Image: View of the Miami River from the rear of the Miami River Club Townhouse Community
Miami River area development is challenging to track and this post is definitely not my attempt to do so but a brief prelude to an incoming River profile. I recently stumbled upon an interesting section of the River that caught my attention. It’s where the river splits in two. In the south side of the split, there is an old townhouse development called the River Club.
Image: Rear side of River club (left) and the abandoned pool (right). These are inexpensive town house units facing the River.
This charming river side community is livable but deteriorated. There seems to be little hope of it changing. The pool is dried up and graffiti splattered. There is nothing in the way of landscaping or pleasant amenities. However, it sits right on the river fork, is a short walk away from a beautiful riverfront park, and has new construction is surrounding it (Terrazas River Park Condo and River Oaks Condo). Let’s take a look.
Image: The river club is outlined in red. Terrazas on the River (right) is highlighted in dark blue and River Oaks Condo (left) is highlighted in light blue. Both are new construction residential high rise developments. Sewell Park is clearly visible as well.
The River Club is symbolic of under appreciation along the Miami River. I haven’t factored in the full scope of new construction in the area and therefore cannot present a comprehensive picture. Look forward to that soon.
Image: rendering of Terrazas Park Condo
Image: Rendering of River Oaks Condo and Marina
Boom or Bust: Miami 
I was going to ask you yesterday if you had heard anything about River Drive Shoppes.
I saw this a while back:
Click to access Revised8x11.pdf
And a couple of months ago a billboard went up on the location announcing pre-leasing. I hope this is on track, the area where East Coast Fisheries was is in dire need of life. North/South River Drive could become a hotspot for fresh seafood restaurants (Garcia’s and Joe’s up the street, Big Fish down the river.).
I didn’t know about this project until now. Thanks for the update–another reason why a closer look at the Miami River is in order. This would be huge for the River west of the I-95. Great addition to the fragmented River walk. I’m not sure about the viability of the residential component, but the retail/office component looks great.
Yeah the residential part I doubt will ever take off, but the rest of the project is so varied from nightlife and dining to a marina that it could work.
There had been another failed project on that site a few years back called Miami River Lofts (I believe). Their office was floating on a barge on the river. It “mysteriously” burned with all of the documents before the project died.
I think i remember hearing about the River Lofts, but then again it sounds so generic that I could be mistaken. I certainly didn’t hear about the fire. That’s pretty bizarre or convenient–depending on the insurance coverage they had.
I think that is a very exciting location. For the continuing to grow urban fabric, the way it describes the nature of the curving river and a significant, dynamic addition to the west side of 95, badly needed.
I’ll give too much away here but the reason the Miami River Club townhouses are in such bad shape is because the HOA can’t get it together.
Every night these men have crazy ass fights where they yell obscenities at each other. Their wives come out and yell the same chusmerias. When one insults the other’s wife, a fist fight breaks out and the cops have to come out.
Presently, there’s a court appointed official trying to sort out the mess.
As for the pool, it looks a gazillion times better than it did when it had the moldy tarp recycled from someone’s roof following Wilma in ’05. Actually, one of the contractors from Terazas next door started remodeling it and abandoned the project…probably because of the association.
BUT Chris, it’s a great residential area. Smack in the middle of everything with immediate access to a major E/W artery not far from the N/S artery, you’re literally 30 minutes from anywhere. There’s a park within walking distance where my 4 yr old can see manatees on a daily basis. Actually, there are 3 parks within a 1/2 mile radius. In my opinion, the only drawback is those two friggin’ buildings being built which A) cause so much madness with their stuck cranes in the street and day long cement pours, and B) have everything covered in at least 3″ of dust.
Thanks for the input Suzy. I had heard that there was a receiver appointed by the court due to a complaint by a former board member who had gotten removed from the board by unit owners. This is another example of internal Board politics leaving the community’s progress stalled if not stepping backwards. As you know, receivers are costly, so are their attorney’s fees, and more importantly, they makes decisions that cost the community money without consulting its members.
Call me wind because I am ablelutosy blown away.
Mr. BoB,
Suzy was partly right in one respect; the association cannot get it together, and for reasons that you and your blog participants may find unbelievable. Your information is correct; a receiver was appointed, but not for the reasons you listed. If, in the interests of being an objective and factual source of information, you wish to learn more, you may contact me by email; you may then judge as you wish. Receivers may be costly, yes. But instead of looking at the cost, you should look at the value provided. The Receiver’s decisions are based on fiduciary responsibility, and monitored monthly by the court. One main point of receivership and the making of decisions without consulting the membership is precisely because the court determined the membership is unwilling to make the necessary decisions and actions in accordance with their fidcuciary responsibility and legal, statutory requirements; hence, the conditions you and Suzy described.
As to the author of this article, it seems that you as like many others in this community have been paid off. The River Club is a pleasant community that has been bullied by big developers with big money. The condition of the complex has deteriorated over the years due to poor management and is in the up and up as of a couple months ago. The idea that the city permitted these to towering buildings on each side of a mixed use area of the river is obserd. Money and politics avbiously played a part in that decision. Lets not forget that the Miami River is based on history, and that history includes the River Club. Instead of knocking down the look of the River Club, maybe your article should have been about the monstrosity that the city allowed to be built next to a 2 story townhouse association that lurks in the shadows of these buildings. And in your comment regarding the “inexpensive units facing the river”, i am sure U can’t afford to live there. This is yet another example of the corrupt and misled individuals that have an opinion about things they know nothing about!