West Grove Glow-Up

Coconut Grove was

our playground growing up - literally. My sister and I attended St. Stephen's Episcopal School, where our recess and P.E. classes took place in Peacock Park in the heart of the Grove overlooking Biscayne Bay. Like all kids we looked forward to this break in the day, not only because it meant

blowing off steam, but also because we never knew what surprises the park had in store for us. We might see a weird dude smoking something with a weird smell. Or we might see a couple smooching (or more) on display.

And not infrequently, a kickball game would be interrupted by a shiny Ferrari screeching around the curve on South Bayshore, then making a

wild u-turn into the valet at the Mutiny Hotel across the street. We would watch as a sexy lady in stilettos and a dizzy man in a loud silk shirt stumbled out and disappeared into the haze of the hotel lobby. Then we would turn back to our game.

At the lavish Mutiny, also known as "Hotel Scarface," extravagant parties rolled around the clock and were attended by A-list celebrities, Miami's elite and the world's wealthiest (and scariest) drug cartel kingpins. From the playground across the street, we had no idea the Cocaine Cowboys were reigning supreme right before our eyes.

Photo above: Hotel Scarface book (featured: infamous Neslon Aguilar, musician Rick James at the Mutiny, sometime in the 1980s)

Meanwhile a few blocks away, the small and nondescript neighborhood known as the West Grove had little to report. We drove through the West Grove each morning and stopped in the crosswalk as parents walked their kids to school.

The area was occupied by families who worked to make ends meet and didn't cause much trouble. It was

rarely in the news, except to promote Goombay, which was an annual parade and street festival celebrating Bahamian heritage.

Noise, crime and income levels were all pretty low in the West Grove. Although the Mutiny looked glamorous from the outside, there were probably more crimes committed in that hotel in the 1980s than there have been in the entire West Grove throughout its 150-year history!

Photo above: Miami Herald

West Grove: A Little History

Spanning about 45 square blocks on the north side of Grand Ave and about 25 blocks on the south side, the West Grove was one of Miami’s first black neighborhoods. Once known as Little Bahamas, the area was originally settled by Bahamian immigrants who were later joined by workers who relocated from the Deep South in the late 1800s.

Many came to work as laborers, carving limestone bedrock to build what would become Miami in 1896. Once Coconut Grove was annexed and absorbed by the City of Miami in 1925, barriers were erected between the West Grove and the “white Coconut Grove” to its south and east, and segregation was strictly enforced.

Over the years, people of different backgrounds and cultures intermingled, but poverty prevailed in the West Grove. Inflation, tax increases and the overall high cost of living, juxtaposed with insufficient resources, have led to destitution and neglect. Although there have been countless efforts to stabilize the community, many of West Grove's longtime residents have succumbed to economic circumstances. This has contributed to its inevitable gentrification along with its location, which makes it attractive to investors and developers.

Photo: Dunn History (Featured: Early Coconut Grove settlers from The Bahamas)

Today's West Grove

Many of the glow-up efforts in this very special neighborhood are being led by Coconut Grove locals. The group leading most of the commercial projects have been meticulous in their initiatives to revitalize and add new life to the West Grove, with new landscaping

in the area's parks and public spaces, and an ongoing effort to honor its past and preserve its history.

Meanwhile, residential builders have replaced the West Grove's decaying bungalows with sleek townhouse-style homes that have European vibes and wreak of luxury, comfort and tranquility. Sophisticated buyers with good taste and high standards love the elegance of these homes and the close proximity to everything they need.

The West Grove's glow-up is still in progress, but it is definitely the one to watch. Want to check out the commercial projects coming to the West Grove?

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Let's Take A Tour!

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3443 Grand

• 4 story building

• Mixed use: 90,000 square feet of Class A office space, two ground-floor retail locations, covered parking, and three elevated terraces

• Location: Will stretch across six vacant properties on the north side of Grand Avenue between Hibiscus and Elizabeth Streets

• Architect: Arquitectonica

• Completion date: Summer 2026

Elemi At Grove, Phase I

• 5 story building

• Mixed use: 46 apartments ranging from 965 square feet to 1,535 square feet, 14,000 square feet of amenities

• Location: 3335 Thomas Avenue; corner of Thomas Ave and Margaret Street

• Architect: Arquitectonica

• Completion date: December 2024

Elemi At Grove, Phase II

• 5 story building

• Mixed use

• 27 market-rate rental apartments, 3,200 square feet of retail space, 317-space parking garage

• Location: corner of Grand Avenue and Elizabeth Street

• Architect: Arquitectonica

• Completion date: Spring 2026

Bimini Block

• 5 story building

• Mixed use: 176 rental apartments, 26,182 square feet of street-level shops and restaurants, and 348 parking spaces.

• Location: 2.4 acres along Hibiscus Street, Thomas Ave and Grand Ave

• Architect: Arquitectonica

• Completion: 2028

Townhouse Trend

As for the residential side, I LOVE working with buyers and it would be my pleasure to give you an in-person tour.

If you're thinking of buying or investing, let me show you why the West Grove has become one of the most in-demand neighborhoods in Miami!

Call or email me anytime. I'm ready!