Living in Downtown or Brickell? (Miami, Tampa: rent, condos, to buy)

[rm36]

I am looking to buy or possibly rent a condo in Downtown or Brickell. For anyone who lives in the area, are there any advantages to Downtown (north of the river) vs. Brickell (south of the river)?

Also, I'll be here for graduate school for a few years. I am *not* bilingual. Will I be alright speaking English in Brickell/Downtown, or is Spanish the main language being spoken in that area?

Also, is it fairly easy to walk to everything you need, or is it not really a walkable city? I am basically choosing between Miami and New York. I like everything NYC has to offer a lot better honestly, but it's far more expensive and I have family in the Palm Beach County area.

Thanks

[intelfan11315]

I'm in the Brickell area, if you cross the river, after night it is basically just bums outside. I personally love the area and wouldn't leave. If you live downtown it is nice because there are plenty of good restaurants. I don't know what you mean by walkable downtown, but it is nice if you live around there to walk out and get some lunch.

[cuba libre]

I used to live in the Brickell area, and my car would not move over the weekend. Most of my friends were heading to my area from other parts of Miami-Dade, and I enjoyed the walkability of my area close to Mary Brickell Village. There were tons of restaurants, bars, lounges, and other haunts in the gentrified area known as Brickell. It is really a nice part of town. North of the Miami River, however, it's a different story. You take a cab to go to 'old' downtown Miami like Flagler Street and definitely to the Design District, which is directly North of downtown Miami.

The City of Miami police have had a 'shoot to kill' policy when it comes to bums, there are none. They have really cleaned up the area, and I would totally recommend moving there, especially because there are some really good deals to be had on condos there! (RENT, RENT, RENT) The only thing you have to worry about are the occasional hot head drivers who roar through the area in their sports cars 24-hours a day.

[kevinkagy]

Brickell is really, really nice and there is always something to do in the area (theatre, shows, sports, museums, parks, events, library, etc.) I've never lived in Brickell, but I spend enough time there, I basically do. There's three major supermarkets in Brickell and a bunch of mini-markets throughout. You don't even need a car if you live in Brickell, especially if you work in the area because the Metro will take you anywhere you need to go in Downtown and Brickell.

The area is a lot nicer now than it used to be. In recent years, they've built a bunch of new office and residential towers and that's brought a lot of new restaurants, stores, supermarkets, schools, and revitalizations to the area, so there's a lot to do.

Which university are you going to? UM, FIU, Barry? If you're going to UM, you definitely will NOT need a car, since UM has a Metro station on-campus. FIU and Barry, you will need a car for though. Also, English is definitely the language of choice for the area, no doubt about it, you definitely don't have to know Spanish so don't worry about that. Best of luck!

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by cuba libre

I used to live in the Brickell area, and my car would not move over the weekend. Most of my friends were heading to my area from other parts of Miami-Dade, and I enjoyed the walkability of my area close to Mary Brickell Village. There were tons of restaurants, bars, lounges, and other haunts in the gentrified area known as Brickell. It is really a nice part of town. North of the Miami River, however, it's a different story. You take a cab to go to 'old' downtown Miami like Flagler Street and definitely to the Design District, which is directly North of downtown Miami.

The City of Miami police have had a 'shoot to kill' policy when it comes to bums, there are none. They have really cleaned up the area, and I would totally recommend moving there, especially because there are some really good deals to be had on condos there! (RENT, RENT, RENT) The only thing you have to worry about are the occasional hot head drivers who roar through the area in their sports cars 24-hours a day.

I think the police's aim must be off. I was downtown last week and saw TONS of homeless.

[Austin13]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

I think the police's aim must be off. I was downtown last week and saw TONS of homeless.

Maybe in downtown (Flagler Street and surrouding areas) but not in the Brickell area! I love living in Brickell area. Don't spend much time around the Design District; however, I do have a friend who lives in a condo near the Miami Herald office. Very nice in that area, EAST of Biscayne.

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

I think the police's aim must be off. I was downtown last week and saw TONS of homeless.

What you saw was "seasonal" homeless , I know it sounds cruel but what you are seeing is homeless people that come down from the North East to escape the cold .. they are usually around until late April then hitch a "train " ride back up North . I was in Providence , Rhode Island a few weeks ago and read a large right up on this topic in a local paper ... NE homeless people shoot down either to Tampa , Orlando or Miami for the winter ... call them derelict snowbirds .

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by Rock Newman

What you saw was "seasonal" homeless , I know it sounds cruel but what you are seeing is homeless people that come down from the North East to escape the cold .. they are usually around until late April then hitch a "train " ride back up North . I was in Providence , Rhode Island a few weeks ago and read a large right up on this topic in a local paper ... NE homeless people shoot down either to Tampa , Orlando or Miami for the winter ... call them derelict snowbirds .

I don't think the homeless people downtown got that memo. You can see them any time of year.

[BevoInPA]

Brickell is nice. Downtown is weird. I rented at Camden Brickell when I moved south from Palm Beach County (later moved to the Beach). I have said this before, I felt completely safe. I used to run north up along Miami Avenue at dusk almost every night. I know Spanish, am Anglo and could not even pass for Latino, and have only encountered non-English speaking people in Little Havana, which I love and visit as often as possible for my favorite barber and restaurants, and shoe repairman in Miami Beach. I think you will want to learn Spanish when you move here and people, in my opinion were very patient and appreciative of your efforts to accomodate them with efforts to speak Spanish. My dry cleaner learned that I know Spanish and refused to speak to me in English (as a joke). It is easy to learn or refresh your Spanish in Miami. In my opionion it is the only city that feels international, sort of like Montreal to Canada.

I hate when people criticize Miami for having a population of non-English speakers. My great-grandparents moved here from Lithuania and never learned English except for one great grandmother.

[Dr_Rico]

Originally Posted by BevoInPA

I think you will want to learn Spanish when you move here and people, in my opinion were very patient and appreciative of your efforts to accomodate them with efforts to speak Spanish. My dry cleaner learned that I know Spanish and refused to speak to me in English (as a joke). It is easy to learn or refresh your Spanish in Miami. In my opionion it is the only city that feels international, sort of like Montreal to Canada.

+1

It has become one of my favorite past times...trying to speak Spanish whenever possible. I get LOTS of instruction from patient, appreciative, non-English speakers. They correct my horrible abuse of verbs...oy!

DR