Miami Beach, dubbed American's Riviera, has been popular with the jet-set crowd who flock to South Beach, the area below 23rd Street from Biscayne Bay to the Atlantic Ocean. This is not surprising when you think of the countless choices of restaurants on Ocean Drive, upscale shopping along Collins Avenue, trendy nightclubs that pump house music until the wee hours and the largest concentration of historic 1920's and 1930's Art Deco architecture in the world. But for those who prefer a slower pace but still want to enjoy the sand and surf, Miami Beach's other neighborhoods might be the alternative.

While the square and symmetrical Art Deco style flourishes throughout South Beach, North Beach's Miami Modernism (MiMo) coincided with the modernist craze of the 1950's and 1960's, a period of experimental, futuristic designs with sweeping curves and parabolic arches. There are no better examples of this era then the Fontainebleau Hilton and the Eden Roc Resort. Thanks to the Urban Arts Committee, local historic status now exists along Collins Avenue from 60th Street to about 71st Street known as the North Beach Resort Historic District.

Many of these historic resorts are receiving a new lease on life. The Carillon is being renovated by the Arizona based spa group Canyon Ranch as a luxury condo hotel and spa. New developments with ocean views and resort style amenities like the Fontainebleau's Ocean Club or 6000 Indian Creek are recalibrating the area.

Besides North Beach, there are the residential neighborhoods of Biscayne Point, Normandy Isles, Nautilus, La Gorce, North Shore, Bayshore and Allison Island where the recent completion of Aqua, a collection of low rise condominiums and island homes has transformed the area.

Contact an Ocean Crest Realty Group professional to find out more information about these neighborhoods and the current real estate opportunities available in Miami Beach.