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Arts, Culture, & More: Your Guide to the Wynwood Art District’s Highlights

access_timeFebruary 28, 2019personScott Patterson

The Miami area is full of diverse cultures, lifestyles, and influences, making it one of the most vibrant cities in the whole world. Within the city, the Wynwood Arts District is known as one of the premier creative neighborhoods, and it’s easy to see why.

With art galleries, local eateries, unique shopping, and creativity galore, don’t miss out on the highlights of Wynwood—check out our guide to all of the must-see stops.

Street Art

You don’t even have to head to an art gallery or museums to see the best art that Wynwood has to offer. When you walk through the streets of the neighborhood, almost every building is decked out with dazzling murals and unique designs, transforming a regular stroll into an artistic journey.

Did you know that Wynwood is home to the highest concentration of street art in the country? There are literally hundreds of murals from artists all over the world to check out as you stroll the streets, and the Wynwood neighborhood page offers a helpful guide to all of the current creations.

Galleries + Museums

In addition to all of the street art, Wynwood is also filled with a wide variety of art galleries and museums. It can be a little overwhelming to take it all in, which is why we’ve got the lowdown on what you can’t miss.

First, be sure to stop by the Oliver Cole Gallery. With over 50 artists from all over the world featured, the Oliver Cole Gallery is home to the latest in modern, cutting-edge trends.

Next, the Rubell Family Collection and its 7,300 privately owned works bring in over 40,000 visitors a year, making it one of the most popular museums in the area.

For something a little different, finish up your rounds with a visit to the automobile collection Miami Supercar Rooms.

Food + Shops

Wynwood residents’ passion for the community doesn’t just stop with arts—the neighborhood also boasts a wide variety of locally owned and operated restaurants and shops. Here are the best local flavors and retailers to check out around the area!

One of the hottest new restaurants in the city, head to Alter for locally sourced and seasonal dishes including tzatziki ice cream, beef tartare, and stuffed quail. For an experience as unique as the neighborhood, check out 1-800 Lucky, an Asian-market style food hall that covers 10,000-square-feet of space—and a karaoke lounge. Other local favorites include Kyu, R House, and Joey’s.

With Wynwood’s strong roots in art and design, it should come as no surprise that the shops also reflect those values. Head to Frangipani for handmade and sustainable art pieces, Antidote for eco-conscious clothing, or Ligne Atelier for all of your contemporary interior design needs.

Explore Wynwood & Find Your Home in Miami

While we hit the highlights of Wynwood, there’s still so much more to discover. The neighborhood is packed with hidden gems on every block, so don’t miss the chance to explore it all for yourself, and find your new home here today.

If you have any questions about the area, would like more information, or are ready to get started on your real estate journey, don’t hesitate to contact the Scott Patterson Group today.

Miami Continues to Reach for the Sky With Bayside Marketplace

access_timeJanuary 19, 2015personScott Patterson

Earlier this summer, The Miami Commission reached a decision to officially approve a 99-year deal with the developer of SkyRise Miami and the operators of Bayside Marketplace. After several hurdles were overcome a unanimous decision was reached to allow the two parties to breathe new life into the retail and entertainment center that has seemingly lost its draw and luster. It’ll be a welcome upgrade for the great City of Miami.

Both SkyRise Miami developer Jeff Berkowitz and Bayside Marketplace operators were pleased to hear the news after numerous meetings with the city to hammer out concerns of what would need to happen should the tower not be built as promised. The City of Miami was decidedly nervous amidst past occurrences haven’t exactly materialized.

“History tends to repeat itself,” said Commissioner Frank Carollo, mentioning large, voter-approved projects that haven’t quite panned out. “For [Jungle Island] we had voter approval and also for [a yacht marina on] Watson Island we had voter approval. Apparently we’re going to have to amend the contract now.”

As it stands, the $400 million tower is set to be completed by the year 2017 and will include three observation decks, a nightclub, a ballroom, fine dining, and even three amusement park-type rides. Over time, the marketplace would also be expanded upon. It all would halt until the Commission was satisfied that the language in the agreement included protection to the city.

A very confident Berkowitz (who has invested millions of his own dollars into the SkyRise Project proclaims the Commission has nothing to worry about:

“The bottom line is I’m going to build the tower,” he said.

Under the approved verbiage, Bayside operator (General Growth Properties) will pay $10 million upfront to the City of Miami and will increase it’s rent paid. They would also commit a minimum of $27 million for improvements as stated by Henry Torre, the director of public facilities for the City.

The hurdles were further overcome with wording that allows for Bayside to take over the tower’s construction should Berkowitz fails to hold up his end of the bargain. The duo with have a total of 6 years to complete the tower. At that point, the City of Miami has the power to renegotiate the leases. This seemed to be the resolution that the doctor ordered and all went well from there.

Additional terms were agreed upon and were to be heard at the public referendum which is the final step to moving towards breaking ground. A public vote is required due to this being a waterfront on city land. Should the vote pass, our wonderful City will have one more beautiful monument to enjoy. Go Miami, go.

Until next we speak,

Scott