5 Great Neighborhoods in Miami
By Amy Driscoll and Larry Lebowitz, FrontDoor.com | Published: 11/19/2008
Downtown's newly constructed condos and lofts are redeveloping the area, encouraging new businesses to open.
City Center
Home to the region's central business district and many cultural and tourist attractions, Downtown and the Upper East Side neighborhoods make up the city's urban core.
Flagship Neighborhood: Downtown Miami
Newly constructed lofts and high-rise condos give way quickly to well-established single-family residential neighborhoods, all with shopping and restaurants nearby. An added bonus is the short commute to downtown offices, the airport and the beaches, which also connect to downtown via two neon-lit causeways.
Downtown isn't fully redeveloped, but lofts and condos are spawning new mini-neighborhoods in what used to be derelict areas. Wine bars, sushi restaurants, high-end gyms and yoga centers have developed near new condos. The second-Saturday gallery walk in Wynwood and top-notch restaurants along Biscayne Boulevard are luring new residents to the area.
The downtown condo glut is creating excellent rental and investment opportunities for first-time homebuyers. The older, mostly gated neighborhoods east of Biscayne Boulevard have also fallen from their top-dollar prices and are now more affordable. Plenty of fixer-upper opportunities remain for the DIY crowd.
The Neighbors: Downtown is a trend for younger families both gay and straight.
Also Consider: Wynwood, the Design District, Buena Vista East and Miami Shores
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Read More About Miami, FL:
- Homes for Sale in Miami
- Miami City Guide
- Miami Essentials
- Local Life and Lore in Miami
- Miami: Like No Place Else
- American Riviera: The Birth of Miami
- Slideshow: Get to Know Miami, Florida