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I lived in Brickell and outside a few places, it's pretty damn dead for such a booming place. Also compared to other downtowns I've lived/currently lived in, it's probably the least busiest I've ever seen. Daytime population in ALL of Greater Downtown Miami is estimated between 220-250K, which is very small. Sure it's growing fast but most people there ARE investors who don't even live there and units sit empty 10 months a year. I won't say which building I lived in but in that complex alone, at least 80% of the units were empty and reserved for investors to chill there in winter time/hide drugs (I've been to some crazy parties and saw the **** that goes down). But yeah back to my main point, Brickell has its active spots but the urban build is terrible and pedestrian traffic is sparse for a booming place.
When did you live there? 2 years ago? 5? 10? ... if it's more than 3 or 4 years ago, then your context is irrelevant.
When did you live there? 2 years ago? 5? 10? ... if it's more than 3 or 4 years ago, then your context is irrelevant.
2 years ago and frequently visit to go to my place/look over investments there as well. I go out every single day so I know what I'm talking about. Brickell is booming (not rocket science to see) has cool features and is urban but it's nothing to brag about. Still has a lot of improvement/catching up to do, but since practically every downtown is booming these days, I'd still give it C+/B- grade.
2 years ago and frequently visit to go to my place/look over investments there as well. I go out every single day so I know what I'm talking about. Brickell is booming (not rocket science to see) has cool features and is urban but it's nothing to brag about. Still has a lot of improvement/catching up to do, but since practically every downtown is booming these days, I'd still give it C+/B- grade.
OK fair enough. I guess it was your "outside a few places, Brickell is pretty damn dead" comment that caught my eye. Every time I've visited there the place is bumpin', esp in the evenings and pretty much everywhere I went except some of the pure residential, apt districts along the water. I did hear many of the high rises along the bay/ocean were built on spec, have gone bust and have large vacancy rates... I've never been in them so I can't speak on this.
OK fair enough. I guess it was your "outside a few places, Brickell is pretty damn dead" comment that caught my eye. Every time I've visited there the place is bumpin', esp in the evenings and pretty much everywhere I went except some of the pure residential, apt districts along the water. I did hear many of the high rises along the bay/ocean were built on spec, have gone bust and have large vacancy rates... I've never been in them so I can't speak on this.
I actually agree with DJesus' assessment... I never found Brickell to be that booming of a place.
I actually agree with DJesus' assessment... I never found Brickell to be that booming of a place.
Booming is one extreme. Dead, is another. I guess I'm somewhere in between (closer to booming than dead). I know Google's still street view photos can't tell you everything, but they can give somewhat of an impression. Did you guys ever go here?
Confession: yes, I'm seduced by the sheer beauty and verticality of these sexy new buildings, but even in these shots (and Google tends to go to places when there are lesser crowds due to the distraction that goofy Google car tends to create), even if not wall-to-wall, there are, indeed, humans on dem dar streets...
Booming is one extreme. Dead, is another. I guess I'm somewhere in between (closer to booming than dead). I know Google's still street view photos can't tell you everything, but they can give somewhat of an impression. Did you guys ever go here?
Confession: yes, I'm seduced by the sheer beauty and verticality of these sexy new buildings, but even in these shots (and Google tends to go to places when there are lesser crowds due to the distraction that goofy Google car tends to create), even if not wall-to-wall, there are, indeed, humans on dem dar streets...
Yes, I have been. The buildings are nice, sure, as is Miami's skyline. But the only section of downtown Miami/Brickell that I found to be particularly active was maybe one block long. Lots of buildings, not much going on. For a city with an MSA as large as it has, I'd expect it to have a more active, and much larger core. As it currently stands, Miami's urban core is just too small to really do much for me.
Yes, I have been. The buildings are nice, sure, as is Miami's skyline. But the only section of downtown Miami/Brickell that I found to be particularly active was maybe one block long. Lots of buildings, not much going on. For a city with an MSA as large as it has, I'd expect it to have a more active, and much larger core. As it currently stands, Miami's urban core is just too small to really do much for me.
South Beach and Brickwell are only happening parts of Miami area
Booming is one extreme. Dead, is another. I guess I'm somewhere in between (closer to booming than dead). I know Google's still street view photos can't tell you everything, but they can give somewhat of an impression. Did you guys ever go here?
Confession: yes, I'm seduced by the sheer beauty and verticality of these sexy new buildings, but even in these shots (and Google tends to go to places when there are lesser crowds due to the distraction that goofy Google car tends to create), even if not wall-to-wall, there are, indeed, humans on dem dar streets...
I mean considering I lived there and still visit, of course, I still go there lol. Brickell has a lot of car traffic, but pedestrian traffic? hardly. Plus street level there is awful and it's literally urban mall, condo, urban mall, condo etc... Hell even BCC is still empty after 2 years. Again not saying it's completely dead but it's also not the most pedestrian busy or friendly place. And I even mentioned I lived in other cities downtowns (both have a daytime population of nearly 1 million) so DT Miami/Brickell feels and is pretty tiny.
I mean considering I lived there and still visit, of course, I still go there lol. Brickell has a lot of car traffic, but pedestrian traffic? hardly. Plus street level there is awful and it's literally urban mall, condo, urban mall, condo etc... Hell even BCC is still empty after 2 years. Again not saying it's completely dead but it's also not the most pedestrian busy or friendly place. And I even mentioned I lived in other cities downtowns (both have a daytime population of nearly 1 million) so DT Miami/Brickell feels and is pretty tiny.
Most times I've hung out in Brickell, I've taken pubic trans and walked around which is easy; Brickell is well served by transit given the Metro Rail stop, near Brickell's center and the connecting, elevated, free, Metro Mover which circulates through Brickell and connects with north/old downtown. Brickell didn't have a ton of on street retail and I'm sure most is in BCC or Mary Brickell's Place, but there were tons of clubs and restaurants with street and 2nd level outdoor cafes that generate foot traffic. Car traffic can be heavy and parking is a beeatch, but the area is highly walkable... and scenic.
Your standards must be ridiculously high or your suffering from the grass-is-always-greener elsewhere syndrome, because I think a whole lot of folks would take downtown Miami as a whole, and especially Brickell, over most cities Miami's size ... and even bigger like, say, Detroit, San Antonio (Riverwalk and little else), Dallas (boring), Phoenix (ditto), St. Louis, Milwaukee, Baltimore (which has a nice, historic downtown, but I'll take Miami's), etc, etc... Not every place is going to be South Beach, which is wacko-crazy fun and the best people watching (esp girl watching) venue in America imho with wacko-crazy density and traffic (but zero public trans). We'll just have to agree to disagree...
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