Shenandoah is a beautiful, historically-rich neighborhood located just south of Little Havana and west of Downtown Miami. The neighborhood roughly spans from SW 8th Street (Calle Ocho) to the north to Coral Way to the south, between SW 27th Avenue and SW 12th Avenue.The neighborhood is made up almost entirely of historic single-family homes and duplexes. Aside from the (surprisingly) well maintained historic homes in the neighborhood, the neighborhood is also conveniently located between two major commercial centers- Miracle Mile and Downtown/Brickell.
Shenandoah has gone through immense changes throughout its history, quickly changing demographics in the mid 20th century. It was around this time that the newly arrived Cubans began replacing the non-Hispanic White population, who moved to points north and south of here. The southern area of Shenandoah has still retained a small Greek community, evident in the Greek restaurants and church in the area.
The neighborhood is safe and walkable. Despite being in the center of the city, is very quiet and peaceful. Walking around Shenandoah you’ll notice a lot of historic architectural gems. Some of my favorite buildings in the neighborhood are the Shenandoah Middle School, with its Neo-Classical façade and the Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, originally built in 1927 as the mansion of Miami’s first mayor, John Bernard Reilly. Then there’s also the eclectic mix of architectural styles in the homes in Shenandoah- Bungalow, Miami Pioneer, Neo-Classical, Mission and Modern.
The neighborhood also has a strong feeling of community. The public schools, parks and library in the neighborhood are easily walkable from the homes in the area. Walking around really is pleasant. My favorite park in the neighborhood, and quite possibly one of Miami’s most monumentally rich parks, is the “Cuban Memorial Boulevard Park” located along SW 13th Avenue from SW 8th Street (Calle Ocho) to Coral Way. The park passes through 17 city blocks, with each block featuring a monument, statue, flag or tree memorializing a moment of Cuba and/or Miami’s history. As you walk from Calle Ocho down to Coral Way along this shady park you’ll notice the subtle changes in the neighborhood. Don’t be surprised if someone sparks up a conversation along the way, people in Shenadoah are nice!
Filed under: architecture, historic preservation Tagged: architecture, coral way, cuban memorial park, historic homes, historic preservation, homes, little havana, metro atlantic, miami, old miami, shenandoah, the roads
