Miami’s Design District is not a neighborhood rife with residential opportunity, but it anchors a coveted ring of condos and single-family homes. Residents move there to be Design District locals, and the reasons are simple:

It’s a “walkers paradise” – That is the moniker given to the neighborhood by Walk Score, which rated the area a 94/100 for walkability. Contained in a relatively small cut of the city, Miami’s Design District is an exceedingly dense neighborhood, packed with retail stores, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues. In separate interviews with local Realtor Briana Gallagher and SB Architects Vice President Emilio Perez, both referenced the Design District as examples of Miami’s shift towards walkability.

The art, fashion and food – Ask around for the true epicenter of culture in Miami, and you’re likely to get a few different answers – Wynwood, Little Havana, etc. – each with fair cases to be made. But there’s only one SoHo of Miami, as Gallagher put it, and that’s the Design District. The Bossa Gallery, the Galleria Ca’ D’oro, the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami, Maman Fine Art – the Design District’s catalog of art exhibits and collections goes on and on, and it’s matched only by the area’s selection of restaurants and high-end fashion/design outlets.

It’s still finding its place – Maybe the best thing about the Design District is that it’s still up and coming, in terms of defining itself as a Miami neighborhood. The city has plans to connect the are to downtown (and several other neighborhoods) through a street car, and according to the Design District’s website, construction on phase III of the area’s development plan will be complete in 2017. Plans include extending the pedestrian Paseo Ponti north to 41st Street; adding more luxury and fashion brands, like Gucci, Alexander Wang and Eres; and the opening of several new restaurants, such as chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s ABC Kitchen.