planners Kimley-Horn Associates for the Miami River Commission and approved in September 2002, divides the river into three distinct sections. The lower river, which runs from its mouth to the 5th Street bridge, is zoned residential. The middle river, from the 5th Street bridge to 27th Street , is zoned for mixed-use development. The largest stretch - from 27th Street to the Salinity dam, where the navigable river ends near Miami International Airport - is zoned industrial. For anyone who ventures to the end of the river, it's bone-fishing clear that the Miami River is first and foremost a working river.
The Miami River is, in fact, the fifth largest port in Florida , following the Port of Miami , Port Everglades, Tampa and Jacksonville . About $5 billion in trade annually takes place with other shallow-draft ports, primarily in the Caribbean , according to the Miami River Marine Group, a private cooperative of cargo carriers. The river is also home to nine major shipyards and more than a half-dozen smaller yards; the river's Merrill-Stevens boatyard is the oldest continually operating corporation in the state. It moved from Jacksonville - where it was formed in the late 1800s - to its place on the Miami River in 1923, says Phil Everingham, the company's vice president who's been working at Merrill since he was 16. Its facilities at 11th Street and S. North River Drive can accommodate up to 50 boats ranging in size from 30 feet to megayachts of more than 150 feet; Malcolm Forbes Sr. used to have his yacht serviced there.
Everingham says the river will always have a place for the marine industry, but is worried that new residential development could squeeze out some of the smaller yards - such as the one at Hurricane Cove. That would further damage an industry that Fort Lauderdale has plundered for the past 25 years, he says.
"It had been a gradual movement northward," Everingham says, "Then Andrew hit." There's still big boating business on the river, however; Merrill Stevens employs about 150 people with a payroll of more than $3 million. And a positive step for the industry was recently announced with the purchase of the Jones Boatyard at 3399 NW South River Dr., east of the airport, by Jose Bared and his uncle, Victor Bared. The partners, who also purchased two adjacent acres for expansion, hope to lure some of the big-boat business back from Fort Lauderdale . It's a lucrative catch: according to the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, nearly 800 megayachts visit this area annually, spending an average of $236,000 each at local boatyards.

Leading the community effort to make the Miami River a priority - both as an economic and environmental asset - is the Miami River Commission. Formed in 1998 by the state legislature, the 16-member commission includes Gov. Jeb Bush, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas, along with a slate of citizen appointees. Chaired by attorney Robert Parks, the commission has successfully navigated the "often times historically opposing viewpoints" to form a consensus on community river policy, Parks says.
A major achievement of the commission has been its campaign to raise money for dredging the river's channel, something that hasn't been done in 70 years. The lack of dredging has resulted in a buildup of toxic substances and a shallow river bed that limits heavy ships to high tide - leading to inopportune, traffic-jamming openings of the Brickell Avenue bridge.
"There have been many efforts in the past 20 years to get the river dredged," Parks says, who notes that the $66 million program to restore the river to its natural depth of 15 feet has already been sent out for a bid by the Army Corps of Engineers. "They have all failed because we keep getting back to the same issue. There was a lack of political will to do it. That's all changed now."
The project, which is expected to get underway in the beginning part of 2004, will be funded 80 percent by the federal government, 10 percent by state government, 2.5 percent by the city and 2.5 percent by the county. As for what's going to be done with the 800,000 tons of sediment that's expected to be removed from the river, "that's also a bid item," Parks says. "When you get that out, you'll have a river then that will be able to service deeper draft vessels without the threat of their propeller wash spewing all that stuff out into the bay."
As for future contaminants, Parks notes, it's not the river's cargo freighters that cause the bulk of the waterway's pollutions - it's storm water runoff. "It used to be sewage, and shippers and shipyards because maintenance could be done there, and oil was being dumped and paint being dropped overboard," says Parks, who has been involved with the Miami River for more than two decades. "The real single point source of pollution is you, driving your car down by the river and leaving oil on the road, which translates into runoff during a rainstorm." Parks says the storm water issue is the next big thing the commission will address once dredging gets underway.
Even if all of the river commission's wish list were fulfilled, however, it's unlikely - if not impossible - for the Miami River ever to return to its pristine past. This was the river that the Tequesta Indians still called "sweet water" - the English translation of " miami "- when Mary Brickell's family came and settled on its banks in the late 1800s.
But the sense of life and community which the river once represented for Miami can certainly be brought back, and that is a vision shared by both river preservationists and developers. "We're just big believers in the river and everything it means for Miami in terms of commerce, life and energy," says Lissette Calderon. It's a sentiment echoed by everyone with a stake in the river's future.

Living History

At Marjorie Stoneman Douglas' 101st birthday party in 1990, the menu was all white foods: turkey, mashed potatoes and vanilla ice cream, her favorites. Sallye Jude hosted the party for Douglas (the environmentalist/author best known for her work in preserving the Everglades) at the Miami River Inn, a collection of four historic homes nestled along the south bank of the Miami River . It's fitting that the birthday party was held at the Inn , for Jude herself is a champion of historic preservation. Along with a group of partners, she purchased the buildings in 1985 and saved them from destruction.
Visiting the inn is like stepping back in time. The wooden structures date from 1906, and are full of period antique furniture that Jude accumulated. In the Tuttle House - named after Miami pioneer Julia Tuttle - an ancient organ sits in one corner of the front room, while claw-foot tubs adorn the bathrooms (which were themselves installed, in a nod to progress, as a part of the buildings' $5 million restoration). "Henry Flagler used to take guests up the river in canoes, all dressed up in their Sunday best," Jude says. "We're now finally getting to the point where the river can kind of play that role again."
While Jude does not oppose the development of highrises, like the Neo Lofts project that looms large in the distance, she is a staunch supporter of helping preserve what's left of Miami 's past. "You have to have the infill, but I would like it to be sensitive to the area that it's happening in," she says. "I think of this neighborhood [east Little Havana] to be the history of architecture of Miami . There are buildings from every period here." - JM

S outh F lorida CEO 9/2004

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