Move over Edgewater and Wynwood, Miami has another new hot neighborhood: Allapattah.

Allapattah, which comes from the Seminole Indian word for alligator, is a roughly five-square-mile neighborhood bordered by 6th Avenue NW to 27th Avenue South and from NW North River Drive to 38th Street. It’s home to the city’s Health District, but GlobeSt.com attributes the rise of the neighborhood to the location of the largest retail project currently under construction in Miami—Miami River Landing Shops and Residences.

Here’s what you need to know about Allapattah.

Live, Work, and Play

Allapattah neighborhood of Miami 

Much of the recent buzz in Allapattah stems from construction of the Miami River Landing Shops and Residences, a mixed-use development situated on 8 acres along the Miami River at 1480 NW North River Drive. When construction is completed, the 5-story development will offer nearly 430,000 square feet of commercial space with walkways and tropical greenspaces. Designed as a place where people can live, work, and play in close proximity, the project will bring restaurants, shopping, recreational entertainment, and residential units.

Major Development Is in the Pipeline

Rendering courtesy of Bjarke Ingels

Developer Robert Wennett is planning to build an eight-building complex with residential, office, retail, hotel, and school components, per the Real Deal.

The project would be constructed on the site between Northwest 21st and 22nd streets, and between Northwest 13th and 12th avenues, just west of the Santa Clara Metrorail station. The developer is proposing 19-story interconnected buildings with about 1,200 residential units and 1,149 parking spaces. With ground floor retail and a school, the project would total about 1.36 million square feet.

The Health District Is a Major Employment Center

Miami VA Medical Center photo courtesy of Veterans Health

The Health District is comprised mainly of hospitals, research institutes, clinics, and government offices. As the center of Miami’s biotechnology and medical research industry, it brings thousands of employees to the neighborhood daily. The district is home to many of the city's largest hospital systems, including Jackson Memorial Hospital, which also has two branch hospitals in northern and southern Miami-Dade County. Other hospitals include: Miami VA Medical Center, University of Miami Hospital (formerly Cedars Medical Center), and Holtz Children's Hospital.

Transportation Options Abound

Metrobus

One of the neighborhood’s attributes is that it’s close to major highways and serviced by the Metrorail and Metrobus transit systems. It’s about a 15-minute drive to Downtown Miami, even if you decide to take back roads versus I-95. The Allapattah Metrorail station is near the intersection of Northwest 12th Avenue and 36th Street/US 27, and it’ll get you Downtown in about 10 minutes. The neighborhood is also served by several Metrobus lines, which offer similar swift commutes.

You Can Find Affordable Housing

Homes in Allapattah

The median sale price of homes is $210,000, per Neighborhoods.com. This compares to $375,000 in the nearby neighborhood of Wynwood and $319,500 in Edgewater.

It Has Diverse Culinary Options

Outdoor seating in Allapattah

Whether you’re in the mood for Italian, Latin, Cuban, or traditional American fare, you’ll find it in the neighborhood. Though it’s more of a wraparound sandwich counter than a restaurant, Papo Llega Y Pon is considered a neighborhood landmark which also happens to be a great place for Cuban food, especially the pan con lechon (pork sandwich). Amarilis Cafe Shop serves reasonably priced, authentic Dominican food in a casual environment and occasionally features Latin music. Restaurante El Hondureno and Restaurant El Hondureno II serve Honduran food and sometimes feature live music acts. They’re also known as a local hangout spot for watching soccer.