Downtown dilema (Miami: affordable apartments, lofts, condos)

[tallrick]

I have noticed that people who get jobs in the downtown area want to live in the suburbs and those who live downtown work outside the city. If you get a job downtown, why not live near there? Is it just that downtown jobs pay poorly, or is downtown living so boring and/or crime ridden that few want to take the chance? Any ideas are appreciated.

[rogerbacon]

Its true that a lot of the people that work downtown can not afford to live there. Condo prices are still very high. Many ofhte people downtown work in the hotels or do clerical work in the offices. My wife knew a girl who was working at one of the hotels and was only making $8 an hour.
As for people with jobs outside of downtown I don't know why one would want to live downtown unless one just likes tall buildings. That is the case with one of my cowoerkers. He is from New York and he said downtown Miami is the only area he could stand since everything else was just countryside.

[copacetic]

There is a nationwide trend of people moving closer to city centers. It's been going on for at least a decade. I'm not sure of the exact reasons why. One reason is that highway infrastructure has not kept up with metro-area population increases, and so commuting has become more painful every year. Also it has become fashionable to live downtown and be able to walk or cab to restaurants and festivities. I'm talking generally nationwide, not Miami in particular. Although it is starting in Miami also, eg Brickell.

In the old days, like 50 years ago, if you "made it big", or got a huge promotion or whatever, you would leave the city and move to your dream house in the suburbs. Now it's the opposite.

[MiamiVice1985]

Originally Posted by tallrick

I have noticed that people who get jobs in the downtown area want to live in the suburbs and those who live downtown work outside the city. If you get a job downtown, why not live near there? Is it just that downtown jobs pay poorly, or is downtown living so boring and/or crime ridden that few want to take the chance? Any ideas are appreciated.

People are stupid. Period.

[PBCboy]

People may have a job downtown but probably want to live in a suburban community. It is very common in cities to see people commute from the suburbs for their jobs.

[noland123]

People who work downtown usually have families and would like to have a nice yard for their children to play in and obviously that is not feasible in downtown but in the suburbs. I feel Miami would be a great place for a single professional who can afford a condiminium like the Lofts 1,2 and 3 where you have the metrorail running right through one of the buildings and therefore one would not need a car for work and you would have fine dining and shows at theatres along with cultural venues at your disposal.

[JacobMAX]

Originally Posted by noland123

People who work downtown usually have families and would like to have a nice yard for their children to play in and obviously that is not feasible in downtown but in the suburbs. I feel Miami would be a great place for a single professional who can afford a condiminium like the Lofts 1,2 and 3 where you have the metrorail running right through one of the buildings and therefore one would not need a car for work and you would have fine dining and shows at theatres along with cultural venues at your disposal.

I totally agree.

For single professionals Downtown is excellent, but for families the suburbs are much better.

[kevinkagy]

Downtown has always been popular with young professionals and retirees, but these days there are more families and more young professionals moving to Downtown. Not everything in Downtown is expensive, you can find some very nice, affordable apartments and condos that aren't that bad.

There is a trend in the U.S. of people moving back to city centers and that is definitely evident here in Miami. People in the U.S. don't want to live in the suburbs anymore, they're a mess of traffic and gridlock. Living in Downtown allows you to not have to have a car, everything is at your door step, and you can walk anywhere. It's very convenient and IMO, a much better way to live.

Plus, with all the skyscrapers and retail centers being built in Downtown, Downtown has become very liveable, very attractive, safer, nicer, cleaner, and places like Brickell which have always been synonymous with posh, and upscale, is more popular than ever. Downtown is starting to resemble Chicago, their similarities are crazy.

[MiamiVice1985]

Originally Posted by kevinkagy

Downtown has always been popular with young professionals and retirees, but these days there are more families and more young professionals moving to Downtown. Not everything in Downtown is expensive, you can find some very nice, affordable apartments and condos that aren't that bad.

There is a trend in the U.S. of people moving back to city centers and that is definitely evident here in Miami. People in the U.S. don't want to live in the suburbs anymore, they're a mess of traffic and gridlock. Living in Downtown allows you to not have to have a car, everything is at your door step, and you can walk anywhere. It's very convenient and IMO, a much better way to live.

Plus, with all the skyscrapers and retail centers being built in Downtown, Downtown has become very liveable, very attractive, safer, nicer, cleaner, and places like Brickell which have always been synonymous with posh, and upscale, is more popular than ever. Downtown is starting to resemble Chicago, their similarities are crazy.

I live about as far north on Brckell as you can go before you hit office buildings. Still, you gotta be a nut to walk to Publix. It's just around the corner about a quarter mile. But with groceries that is a long way. Miami has a long way to go before it achieves the "walkability" of Boston, Chicago, or NYC where there is a grocer on every block>

[kevinkagy]

Originally Posted by MiamiVice1985

I live about as far north on Brckell as you can go before you hit office buildings. Still, you gotta be a nut to walk to Publix. It's just around the corner about a quarter mile. But with groceries that is a long way. Miami has a long way to go before it achieves the "walkability" of Boston, Chicago, or NYC where there is a grocer on every block>

Miami might not have the "walkability" of Manhattan yet, but it'll get there someday. They're building a third Publix in Brickell FYI, in Mary Brickell Village, on the extreme west side of the complex as we speak. There are also plans for an Epicure market in the Off Brickell building on Broadway and a Whole Foods in the Met buildings.