Mission
and Vision

Welcome to the Mid River District.

Mission and Vision

Welcome to the Mid River District.

There’s life on the river. But that’s nothing new.
For over 2,000 years, the Miami River has nurtured settlements, sustained
communities, and connected vibrant neighborhoods. But like so many cities built
around the power and potential of a waterway, the river has faded into the
background of modern Miami—a serene backdrop to a patchwork of
inaccessible industrial warehouses and private condos.

Until now.
We are passionate about reviving the area’s storied past as a cradle of the
city’s creative community. Embracing the unrealized vision of the city’s original
developers, we are breathing local life back into the banks of the Miami River.
From the open-air park that winds its way along the waterfront to residential
vistas and tastes by local chefs, the neighborhood blends a rich history with a
future that’s yet to be discovered.

Riverfront Culture

Bringing Miami’s riverfront to life with open air spaces and activity. A strong selection of outdoor concepts and spaces that promote a pedestrian culture along the riverfront.

Programming

Injecting the area with culture through a jam – packed calendar of events. Ressurecting the area’s rich history and partnering with Miami’s lead institutions, to create a calendar filled with concerts, performances, markets and showcases.

Public Art

Transforming everyday items into moments of art appreciation and visual cursors. A series of city wide campaigns to bring a visual identity to Mid River though tactical urban planning and public space innovation.

Community

The details and offerings that will make everyone feel supported. Riverwalk Park will be the launchpad for getting to know the entire neighborhood in one go with helpful tools, physical markers, and a strong emphasis on accessibility.

Neighborhood Vision

To create a new destination. A vibrant neighborhood that’s close to the center
of it all but still under the radar. Where you can find what city dwellers everywhere
are seeking a seamless integration of nature, trade, and leisure that makes everyone
feel right at home. A place rich with history and racing toward a future that’s ready to
be written.

A place rich with history racing toward a future thats ready to be written.

For over 2,000 years, the Miami River has nurtured settlements, sustained communities, and connected vibrant neighborhood.

Founded in 2019, Mid River District is the catalyst for the current renaissance along the Miami River, resurfacing over 2,000 years worth of priceless history along the central waterway. Originally, the Miami River drew its water flow from natural rapids and springs in the Everglades. This fresh supply and its overgrown seclusion made it a promising location for early settlements of South Floridas

Tequesta population, who cared for and lived off the land for several millennia. Many of these mounds still archeologically preserved to this day. As the surrounding city began to grow and modernize, the river itself became the home of many of Miami’s cultural settlers from the Spanish to the industrialists that would build it into the city it is today.

On the north bank of the river, just feet away from Mid River Ő’s doorstep, Henry Morrison Flagler brought his famed train line and, along with many of Miami Ő’s earliest developers and land owners (i.e. Julia Tuttle and William Brickell), transformed the Miami River into a central trading post for South Florida Ő’s growing economic state. While the historical waterway has sat underutilized for decades due to

over-industrialization, dredging, and luxury yacht clubs that enshrouded the area with an air of exclusivity, the Miami River is finally making its way back to the essential artery it was envisioned as. Mid River is our response to this unrealized vision Ń an enduring waterfront community that blends art, leisure, and commerce together Ń restoring the waterway to its original glory and back to life.

Did You Know?

Miami River Historical Tid-bits.

  • The Miami River evolved over thousands of
    years from a freshwater stream that carried
    water from the Everglades to Biscayne Bay
    to a tidal channel into.
  • It is the oldest natural landmark in
    Southeast Florida.
  • The word “Miami” is said to come from
    an Indian word meaning “sweet water”.
  • 2,000 years worth of
    archeological history.
  • Tequesta settlements several
    hundred years ago.
  • Juan Ponce de Leon probably the first
    European to set eyes on the Miami
    River, when he discovered Biscayne
    Bay in July 1513.
  • Trading, military ports, industrial
    movement began as far back as 1500
    – so constant use and convenience.
  • The river has also been known as the
    Garband River, Rio Ratones, Fresh
    Water River, Sweetwater River, and
    Lemon River. It has been known as the
    Miami River since the Second
    Seminole War of 1835–42.

Check out the Shops

As a vibrant community and retail destination, the Mid River District is home to a variety of shops and venues along the beautiful Miami River.