The Miami Design District
The Miami Design District is a creative neighborhood and retail destination dedicated to innovative fashion, design, art, architecture and dining. The Design District is a hotbed for furniture-import companies, interior designers, architects and artists. The district is an area of greater Midtown, Miami loosely bounded by NE 2nd Avenue, NE 5th Avenue east and west, and NW 36th Street to the south. Historically, the Design District was originally known as Buena Vista. In fact many street signs with the name Buena Vista can still be seen throughout the area – such as the Buena Vista Post Office and Buena Vista School.
By the 198o’s and early-199o’s, the Design District had fallen to urban decay, and it wasn’t until the late 199o’s and early 2ooo’s that art and design stores began opening up in the district.
The Miami Design District is owned by visionary entrepreneur Craig Robins, who is credited with setting it into motion by purchasing many of the run-down buildings in the 18-square block area and persuading many top designers, such as Alison Spear, Holly Hunt, and Peter Page to relocate. The district is also owned by L Real Estate – a global real estate development and investment fund, specializing in creating luxury shopping destinations. Craig Robins’ real estate company Dacra and L Real Estate have actively transformed the once-overlooked area of Miami into a vibrant neighborhood for residents and visitors by presenting the best shopping, cultural and culinary experiences within an architecturally significant context.
The Design District is made up primarily of low-rise warehouses and gallery spaces that have been reconverted into retail spaces, art galleries, restaurants and cafes. The district is in the crossroads of many prominent Miami neighborhoods – Miami’s art district Wynwood is to the south, Little Haiti and the historic 192o’s Buena Vista neighborhood is to the north, and the wealthy Upper East Side neighborhoods to the east.
The Design District is home to over 13o art galleries, showrooms, creative services, architecture firms, antique dealers, stores, eateries and bars. Every 2nd Saturday of each month is a community wide Art & Design Night from 7-10pm. This is a popular event where the art galleries and design showrooms open their doors to the public for music and refreshments. The Miami Design District has risen to fame as a destination for the arts, fashion and design.
