North Beach Condos: Buildings & Neighborhood Guide

North Beach is the northernmost section of the City of Miami Beach, generally described as running from 63rd Street and Indian Creek Drive north to 87th Terrace. It takes in several distinct neighborhoods, including North Shore, Altos del Mar, Biscayne Point and the Normandy Isles, the bay islands reached by 71st Street. Compared with South Beach and Mid-Beach it is more residential and lower-key, with oceanfront towers along Collins Avenue and smaller apartment buildings on the side streets and islands.

Much of the area's character comes from its post-war architecture. Two districts here are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Normandy Isles Historic District, listed in 2008, and the North Shore Historic District, listed in 2009 and roughly bounded by 73rd Street, 87th Street, Collins Avenue and Hawthorne Avenue. Both are dominated by Miami Modern (MiMo) garden apartment buildings, alongside Mediterranean Revival and Art Deco examples.

Outdoor space is a big part of daily life. North Beach Oceanside Park covers the stretch between 79th and 87th streets along Collins Avenue and the Beachwalk, and the Bandshell on Collins Avenue, a 1961 Norman Giller design listed on the National Register, hosts concerts programmed by the Rhythm Foundation. On the bay side, the public Normandy Shores Golf Course sits on Normandy Shores, one of the Normandy Isles.

For a condo buyer, North Beach offers a wide range of housing: oceanfront towers on Collins Avenue such as Eighty Seven Park, L'Atelier, Monaco Yacht Club and Akoya, and smaller mid-century condominiums on Normandy Isles and in North Shore. Many of the older buildings are subject to Florida's milestone-inspection and structural reserve study requirements, so review recent reports, reserves and any planned assessments. Miami Beach sits on a low-lying barrier island, so check each building's flood zone, elevation and insurance costs before you commit.