Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, which is based around the Central Business District of Miami. Brickell Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard are the main north-south roads, and Flagler Street is the main east-west road. The neighborhood is defined by the Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA) as the 3.8-square-mile (9.8 km2)-area east of Interstate 95 between the Rickenbacker Causeway to the south and Julia Tuttle Causeway to the north. Locally known as Downtown, the area is a cultural, financial, and commercial center of South Florida, tracing its present-day history back to the 19th century. In recent years, Downtown Miami has grown and physically expanded to become the fastest-growing area in Miami, with large scale high-rise construction and rapid population increase. Greater Downtown is home to many major museums, parks, education centers, banks, company headquarters, courthouses, government offices, theaters, shops and many of the oldest buildings in the city.
Downtown Miami is centered on the Central business district (CBD), best known by local Miamians as simply “Downtown”. Although distinct neighborhoods with different characters, the following neighborhoods are often labeled under the umbrella term of “Downtown Miami”. The Central business district (CBD), better known by locals as simply just “Downtown”, is the historic center of Miami, and what is traditionally called “Downtown”. Downtown is bound by NE 6th St to the north, Biscayne Bay to the east, the Miami River to the west and south. Within this area, is where the majority of Miami’s historic buildings are, the main shopping street, Flagler Street, museums, libraries, offices, schools and colleges, as well as the vast majority of local, county, state and federal government offices and courthouses. Taxis are popular in Downtown, especially from Downtown to South Beach, Design District or to Coconut Grove. Since many Downtown residents choose to not have cars, taxis are also popular for rides within Downtown neighborhoods, especially after midnight when the Metromover stops running. Taxis can be hailed on the street, or phoned.
Downtown has three U.S. historic districts. The Downtown Miami Commercial Historic District, the Downtown Miami Historic District, and the Lummus Park Historic District. The Downtown Miami Historic District comprises 380 acres (1.5 km2) in the heart of Downtown with over 60 buildings within its jurisdiction. Many of the buildings within the area are of the Moderne style and Classical Revival style with uses for government, residential, and commercial. Periods of significance within this area are from 1900 to 1924, 1925 to 1949, and 1950 to 1974. The Downtown Miami Commercial Historic District was designated a historic district in 1988 and comprises 20 buildings on the east side of Downtown with 19th and early 20th-century revival styles. The Lummus Park Historic District is west of Downtown in the neighborhood of Lummus Park. It is west of I-95 surrounding Lummus Park along the Miami River. The historic district was designated historic in 1988 and then expanded in 2006. The area is 260 acres (1.1 km2) large with 43 different buildings mostly owned by private entities and the local government. Prominent styles include late 19th and early 20th-century revival styles, Art Deco, and Bungalow style, with prominent periods of 1900-1924 and 1925-1949. Downtown has over 6,000 hotel rooms in numerous hotels. Downtown has Miami’s largest concentration of hotel rooms, and is the city’s hub for business travellers. Many of these hotels are geared for business travellers, mostly along Brickell Avenue, some for luxury leisure stays, and others as bargain tourist hotels.
Historically, Flagler Street has been Downtown’s major shopping street dating back to the 19th century. Today, it is still Downtown’s major shopping street, with Florida’s flagship Macy’s (formerly Burdines) on Flagler Street and Miami Avenue since 1912, as well as Miami’s own local department stores: La Época, on Flagler and SE 2nd Av; Alberto Cortes, on Flagler and SE 3rd Av. Flagler Street is also home to many well-known and established jewelers, many of whom have been in Downtown since the early 20th century (i.e.: Morays Jewelers, founded in 1900). This area is called the Miami Jewelry District and comprises four Downtown blocks from Miami Avenue to SE 2nd Av on Flagler Street and NE 1st St. After many years of decay, recently, much focus has been placed on revitalizing Flagler Street to its former grandeur. In recent years, a renewed investment interest has been placed on Flagler Street, and many new restaurants and stores have opened up, new landscaping and pavers have been placed, as well as enforced security and tourist guides. Three new pocket parks opened on Flagler St in 2009, Paul S. Walker Park, Robert F. Clark Plaza, and the Joan Lehman Sculpture Plaza. These new parks have brought more green space, benches, art, and rest areas to the street. Besides Flagler Street, Downtown has two other major shopping areas, Bayside Marketplace and Mary Brickell Village in Brickell. Bayside Marketplace was built in 1987, and is one of Miami’s most visited tourist attractions averaging over 15 million visitors a year. It is an outdoor shopping mall overlooking Biscayne Bay at Bayfront Park. Bayside Marketplace has many national retail chains, as well as local Miami stores. Mary Brickell Village is on Miami Avenue and SE 10th Street in Brickell. Mary Brickell Village is a major nightlife area and has many of Miami’s upscale bars and restaurants that stretch along Miami Avenue from around SE 6th Street to Broadway (SE 15th Road).
