It is known that all great cities have been built along rivers. New York, Paris, London, Chicago, are just a few examples. It would be impossible to say it is just a coincidence! There a lot of riverfront advantages that have helped the commercial developments of cities. The half-mile long Miami River is not the exception. Miami was meant to be one of those big metropolises.

The 5.5-mile long Miami River is one of the most unique and authentic features that characterize Miami nowadays. It is so hard to think that it hasn’t always been this way, but it is actually the case. In 1950 the Miami River had a really bad reputation as everyone considered it like a cesspool. It was the last city in the U.S that pumped sewage into the river. It was only used for hosting cargo ships and marine repairs. Nowadays the story is completely different.

One of the very first boosts of the change was the development of the Neo Lofts condo. This was clearly a shoot to the stars. Built along the river, the main developer of this condo, Lisette Calderon, was looking to offer an affordable condominium for young professionals like herself. She believed that there was a lively market, and she was right as the condo was fully sold 18 months after it was launched. This was simply the beginning of the change. Neo Vertika and Wind by Neo were other condos that followed not long after that.

Nowadays the river is extremely valuable and it’s even considered as a luxurious attribute. There are 57 condos with over 15 thousand units, and other 6,757 units are on their way. High-end buildings such as the Aston Martin condo are now being built along the Miami River.

Commercial developments have noticed the advantages of the river too. Restaurants such as Kiki on the River, Casablanca Sea Food, Seaspice or Garcia’s offer a valuable plus of beautiful waterfront view, without necessarily being on the beach. The development of the river has been exemplary, with the Miami River Greenway, a walking/bike path that covers 6 and a half miles.

The river has allowed Downtown and Brickell to increase residential prices, which has led new riverside constructions between Flagler and Calle Ocho. There is still a lot of “river terrain” to cover, and developers know it. The river has open new business opportunities envisioned by condos, but there is still some work to do. It is still missing a ferry or commute system that goes through the river. It is true that the river is now only used by private yachts or amateurish water taxis structure.