Upper Eastside facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Upper Eastside
Neighborhood of Miami
A MiMo restaurant on Biscayne Boulevard in the Upper Eastside. The Upper Eastside is famous for its post war MiMo architecture, and is home to the MiMo Biscayne Boulevard Historic District.
Nickname(s):  The Northeast, The Boulevard
The Upper Eastside neighborhood within the City of Miami
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Miami-Dade County
City	Miami
Settled	1909
Annexed into the City of Miami	1924
Subdistricts of the Upper East Side	Neighborhoods list Bay Point Estates Bayside Historic District Belle Meade El Portal Magnolia Park MiMo Biscayne Boulevard Historic District Morningside Palm Grove Shorecrest
Population  (2010)
• Total	12,525
• Density	6,509/sq mi (2,513/km2)
Time zone	UTC-05 (EST)
ZIP Code	33137, 33138
Area code(s)	305, 786
Website	Upper East Side neighborhood

The Upper Eastside is a cool neighborhood in Miami, Florida. People sometimes call it the East Side or Northeast Miami. It's located north of Edgewater, east of Little Haiti, and south of Miami Shores, right next to Biscayne Bay.

This area includes several smaller neighborhoods like Magnolia Park, Bay Point, Morningside, Bayside, Belle Meade, Shorecrest, and Palm Grove. The MiMo District on Biscayne Boulevard is a lively spot with many art galleries, shops, and restaurants.

The Upper Eastside is mostly a place where people live. You'll find many historic houses built in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Biscayne Boulevard runs through the middle, featuring taller office buildings, hotels, and apartments. The MiMo Historic District along Biscayne Boulevard is famous for its MiMo (Miami Modern) hotels from the 1950s and 1960s. Many of these old hotels have been saved and turned into modern stores, restaurants, and unique boutique hotels.

Exploring Upper Eastside Neighborhoods

The Upper Eastside is made up of several smaller areas, each with its own vibe. These neighborhoods are generally located east or west of Biscayne Boulevard.

• Magnolia Park is east of Biscayne Boulevard, between NE 37th Street and NE 39th Street.
• Bay Point is also east of the Boulevard, north of NE 39th Street and south of NE 50th Terrace.
• Morningside is east of the Boulevard, from NE 50th Terrace to NE 60th Street.
• Bayside is east of the Boulevard, from NE 61st Street to NE 72nd Street.
• Belle Meade is east of the Boulevard, from NE 72nd Terrace to NE 77th Terrace.
• Shorecrest is east of the Boulevard, from NE 78th Street to NE 87th Street.
• Palm Grove is west of Biscayne Boulevard, between NE 54th Street and NE 77th Street Road.

Shorecrest: The Northern Gem

Shorecrest is the neighborhood furthest north in the Upper Eastside. It's bordered by the Little River to the south, Biscayne Boulevard to the west, Miami Shores to the north, and Biscayne Bay to the east.

Shorecrest has many historic single-family homes from the 1930s and 1940s. You'll also find some apartments and condos. The main shopping and dining areas are along 79th Street and Biscayne Boulevard. This area has been growing and improving with new restaurants and stores. Shorecrest is a diverse neighborhood with people from many backgrounds.

Palm Grove: A Historic Community

Palm Grove is another historic part of the Upper Eastside. It's bordered by Biscayne Boulevard to the east, NE 54th Street to the south, the Little River to the north, and the Florida East Coast Railway tracks to the west.

This neighborhood has many beautiful historic homes from the 1920s and 1930s. Many of them have been updated and look amazing. Palm Grove is a diverse community, home to artists, young professionals, and Haitian immigrants.

Architectural Styles in Palm Grove

Palm Grove is known for its cool buildings from the early to mid-20th century. You'll see a lot of Spanish Eclectic and Mission styles, which were very popular in Florida back then. There are also great examples of Art Deco, Art Moderne, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival styles. Later, you can find Minimal Traditional and Ranch style homes. Some houses even show off the local "Miami Modern" or "MiMo" style.

Miami Ironside: A Creative Hub

Ironside is a special art and design area in Miami's Upper Eastside. It's located near the MiMo Historic Biscayne Boulevard. This area used to be industrial warehouses. Now, it's a connected network of buildings with many uses. You can find over 65 designer showrooms, art galleries, architecture firms, creative businesses, restaurants, homes, and even a public square with real Berlin Wall sculptures painted by street artist Thierry Noir. Ironside also hosts a community event called Campus Collective twice a year.

Belle Meade: A Gated Community

Belle Meade is a private, gated community within the Upper Eastside. The southern part of Belle Meade includes a smaller area called the Bayside Historic District. Belle Meade Island is in the northern part. It's bordered by the Little River to the north, NE 72nd Terrace to the south, Biscayne Boulevard to the west, and Biscayne Bay to the east.

Morningside: A Restored Historic Area

Morningside Park is a popular spot in the neighborhood.

Morningside is a historic neighborhood in the Upper Eastside. It's mostly east of Biscayne Boulevard, from NE 50th Terrace to NE 62nd Street. Morningside is just north of Bay Point Estates, another fancy neighborhood in Miami.

Morningside's Rich History

Morningside started in the 1920s as "Bay Shore." It did well in the mid-20th century but faced tough times in the 60s and 70s, like many other older Miami neighborhoods. More recently, Morningside was one of the first historic areas in central Miami to be revitalized. Many new residents moved in, and the neighborhood has been fully restored. The Morningside Historic District, which runs from NE 55th Street to NE 60th Street, was the first historic district named in Miami. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

This historic district is important for its architecture, landscaping, and how the community developed in Miami. Most of the homes were built between 1922 and 1941. You'll see a mix of Mediterranean, Art Deco, and local styles. Morningside was planned as an exclusive community with wide, tree-lined streets. Its beautiful location on Biscayne Bay attracted many important local residents. It's one of Miami's best examples of a boom-era suburb that is still largely intact.

Morningside's Unique Architecture

The houses in the Morningside Historic District show off different styles popular in the early 20th century. Earlier buildings are mostly Mediterranean Revival, while those from the 1930s and early 1940s are often Art Deco. You can find amazing examples of both styles here. Morningside also has many masonry buildings that mix elements from different styles. There's even an unusual Tudor Revival house and one of the best examples of Mission style architecture in the city.

Bay Point: A Private Enclave

Bay Point is a private, gated community within the Upper Eastside. It stretches from NE 41st Street to NE 50th Street along Biscayne Boulevard. The streets and waterways in Bay Point are privately owned by the residents. This means only residents and their guests can access them. There are about 250 homes here. To keep the streets nice and have 24-hour security, all residents pay neighborhood fees.

Bayside Historic District: A Glimpse into the Past

The Bayside Historic District is a smaller neighborhood within the Upper Eastside. It's generally bordered by NE 72nd Street to the north, Biscayne Bay to the east, NE 67th Street to the south, and Biscayne Boulevard to the west.

Bayside's Early History

The Bayside Historic District shows what Miami was like from the early 1900s to the mid-1940s. It was once part of an older settlement called Lemon City. Bayside has the oldest intact community in Northeast Miami and one of the last remaining bayfront estates in the area. The district has four different sections that were planned between 1909 and 1925, though people started living here even earlier.

One of these sections, Elmira, was planned in 1909. It was named by the Miller brothers, who came from Elmira, New York. They even built cool limestone gates at the entrance. Elmira still looks much like it did back then, with many Frame Vernacular style buildings.

Another section, Acadia, was planned in 1915. The houses here mostly show a Mediterranean Revival style, especially those built in the mid-1920s. The last section, Washington Place, was developed from 1925 to the mid-1940s. Samuel J. Prescott, who planned this area, built his own winter home here. His estate, with a golf course, is one of the last original bayfront estates in Northeast Miami.

Bayside Historic District is still a strong, connected neighborhood today. Even with some newer buildings, it has kept its historic and architectural charm.

MiMo Historic District: A Style Icon

Look for this sign to know you're in the MiMo District!

Today, the area along Biscayne Boulevard is officially called the MiMo Architecture Biscayne Boulevard Historic District. People also call it "MiMo on BiBo," which means "Miami Modern on Biscayne Boulevard." This district runs roughly from 50th Street to 77th Street along Biscayne Boulevard. You can also find MiMo architecture in the Miami Design District and Midtown. Many yearly festivals, like "Cinco de MiMo," celebrate this unique architectural style.

In the 2000s, people started working to preserve these buildings, which brought new interest and development to the neighborhood. Today, Biscayne Boulevard is rapidly improving, along with nearby areas like the Design District, Wynwood, and Edgewater. There are strong efforts to protect the beautiful MiMo architecture.

Community Improvements

Residents of the Upper Eastside have worked to keep their neighborhood special. They wanted to prevent very large buildings from being built. In 2007, the Miami City Commission looked at new building rules and even put a temporary stop on new construction. Since many homes were built in the late 1920s, residents want to keep the area's historic feel.

There have been many projects to make the area look better. Biscayne Boulevard recently got a beautification and landscaping makeover. Parks like Legion Park and Eaton Park have new playground equipment. There are also ongoing efforts to improve the Little River Canal and keep the community safe.

Schools and Libraries

The Upper Eastside has several schools and a public library for kids and families.

Public Schools

Miami-Dade County Public Schools runs these public schools:

• Morningside K-8 Academy
• Phyllis R. Miller Elementary School

Private Schools

Here are some private schools in the Upper Eastside:

• Morningside Montessori School
• The Cushman School

Libraries for Learning

The Miami-Dade Public Library operates the local public library:

• Lemon City Library

Parks and Green Spaces

The Upper Eastside has many parks where you can relax and play:

• Morningside Park
• Legion Park
• Baywood Park
• Belle Meade Mini Park
• Military Trail Park
• North Shorecrest Park
• Manatee Bend Park