Can someone tell me the truth about Miami?? What is it Really like!!! (Tampa: condominium, neighborhoods)

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by Daniel_T

I have always wanted to move to Miami and am considering just packing up and moving there to go to college. All I ever hear though is that Miami is dirty, trashed, and full of crime. I never really hear and good about the city and would like to get both sides of the story.

In your opinion, can you tell me both good and bad things about Miami. is the crime really that bad? Is the city really so dirty? I'd like to get somewhat of a clear picture as to what Miami and environs is like! Thanks,

Depending on your tastes, income and the area you live in, your Miami experience can vary dramatically. When i am on S. Beach at times I am reminded of the hustle and bustle of NYC. I have had cousins come down here from NYC and say the same thing. The downtown Miami reminds me of downtown Brooklyn but with quadruple the homeless people and rundown-ness (is that a word). Coconut grove has potential but with half those shops empty clearly they need to do something. But still, its a nice little area. Sort of a carribean, troplical feel to it. Wynwood and the design district are two more spots that are nice hang out spots. The people in these places have been nice to us, we have had no problems there so its very hip and the people are cool.

Now as you venture west of 95 you get into what I like to call the run down suburbs. I personally couldn't see myself living west of 95 in Miami. Just looks dirty and run down and it has no redeeming qualities (in my opinion). There are exceptions to this but for the most part thats where I stand on it. Miami does have TONS and i mean TONS of problems like corruption, low paying jobs, lack of educated work force. Besides service industries tied to the F.I.R.E. economy, there isn't much else in Miami. They have a LOT of work ahead of them to make that place viable in the coming decades. Will they pull it off? I definitly hope so, because I hate to see wasted potential.

Anyway, come hang out for a few weeks. Get to see the place for what it is, see if it has anything you like and then determine if you would be able to afford to live in the places that are attractive to you in Miami. I mean, its great if you fall in love with S. Beach but if you are making Miami Gardens money, then S. Beach will be your weekend warrior thing. And your surrounding areas may be a something you absolutly loathe.

Best of luck.

[zitro]

The crime is above average in 'Miami', but if you live a bit further from downtown, you might find safer places. The same thing could be said about dirtiness. I live in Kendall (SW Miami). Housing and everything in general is somewhat expensive, but it's quite clean and safe overall. The main problem I find with Miami is the economy: it's definitively not doing well right now.

Climate-wise, it's one of the hottest cities in the U.S. during the summer. Arizona,Texas,New Mexico have higher temperatures and are sunnier, but Miami has the humidity factor. It's normal that the heat index would be 100 degrees as early as 9:40am. It is unlikely you'd like Summers, they're quite awful. You don't get much sun after the morning, there are frequent thunderstorms, you feel a lot of humidity. And of course, don't forget the hurricanes. It's very stressful whenever you have huge hurricanes projected to come here. I remember very well Hurricane Wilma projections, saying it'd hit S. Florida as a category 5. On the other hand, November thru April is paradise: little rain, moderate temperatures, and the right amount of humidity.

The people is a definite plus: I like the diversity. It's not just hispanics, but people from loads of different countries.

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by zitro

The crime is above average in 'Miami', but if you live a bit further from downtown, you might find safer places. The same thing could be said about dirtiness. I live in Kendall (SW Miami). Housing and everything in general is somewhat expensive, but it's quite clean and safe overall. The main problem I find with Miami is the economy: it's definitively not doing well right now.

Climate-wise, it's one of the hottest cities in the U.S. during the summer. Arizona,Texas,New Mexico have higher temperatures and are sunnier, but Miami has the humidity factor. It's normal that the heat index would be 100 degrees as early as 9:40am. It is unlikely you'd like Summers, they're quite awful. You don't get much sun after the morning, there are frequent thunderstorms, you feel a lot of humidity. And of course, don't forget the hurricanes. It's very stressful whenever you have huge hurricanes projected to come here. I remember very well Hurricane Wilma projections, saying it'd hit S. Florida as a category 5. On the other hand, November thru April is paradise: little rain, moderate temperatures, and the right amount of humidity.

The people is a definite plus: I like the diversity. It's not just hispanics, but people from loads of different countries.

Really, where?

(and Miami Beach doesn't count).

[zitro]

Florida International University is a good example.

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by zitro

Florida International University is a good example.

I'm talking about the city, in general. Go to any major university up/down the country and you'll find foreign students.

In Miami, where are the Chinese, Italian, Irish, Greek and Russian communities, for example? You see these in other similar sized US metro areas, e.g. Philadelphia, Boston, SF and Seattle.....however English is generally the common language in those cities.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by BCreass

I'm talking about the city, in general. Go to any major university up/down the country and you'll find foreign students.

In Miami, where are the Chinese, Italian, Irish, Greek and Russian communities, for example? You see these in other similar sized US metro areas, e.g. Philadelphia, Boston, SF and Seattle.....however English is generally the common language in those cities.

There are a lot of Russians on S. Beach, east Indians out west, and a large Arab community. There are two Christian Arab churches (that I know of) in Miami. The difference though between South Florida in generally and say a Boston or New York City is, ethnic groups cluster up north. For example Jackson Heights in Queens is tons of East Indians, or Flatbush is large carribean community or in Harlem they have a large cluster of Senegalese. You don't get that down here, everyone is spread out. But they are here though. Maybe not in the same sizable numbers but they do have some what of a presence. South Florida also has a sizable Greek population. I used to work with a bunch of greeks at one time. They would tell me about the community here.

I prefer the northern ethnic communities though because they do cluster, makes life interesting. For example if I feel like visiting the Middle East when I am in Brooklyn I can take a train over to Atlantic Ave and there you go.

[crisp444]

Originally Posted by BCreass

I'm talking about the city, in general. Go to any major university up/down the country and you'll find foreign students.

In Miami, where are the Chinese, Italian, Irish, Greek and Russian communities, for example? You see these in other similar sized US metro areas, e.g. Philadelphia, Boston, SF and Seattle.....however English is generally the common language in those cities.

I second Wild Style's answer. In Miami-Dade (non-Hispanic ancestry):

Eastern Europeans: Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Upper East Side
Italian: Kendall, Coral Gables, Miami Beach
Greek: Roads/Coral Way
Lebanese: Roads/Coral Way, Miami Beach
Brazilian: North Bay Village, Sunny Isles Beach, Brickell, Upper East Side
Asian Indian: West Dade, Falls
Haitian: North Miami, NE Miami-Dade in general
Jamaican: Miami Gardens, Richmond Heights, North Dade in general

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

There are a lot of Russians on S. Beach, east Indians out west, and a large Arab community. There are two Christian Arab churches (that I know of) in Miami. The difference though between South Florida in generally and say a Boston or New York City is, ethnic groups cluster up north. For example Jackson Heights in Queens is tons of East Indians, or Flatbush is large carribean community or in Harlem they have a large cluster of Senegalese. You don't get that down here, everyone is spread out. But they are here though. Maybe not in the same sizable numbers but they do have some what of a presence. South Florida also has a sizable Greek population. I used to work with a bunch of greeks at one time. They would tell me about the community here.

I prefer the northern ethnic communities though because they do cluster, makes life interesting. For example if I feel like visiting the Middle East when I am in Brooklyn I can take a train over to Atlantic Ave and there you go.

I really wanted to exclude Miami Beach from this particular debate -- Miami Beach is a microcosm and I do not consider it to be a representation of life/demographics in the rest of Greater Miami.

I'm sure there are a few different ethnic groups, but they are truly scattered and they don't tend to make their presence felt. I've seen the odd Chinese person here & there, but that's about it. Besides, the same is true of any mid-sized (or even small) US city.

My point is that for a metro of its size, Miami would not rank highly as being one of the most truly diverse cities in the US, if you exclude the large South/Central American populations.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by BCreass

I really wanted to exclude Miami Beach from this particular debate -- Miami Beach is a microcosm and I do not consider it to be a representation of life/demographics in the rest of Greater Miami.

I'm sure there are a few different ethnic groups, but they are truly scattered and they don't tend to make their presence felt. I've seen the odd Chinese person here & there, but that's about it. Besides, the same is true of any mid-sized (or even small) US city.

My point is that for a metro of its size, Miami would not rank highly as being one of the most truly diverse cities in the US, if you exclude the large South/Central American populations.

I agree with you. That's why I qualified what I said in my statement by saying that the ethnic communities here are scattered, not clustered like they are up North. To me, the south is more of a every man for himself sort of place. Not like up north where you have real communities and you know your neighbors, and you have tons of people from the same ethnic group living in the same area.

Did you know the Chinese community in Miami had a chinese new york celebration? I happened to come across the info online. Didn't bother to go though because unlike NYC or other cities where its a FREE parade, they wanted to charge people to come in. I mean dude, who does that? Why doesn't the city of Miami grant them a permit and shut down part of downtown Miami for them to do their thing. It would help the shops out down there because of all the foot traffic. Miami just does things in a really dumb way. Thats why I constantly say Miami has tons of potentiel, but they have to clean up their act.

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

I agree with you. That's why I qualified what I said in my statement by saying that the ethnic communities here are scattered, not clustered like they are up North. To me, the south is more of a every man for himself sort of place. Not like up north where you have real communities and you know your neighbors, and you have tons of people from the same ethnic group living in the same area.

Did you know the Chinese community in Miami had a chinese new york celebration? I happened to come across the info online. Didn't bother to go though because unlike NYC or other cities where its a FREE parade, they wanted to charge people to come in. I mean dude, who does that? Why doesn't the city of Miami grant them a permit and shut down part of downtown Miami for them to do their thing. It would help the shops out down there because of all the foot traffic. Miami just does things in a really dumb way. Thats why I constantly say Miami has tons of potentiel, but they have to clean up their act.

A Chinatown would be great for Miami too....another good idea for how to turn Downtown Miami into an interesting, happening place.

Miami does (or did) have potential. Unfortunately, our politicians are worse than average, generally self-serving and have made decades worth of horrible decisions. Also, many of the residents here don't seem to care about the community as a whole, nor do they have any sense of pride in being here. It's like many came here for a new life, but brought their old life and customs with them, which in turn is gradually turning much of Miami into the places they chose to leave behind for a new life.

Perhaps it's because Miami's major growth spurt occurred fairly recently, while other US cities such as NY, Philly and Boston established themselves a long, long time ago to become what they are today. Perhaps it'll take one batch of people leaving and another batch arriving.....or dare I say it, even a major hurricane to provide the necessary attitude adjustment to bring people back down to earth.