I like the overall look of Miami (Tampa, St. Petersburg: apartments, condos)

[matt_sfl]

I've been Google Mapping Miami lately and I'm liking the looks of it. It has a much more urban look to it than St. Petersburg. It looks like there is a lot of concrete there. Hell there's even graffiti, just like a big city! It almost has a similar look to Los Angeles, CA. It's only a 4 hour drive from here, yet as an adult I've never taken a road trip down there. When I was a teenager we lived in Boca. My dad would take me to Sunny Isles Pier to fish. We'd go to concerts at the Miami Arena. Then there was that big waterfront shopping complex, Bayside I think. But that's about all I've seen. I think I've gotten so used to the quiet way of life in St. Petersburg, that I can't imagine anything else. I haven't been out of this place in 8 years! So, I think I'm going to be driving down there within the next month or so. Maybe when I finally finish college Miami would be a good place for me.

[Manolón]

Matt

Miami is "brutally" different from Boca, I lived in both places.
If you want to reminisce your youth, maybe FAU is a better choice for you.

[Chelito23]

Miami isn't necessarily more urban...it is just that there is a very small tree canopy so you "see" the buildings clearly on a google map. Although we do have our totally paved over areas, they tend to be the suburban layout stuctures in industrial parks, malls, expressways, etc. Even abutting downtown you have single family homes, so there isn't an old urban historic core...and the new "urban" area are the high rise condos....but yes, you should come and visit, it is very different from the Tampa Bay area. I know when I have gone to places as an adult that I semi visited as a chuild they bring back memories and answer questions. Enjoy your trip.

[JohnLee1]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

Miami isn't necessarily more urban...it is just that there is a very small tree canopy so you "see" the buildings clearly on a google map. Although we do have our totally paved over areas, they tend to be the suburban layout stuctures in industrial parks, malls, expressways, etc. Even abutting downtown you have single family homes, so there isn't an old urban historic core...and the new "urban" area are the high rise condos....but yes, you should come and visit, it is very different from the Tampa Bay area. I know when I have gone to places as an adult that I semi visited as a chuild they bring back memories and answer questions. Enjoy your trip.

It actually is more urban than any place in the Tampa area, heck even more urban than all of Central Florida. Miami has changed, and changed A LOT! He hasn't been here in eight years, the difference between Miami eight years ago and now is enormous. Miami right now has urban areas and it has suburban areas, that's true. And the historic stuff...who cares, that's not important and means nothing. But yes, Miami is different than Tampa and any place in Central Florida. Actually, it's different from any place in Florida.

[JohnLee1]

Originally Posted by Manolón

Matt

Miami is "brutally" different from Boca, I lived in both places.
If you want to reminisce your youth, maybe FAU is a better choice for you.

Definetly Miami over Boca in everything. If you want suburban, well Miami has that too, but you could also live in a Miami suburb somewhere in Dade County like Sunny Isles Beach, and be minutes away from Miami instead of hours and hours.

[Chelito23]

Having a 50 story condo high rise abutting up to a single family residential neighborhood does not make Miami urban. Miami has a downtown business core, Brickell....and along the beaches and bay there are high rise condos and hotels. Much like most of Florida, including St. Pere. The high rise buildings here are all spread out, unconnected and all laid out in a suburban style, designed for massive parking structures. Pedestrians aren't even usually an after thought because most of the time they aren't ever considered when projects are in the planning or development stage or even after the fact.

To call Miami urban merely because it is over populated and has a scattering of high rise water front condos is not portraying an accurate image. If this is all it took, the entire Eastern Seaboard would be "urban" thanks to high rises up and down the beaches, even in small communities.

Miami, as is most of Florida, is virtually made up of single family homes, low rise apartments, strip malls, office and industrial parks and other low density use buildings. Hopefully this will change in the future.

[Your.Decision]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

Having a 50 story condo high rise abutting up to a single family residential neighborhood does not make Miami urban. Miami has a downtown business core, Brickell....and along the beaches and bay there are high rise condos and hotels. Much like most of Florida, including St. Pere. The high rise buildings here are all spread out, unconnected and all laid out in a suburban style, designed for massive parking structures. Pedestrians aren't even usually an after thought because most of the time they aren't ever considered when projects are in the planning or development stage or even after the fact.

To call Miami urban merely because it is over populated and has a scattering of high rise water front condos is not portraying an accurate image. If this is all it took, the entire Eastern Seaboard would be "urban" thanks to high rises up and down the beaches, even in small communities.

Miami, as is most of Florida, is virtually made up of single family homes, low rise apartments, strip malls, office and industrial parks and other low density use buildings. Hopefully this will change in the future.

Correct. If there was a way of electing you as the official "voice of reason" of this forum, I would vote in favor!

[clean_polo]

Little Havana, right outside of downtown Miami, is pretty urban. It's no Bronx though, but it's not exactly suburban either. Miami as a whole isn't VERY urban, you have some urban areas, but the main thing that makes Miami FEEL urban is the density.

[somebodymiami]

Originally Posted by JohnLee1

It actually is more urban than any place in the Tampa area, heck even more urban than all of Central Florida. Miami has changed, and changed A LOT! He hasn't been here in eight years, the difference between Miami eight years ago and now is enormous. Miami right now has urban areas and it has suburban areas, that's true. And the historic stuff...who cares, that's not important and means nothing. But yes, Miami is different than Tampa and any place in Central Florida. Actually, it's different from any place in Florida.

ybor city in tampa is pretty urban.

[somebodymiami]

Originally Posted by clean_polo

Little Havana, right outside of downtown Miami, is pretty urban. It's no Bronx though, but it's not exactly suburban either. Miami as a whole isn't VERY urban, you have some urban areas, but the main thing that makes Miami FEEL urban is the density.

exactly ive lived in nj, and been to germany, miami has nothing on them. everything was in 5-10 walking distance.