Why the lack of Restaurants & shops in Brickell?

[Marc Middleton]

Originally Posted by blueherons

Lots of great places in the Brickell/downtown area.

Ten years ago the same area wasn't really even safe at night. I certainly wouldn't have walked anywhere by myself.

The area has done a complete 180 in the past 10-15 years.

Downtown still has too many homeless. No matter if you get a lux building like 10Museum or 900 Biscayne or 50 Biscayne/Vizcayne to the South and Loft 2 to the West, too many homeless. Bayfront park is full of them at night and if you go to North West anything, you start to see streets full of tents and people sleeping/peeing/crapping on the streets. I once walked out of Loft 2 to see a guy crapping on the sidewalk by the front door. Security did nothing, cops don't care. Plus, they are allowed to pee on the streets now in Downtown if there isn't a public restroom within so many feet.

Brickell doesn't really have any homeless..maybe 1-2 weirdos around the Miami Ave bridge but with CityCentre up and running, even that area has cleaned up a lot.

I still prefer Sobe but like Elche said, its starting to become overly transient. Prices are coming down since there are so many brand new buildings over the bridge and the Downtown area & Midtown are changing so quickly. Its giving people more options which is driving down rental rates (more competition, less tenants). When I started doing rentals in 2012, we would make $1300 1 Bedroom ads and $1800 2 Bedroom ads. By 2014, prices were skyrocketing. We changed our ads to $1500 1 Bed and $2k for a 2 bed because that was the bare minimum for either option. Now its not uncommon to see $1200-$1300 1 bedrooms and $1700-$1800 2 bedrooms.
Heck, I just looked at a 3 story townhome on Euclid with an attached garage that had been renting for $4200 & $4500 over the past 3 years. Today it was $3300 and they were 'motivated' (Been vacant 6 months). If not for all the stairs and lack of safety railings, we would have taken it for us. Instead we're going to pursue a loft in Midtown. Newer, cleaner, safer.

I'm happy to see Sobe prices go back to pre-2015 levels. It will help everyone out in the long run!

[elchevere]

But I can see where Nomadic is coming from...Brickell can have a cold and impersonal feel to it (bordering on Irvine, CA sterile) compared to other areas of Miami/MB with a greater street and neighborhood presence. My assessment varies from Century City to Irvine, with water nearby.

[manny118]

Originally Posted by elchevere

But I can see where Nomadic is coming from...Brickell can have a cold and impersonal feel to it (bordering on Irvine, CA sterile) compared to other areas of Miami/MB with a greater street and neighborhood presence. My assessment varies from Century City to Irvine, with water nearby.

This has always been my feeling towards Brickell and sterile is great way to describe it. Building that giant mall was also stupid if the goal is to create more of a street life neighborhood presence. I think Brickell, like much of Miami, is a free for all among the developers with little consideration given to a long term strategy.

I've never been to Irvine but I've been to Century City and I remember they have a mall similar to City Center on Santa Monica Blvd.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by elchevere

But I can see where Nomadic is coming from...Brickell can have a cold and impersonal feel to it (bordering on Irvine, CA sterile) compared to other areas of Miami/MB with a greater street and neighborhood presence. My assessment varies from Century City to Irvine, with water nearby.

I grew up in Irvine. As a kid I didn't find it sterile at all. As an adult, I can certainly see it now.

[elchevere]

cool....I think Will Ferrell grew up there as well.....I used to work off of Main and McArthur near the Sports Club (now Equinox) building from the late 80's - '01, very close to the airport.

Originally Posted by BNBR

I grew up in Irvine. As a kid I didn't find it sterile at all. As an adult, I can certainly see it now.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by elchevere

cool....I think Will Ferrell grew up there as well.....I used to work off of Main and McArthur near the Sports Club (now Equinox) building from the late 80's - '01, very close to the airport.

I went to a summer camp at the 24 hour fitness across the street long ago. It wasn't a 24 hour fitness back then and was the biggest/baddest health club around. Guess not so much anymore!