Upper Eastside

This article is about the neighborhood in Miami. For the neighborhood in New York City, see Upper East Side.
Upper Eastside
Neighborhood of Miami

A MiMo restaurant on Biscayne Boulevard in the Upper Eastside. The Upper Eastside is famous for its post war MiMo architecture, and is home to the MiMo Biscayne Boulevard Historic District.
Nickname(s): The Northeast, The Boulevard

The Upper Eastside neighborhood within the City of Miami
Coordinates: 25°49′44″N 80°11′06″W / 25.829°N 80.185°W / 25.829; -80.185
Country United States
State Florida
County Miami-Dade County
City Miami
Settled 1909
Annexed into the City of Miami 1924
Subdistricts of the Upper East Side
Government
 • City of Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff
 • Miami-Dade Commissioner Audrey Edmonson
 • House of Representatives Cynthia Stafford (D)
 • State Senate Gwen Margolis (D)
 • U.S. House Bill Nelson (D)
Population (2010)
 • Total 12,525
 • Density 6,509/sq mi (2,513/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-05)
ZIP Code 33137, 33138
Area code(s) 305, 786
Website Upper East Side neighborhood

The Upper Eastside (alternatively spelled East Side and commonly referred to as Northeast Miami[1]) is a neighborhood in Miami, Florida, United States. It is north of Edgewater, east of Little Haiti, south of the village of Miami Shores, and sits on Biscayne Bay. In geographical order from south to north and east to west, it contains the subdivisions of Magnolia Park, Bay Point, Morningside, Bayside, Belle Meade, Shorecrest, and Palm Grove. The MiMo District in the area is host to many art galleries, shops and restaurants.

The Upper East Side is primarily a residential neighborhood, composed largely of historic single-family homes from the 1920s, with Biscayne Boulevard running along the center of the neighborhood with mid-rise and high-rise office towers, hotels, and apartments. The MiMo Historic District runs along Biscayne Boulevard, and includes a large number of MiMo hotels from the 1950s and 1960s, that have been preserved, and have recently begun to be renovated, and turned into stores, restaurants and boutique hotels.

Geography

Magnolia Park lies east of Biscayne Boulevard between NE 37th Street (next to the Julia Tuttle Causeway) and NE 39th Street. Bay Point is east of the Boulevard, north of NE 39th Street and south of NE 50th Terrace. Morningside lies east of the Boulevard from NE 50th Terrace to NE 60th Street. Bayside is east of the Boulevard from NE 61st Street to NE 72nd Street. Belle Meade is east of the Boulevard from NE 72nd Terrace to NE 77th Terrace. Shorecrest is east of the Boulevard from NE 78th Street to NE 87th Street. Palm Grove is west of Biscayne Boulevard between NE 54th Street and NE 77th Street Road (i.e.: south of the Little River).

The area between NE 37th Street and NE 54th Street from Biscayne Boulevard westward one block to Federal Highway is not officially part of any of these neighborhoods but is nevertheless part of the UES. Similarly, the area from the Little River north to the city limits and between Biscayne Boulevard on the east and the Little River and the Village of El Portal on the west is not part of any of the aforementioned neighborhoods but is part of the UES.

Neighborhoods

Belle Meade

Belle Meade is a sub-neighborhood which lies within the larger enclave of the Upper East Side. It is a private, gated community and the southern part contains a smaller subdivision known as the Bayside District. The northern part contains Belle Meade Island. It is bounded by the Little River to the north, northeast 66th Street to the south, Biscayne Boulevard to the west, and Biscayne Bay to the east.[2]

Demographics of Belle Meade

As of 2000, the population of Belle Meade had 2,149 people. The zip code for Belle Meade is 33138. The area covers 0.433 square miles (1.12 km2). As of 2000, there were 1,248 males and 900 females. The median age for males were 35.2 years old, while the median age for females were 35.5 years old. The average household size had 2.0 people, while the average family size had 2.8 members. The percentage of married-couple families (among all households) was 26.8%, while the percentage of married-couple families with children (among all households) was 9.0%, and the percentage of single-mother households (among all households) was 3.6%. The percentage of never-married males 15 years old and over was 31.6%, while the percentage of never-married females 15 years old and over was 13.1%.[2]

As of 2000, the percentage of people that speak English not well or not at all made up 6.5% of the population. The percentage of residents born in Florida was 20.4%, the percentage of people born in another U.S. state was 46.8%, and the percentage of native residents but born outside the U.S. was 4.1%, while the percentage of foreign born residents was 28.7%.[2]

Morningside

Morningside Park

Morningside is a residential historic sub-neighborhood within the Upper Eastside in an older part of the City of Miami, Florida, United States. It lies mostly to the east of Biscayne Boulevard from NE 50th Terrace to NE 62nd Street.[3] Morningside is just north of and adjacent to Bay Point Estates, another more affluent but less historic residential enclave in urban Miami.

When Pope John Paul II visited the United States, he stayed at what was then the home of Archbishop Edward McCarthy on NE 53rd Street.

History of Morningside

Started in the 1920s as "Bay Shore," it prospered in the mid-20th century and fell on hard times along with most of Miami's other inner city neighborhoods in the 60's and 70's. More recently Morningside was the first historic area in central Miami to experience gentrification with an influx of more-affluent residents. It has now been fully restored. The Morningside Historic District runs from NE 55th Street to NE 60th Street; it was the first historic district to be designated as such in the City of Miami. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 as the Bay Shore Historic District.[4]

The Morningside Historic District is significant to the history of architecture, landscape architecture, and community development in Miami. Developed primarily between 1922 and 1941, Morningside contains a wealth of Mediterranean, Art Deco, and vernacular style houses that reflect the diversity and direction of architectural design during the 1920s and 1930s. Morningside is one of Miami's best planned subdivisions, featuring wide, tree-lined boulevards that contribute to the character of the area. This neighborhood was envisioned as an exclusive, residential community, and its amenities and location on Biscayne Bay attracted many influential and prominent local residents. One of Miami's most intact historic neighborhoods, Morningside is the City's best remaining example of a boom-era suburb.

The Morningside Historic District stands today as one of Miami's most intact historic neighborhoods. Despite the number of post-1941 buildings in the area, Morningside retains a high degree of historic and architectural integrity. This is due, in part, to the fact that most later buildings are not intrusive, but respect the earlier structures in scale, setback, materials, and workmanship. The majority of neighborhood residents recognize the special character of the area and desire its continued preservation.

As Miami's population expanded during the late 1920s and early 1920s, new subdivisions reached northward along Biscayne Bay. In 1922, a large, undeveloped bayfront tract near the northern city limits was platted. Called Bay Shore, this area was subdivided by the Bay Shore Investment Company and was the first of three phases that would be developed by the company between 1922 and 1924.[5]

Architecture of Morningside

Houses constructed in the Morningside Historic District reflect the eclecticism popular in the early twentieth century. The earlier buildings in the district are predominantly Mediterranean Revival in style, while structures built in the 1930s and early 1940s are frequently Art Deco. Outstanding examples of both styles are found here. Morningside also features a large number of masonry vernacular buildings that frequently utilize elements of several styles. An unusual Tudor Revival style house and one of the City's best examples of Mission style architecture add to the area's architectural diversity.

Bay Point Estates

Bay Point Estates is a sub-neighborhood within the Upper East Side neighborhood, in the City of Miami, Florida, United States. It is a gated community stretching from NE 41st Street to NE 50th Street alongside Biscayne Boulevard. The neighborhood streets are privately owned by the households and access to the roads and waterways are restricted to the residents (and their guests), of which there are approximately 250. To maintain the streets and the neighborhood's 24-hour security, all residents must pay neighborhood dues that can total approximately $2,200 per year.

Prices for homes in the Miami enclave range from approximately $1,100,000 for a 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) home that needs to renovated on a dry lot, to just south of $27,000,000 for a larger home with widebay views. One reason for the neighborhood's desirability is its location and high security. Centralized in the City of Miami, it is essentially a suburban contiguity located in the heart of the Miami area's urban core. It is less than ten minutes from downtown Miami and South Beach, and within twenty minutes away from most other major centers in Miami, such as Coral Gables, Hialeah, and Aventura, Florida. Much of the neighborhood's high real estate values are thanks not to the homes, but the property the house sits on. It is adjacent to Morningside, another affluent, historic residential neighborhood in Miami's urban core.

The resident's homes are lined along Sabal Palm Road, one of the most expensive streets to live on in the United States. The style of the homes varies. Most of the homes were built between 1940 and 1960 and many homes are currently undergoing major renovations as, and exhibit architectural styles ranging from contemporary Floridian to ranch. Many of the neighborhood's wealthy residents are among the most prominent lawyers, doctors, and businessmen in Miami. Its most famous current and former residents include Enrique Iglesias, Dwyane Wade, Stephen Zack, Liván Hernández, Willy Chirino, and DMX.

Bayside Historic District

The Bayside Historic District is a sub-neighborhood of the Upper East Side. The area is generally bounded by NE 72nd Street and N.E. 72nd Terrace on the north; Biscayne Bay on the east; NE 67th Street on the south; and Biscayne Boulevard to the west.

History of Bayside

The Bayside Historic District reflects the formative years of the early 1900s through the mid-1940s. Once a part of the pioneer settlement of Lemon City, Bayside contains the oldest intact community in Northeast Miami, as well as one of this area's last remaining bayfront estates. From its onset, Bayside was the home of many prominent residents who played significant roles in the business life of both Lemon City and Miami.

Bayside has four distinct subdivisions which were platted between 1909 and 1925, although the area itself was first settled in the late nineteenth century. These subdivisions include Elmira (N.E. 68th Street and N.E. 67th Street), which was platted in 1909; Acadia (N.E. 70th Street), which was platted in 1915; Baywood (N.E. 69th Street and the south side of N.E. 71st Street), which was platted in 1921 and added to in 1924; and Washington Place (N.E. 72nd Street and the north side of N.E. 71st Street), which was platted in 1925.

In 1909, William B. and Fred C. Miller (not related) subdivided a seven-acre bayfront lot on today's N.E. 68th Street. The Millers had come to Florida in the late 1880s from Elmira, New York and had developed Elmira Farms near Arch Creek. Their new subdivision was named Elmira, and oolitic limestone gates announced the entrance to the new community.

While much of what was Lemon City has been engulfed by later developments, Elmira has remained virtually intact. Although many of its houses have deteriorated, and newer buildings have been added, the street retains much of its early character. Elmira is characterized by its excellent collection of Frame Vernacular buildings, many of which were inspired by Northern architectural styles. The Elmira Club at 742 N.E. 68th Street, for example, has Dutch Colonial Revival influences, while other houses display classical details. The majority of houses were constructed in the 1910s.

The Acadia subdivision was platted in 1915 by the Realty Securities Corporation and George E. Merrick. Although the subdivision evokes the memory of Longfellow with such names as Acadian Way, Evangeline Circle, Tropical Trail, and Druid Walk, the houses developed here are distinctly Mediterranean Revival in influence. This is due perhaps to the fact that only two houses were constructed prior to 1925. Development took off during the Boom years of the mid-1920s, however, when Wykoff and Estes Builders constructed an outstanding cluster of large, two-story Mediterranean Revival style houses near the eastern end of NE 70th Street.

The last subdivision to be subdivided was Washington Place, which was also developed between 1925 and the mid-1940s. Samuel J. Prescott, who platted the subdivision in 1925, had constructed his own winter home at 7101 N.E. 10th Avenue some years before. The house remains today as one of the last intact bayfront estates in Northeast Miami. The estate once featured a recreational golf course for residents and guests. Prescott was founder of the firm of Samuel J. Prescott Co., Inc., building contractors, which developed several significant buildings in downtown Washington, D.C. Prescott was chairman of the board of the Second National Bank of Washington, D.C., president of the Master Builders Association, the Builders and Manufacturers Exchange, and the Prescott Farms Company of New Hampshire.

The Bayside Historic District remains today as an intact, cohesive neighborhood. Despite the number of post-1941 buildings, Bayside retains a high level of historic and architectural integrity.[6]

Architecture of Bayside

Houses constructed in Bayside reflect the diversity, direction, and taste of individual residents as well as the architectural eclecticism prevalent in the early-20th century. The earlier buildings in the district are Frame Vernacular, with several examples of early bungalows. Houses built in the 1920s are generally Mediterranean Revival in style, while structures built in the 1930s and 1940s are frequently Art Deco. Bayside also features a number of excellent examples of other architectural styles, including Mission Revival, Streamline Moderne, and Florida Ranch. Other structures, best described as Masonry Vernacular, add to the area's architectural diversity.

Demographics

The Upper East Side has a population of 15,056 of different ethnicities and races that includes high, middle and low income residents. Biscayne Boulevard is the central spine of this neighborhood.[1] The neighborhood like the rest of Miami is quickly becoming composed mostly of artistic and bright colored homes and condos. The area has some of the highest crime rates in Miami for an area that has a substantial amount of middle- and high-income residents.

As of 2000,[7] The Upper Eastside had a population of 15,056 residents, with 6,263 households, and 3,167 families residing in the neighborhood. The median household income was $35,196.16. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 28.60% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 40.10% Black or African American, 25.09% White (non-Hispanic), and 6.21% Other races (non-Hispanic).

MiMo Historic District

MiMo District sign

Today, the area along Biscayne Boulevard is the designated MiMo Architecture Biscayne Boulevard Historic District or also known as "MiMo on BiBo", for "Miami Modern on Biscayne Boulevard". MiMo Historic District runs roughly from 50th Street to 77th Street along Biscayne Boulevard, although MiMo can be found heavily in the Miami Design District and Midtown. Many annual festivals are held to promote MiMo architecture, such as "Cinco de MiMo" a play on "Cinco de Mayo" in early May.

Biscayne Boulevard throughout the Upper East Side fell to urban decay after the 1980s, and experienced increased crime, prostitution and drug dealings. In the 2000s, preservation efforts began to bring development interest into the neighborhood, and Biscayne Boulevard began to improve. Today, the boulevard is in a fast upwards transition along with many other nearby neighborhoods such as the Design District, Wynwood and Edgewater, with strong preservation efforts to preserve the MiMo architecture.

Zoning and public projects

Under pressure from residents to keep undesirably large buildings out, The Miami City Commission considered new building codes and a 180 moratorium on February 26 of 2007. With many homes built in the late 1920s, the Upper Eastside encompasses some of Miami's oldest neighborhoods and residents desire to keep it that way. The proposed codes were looser on distance to low-density areas but stricter on building height.[8]

A beautification and landscape project was recently completed on Biscayne Boulevard and Legion Park and Eaton Park recently received improvements such as new playground equipment. Construction on new Little River Canal and efforts to fight crime are currently being worked on.[1]

Education

Miami-Dade County Public Schools operates area public schools:

The Archdiocese of Miami operates:

Other private schools in the Upper East Side include:

Libraries

Miami-Dade Public Library operates area public libraries:

Parks

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Neighborhood Enhancement Team Profile
  2. 1 2 3 "Demographics of Belle Meade, Miami, FL.". city-data. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
  3. ↑ Morningside (Bayshore) neighborhood, detailed profile
  4. ↑ Tulie W. Taylor; Sarah Eaton (August 21, 1992). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Bay Shore Historic District" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved December 11, 2015. Accompanying 26 photos.
  5. ↑ http://www.historicpreservationmiami.com/pdfs/MorningsideHD_DesignationReport.pdf
  6. ↑ http://www.historicpreservationmiami.com/pdfs/BaysideHD_DesignationReport.pdf
  7. ↑ "Demographics of Upper Eastside Miami, FL.". miamigov.com. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
  8. ↑ South Florida Business Journal - February 23, 2004
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