Relocation from Washington DC for work in Miramar, no suburbs!, walkable area?? (Miami: mover, condo)

[brianstash]

Good Evening Everyone,

I have been reading this board for a few weeks and figured I would jump in with my questions.

I'm 34 and my girlfriend is 27 and we are relocating to Miami for a new job offer I have in Miramar. She is going to also relocate her current job to Park West/downtown Miami. We will really miss living in downtown Washington DC where we can walk or use public transportation to get nearly anywhere but we know Miami is very much more of a car centric town and we are ready for that.

With my job in Miramar and her job downtown we were thinking of somewhere in between but closer to the east and the beach. We are looking for a small house or condo building where we can walk to nice bars, restaurants, and grocery stores like we are able to do here. I know Miami is a different place than DC.

I know downtown/Brickell is out of the question with my commute to Miramar, right? Some have suggested Aventura (seems to suburbs), Sunny Isles Beach, or Surfside. Thoughts? Is North Beach too for of a drive to Miramar during rush hour? I'd like to keep my drive to 30 minutes. Is anywhere more inland near North Miami/Biscayne Park/Miami Shores fit this description? (I name all these places as they also seem a 10-15 min taxi ride to South Beach.)

Everything I read says Miami traffic is terrible but how terrible could it be vs. the #1 worst traffic in the US here in Washington DC.

Thanks!

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by brianstash

I know downtown/Brickell is out of the question with my commute to Miramar, right?

No, no, no! You're going to want to be in the Brickell area not only for lifestyle, but also for commute.

If your GF is working Downtown she'll be able to either walk or use Metromover.

You'll be able to easily commute to Miramar since it's a reverse commute.

FTL area to Miami = morning mayhem

Miami to FTL area = morning bliss

Reverse it in the evening.

House hunt in the Brickell area and enjoy!

[Slyman11]

I split time between DC and Miami, head over to Miami Beach if you want a Miami environment with a built layout more in line with DC

[doggiebus]

Cocount1 gave you great advice. Brickell or South Beach would be a good choice.

[brianstash]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

Cocount1 gave you great advice. Brickell or South Beach would be a good choice.

What would my commute to and from Miramar during rush hour be? I don't want to spend and hour fighting traffic each way.

This thread says, "That's a brutal commute."
South Beach to Miramar - help please! - Miami Beach 411

I also read this:

Matt,
My boyfriend and I are looking to relocate to Miami from Myrtle Beach, SC. I will be working in Miramar, FL however we are 24 and 26 years old, white, college graduates and want to live near the beach and nightlife. He’s big into surfing and we are really looking forward to a new city, new culture and meeting new people. You mentioned that commuting can be a disaster. Am i naive to think that it would be possible for us to live in Miami Beach and make the 30 min commute to Miramar on a daily basis? I don’t know the highways or roads down there so if Mapquest says its a 30 minute drive, how long do you propose realistically it would take me to get to work? Thanks for all the advice!
- Marie
Reply
Posted on 03/01 at 5:40 PM
Matt Meltzer says:
30 minutes??! HAHAHAHAHAH!
That drive takes about 30 minutes like late at night when there’s no traffic. But even though that is theoretically a reverse commute, you hit a bad day or an accident or don’t have a SunPass to get into the Express lanes (Which you can’t do if you come over north of the Venetian Causeway) it’s gonna be 45-50 minutes each way. Also, if you live in a part of the beach that’s not near a Causeway entrance, it can take you ten minutes just to get on the freeway. Not to mention if you hit traffic on the Causeway.
I don’t think Lauderdale Beach would be much better, since it’s a long drive to get on 595, and even then you have to drive the hwole length of 595 before heading about 10 minutes south on 75 to get to Miramar.
So, in short, no. If you’re going to be working in Miramar, I’d suggest living somewhere like Hallandale Beach or Aventura if you want to be near the water. Sunny Isles is also a ***** to get to the freeway in the morning. If you want to be near nightlife, you’re SOL.

Miami Living is Best For the Young and Single - Miami Beach 411

I'm I SOL? You guys are making a downtown Miami to Miramar commute seem easy? In my research some think it's laughable?

[JimboUSMC17]

Put it this way, your girlfriend's communte will be worse than yours. It depends which one you care baout more. If you get a place somewhere in the middle, her commute will take longer than yours. I'd suggest soemthing closer to Downtown than Miramar. Just don't know of any places that fit the description you want.

[FlyMIA]

The drive North from Downtown/Brickell wont be bad. If there is an accident sure traffic can be bad. But hey traffic can be bad if there is an accident at 2am too. Things happen. A member of my family lives just north of downtown right near the midtown area. He works in Davie, the drive usually takes about 30min. 95 to the Turnpike. No express lane either. Everyone in the morning with no traffic is doing 65mph+. IMO if you do want the walkable area you will need downtown/brickell or at least Miami Beach. IMO I think Downtown and Brickell will be more of a DC type thing with the public transit. Miami Beach has more bars and places to eat but Downtown is much easier to get around. Also if you live downtown you will only need one car. The GF can walk or take the metromover to work while you drive 30-40mins.

If you decided on going in the middle I would suggest Surfside as the best option for walkable. However here you would need two cars and your commute would be just about the same with the drive west to get on the highway while the GF's commute would be MUCH longer. And also you wont be living in a downtown type area.

If I am you I am looking at moving downtown or brickell. It is a reverse commute which wont be too bad and the time/money you spend on gas for your drive north would be far less than having a 2nd car or even having a 2nd car but it not being used every day. Surfside is not even worth it. Go to downtown/brickell. From someone who spent four years in DC and lives with someone who has been doing a similar reverse commute for close to 20 years now I know what I am talking about.


Downtown/Brickell is where you want to be!!!

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by brianstash

What would my commute to and from Miramar during rush hour be? I don't want to spend and hour fighting traffic each way.

This thread says, "That's a brutal commute."
South Beach to Miramar - help please! - Miami Beach 411

I also read this:

Matt,
My boyfriend and I are looking to relocate to Miami from Myrtle Beach, SC. I will be working in Miramar, FL however we are 24 and 26 years old, white, college graduates and want to live near the beach and nightlife. He’s big into surfing and we are really looking forward to a new city, new culture and meeting new people. You mentioned that commuting can be a disaster. Am i naive to think that it would be possible for us to live in Miami Beach and make the 30 min commute to Miramar on a daily basis? I don’t know the highways or roads down there so if Mapquest says its a 30 minute drive, how long do you propose realistically it would take me to get to work? Thanks for all the advice!
- Marie
Reply
Posted on 03/01 at 5:40 PM
Matt Meltzer says:
30 minutes??! HAHAHAHAHAH!
That drive takes about 30 minutes like late at night when there’s no traffic. But even though that is theoretically a reverse commute, you hit a bad day or an accident or don’t have a SunPass to get into the Express lanes (Which you can’t do if you come over north of the Venetian Causeway) it’s gonna be 45-50 minutes each way. Also, if you live in a part of the beach that’s not near a Causeway entrance, it can take you ten minutes just to get on the freeway. Not to mention if you hit traffic on the Causeway.
I don’t think Lauderdale Beach would be much better, since it’s a long drive to get on 595, and even then you have to drive the hwole length of 595 before heading about 10 minutes south on 75 to get to Miramar.
So, in short, no. If you’re going to be working in Miramar, I’d suggest living somewhere like Hallandale Beach or Aventura if you want to be near the water. Sunny Isles is also a ***** to get to the freeway in the morning. If you want to be near nightlife, you’re SOL.

Miami Living is Best For the Young and Single - Miami Beach 411

I'm I SOL? You guys are making a downtown Miami to Miramar commute seem easy? In my research some think it's laughable?

If you live out on MB you will have to add time to your commute because yes, you'll have to get over the bay.

If you live Downtown or in Brickell you have easy access to 95. Hop right on and you're good to go.

[msalik]

Everyone on here is pretty good about knowing the area, anyonemind commenting a less than 30 min commute (both ways) from metro zoo to Brickell? Is that too much to ask? We want that type of lifestlye, Brickell offers. Would Palmetto Bay, Cutlet Bay be better in the suburbs?

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by msalik

Everyone on here is pretty good about knowing the area, anyonemind commenting a less than 30 min commute (both ways) from metro zoo to Brickell? Is that too much to ask? We want that type of lifestlye, Brickell offers. Would Palmetto Bay, Cutlet Bay be better in the suburbs?

I would say 40 mins.