Coconut Grove WH Center

In the mid-19th century, the United States Congress enacted the Homestead Act, which gave people the opportunity to own 160 acres of land in exchange for their willingness to spend 5 years living there, build a house and cultivate the land. Historians today debate the merits of the Act and argue over whether it achieved its intended purposes, but one outcome of the Homestead Act that is clearly evident is the fact that South Florida attracted a huge number of migrants, many of whom came north from Key West. An area that attracted a great deal of interest from these settlers was on the east coast about 150 miles north of their Key West starting point. In 1873, that area was named Coconut Grove in honor of a smattering of palm trees growing there, and it is the oldest permanent settlement in all of Miami-Dade County. Today, Coconut Grove has grown into a vibrant and cosmopolitan area, but it still retains a casual, bohemian atmosphere. In fact, the city was recently voted one the country’s top-51 “Coolest Places to Live” by Time Out Magazine. The neighborhood of Coconut Grove WH Center reflects that ethos, combining the upscale hip and cool with the quiet and casual. Many of the homes in the neighborhood feature funky coastal colors along quiet streets that lead to an upscale shopping center with fashionable stores and superb dining. And with easy access to major thoroughfares, city bus stops and the Metrorail, the neighborhood also affords residents the ability to quickly get to a wide range of other amenities. “It’s a vibrant little enclave that has seen a lot of growth recently. It’s bustling,” says Realtor Troy London, himself a resident of the area for more than 20 years.

Home styles in the neighborhood vary from the traditional Mediterranean style favored throughout so much of South Florida, and ranch-style, Craftsman and bungalow homes are common here. The median price of real estate in the Coconut Grove WH Center neighborhood is $675,000, and prospective buyers should expect to pay around $540 per square foot. A compact two-bedroom/one-bathroom ranch-style home can sell for around $400,000, while a three-bedroom/two-bathroom Craftsman-inspired home can list for $1.1 million. “The surrounding area’s property values are incredibly high, and the prices you get in Coconut Grove WH Center are on the more affordable end,” says London.

The neighborhood schools are excellent, too. Students in the neighborhood can attend George Washington Carver Elementary, Ponce de Leon Middle and Coral Gables Senior High School. Both Carver Elementary and Coral Gables Senior High earn an A- rating on Niche.com, and Ponce de Leon Middle earns a B.

The nearby Shops at Merrick Park offer plenty of sustenance to those in search of retail therapy. Featuring a collection of both national and local stores, Merrick Place offers something for everyone. Shoppers will find such luxury stores as Neiman Marcus and Tiffany & Co., as well as Sophora, Crate & Barrel and Lily Pulitzer. When you’ve finished your shopping, you can check out the range of offerings at Yardhouse where you can feast on everything from Wisconsin fried cheese curds to a Korean barbecue cheesesteak. And burger fans will want to make sure they sample one of the restaurant’s signature burgers made with a half-pound of their proprietary blend of USDA prime ground beef. Grocery shopping is a breeze for those times when you want to cook at home, as both Trader Joe’s and Aldi are in the neighborhood.

After all that eating, a trip to the playground is in order. Pierce Playground is tucked into the corner of the intersection of Brooker Street and Oak Avenue, where you’ll find slides, a climbing apparatus, monkey bars and benches. Or you could always head to the beach, which will require a trip in the car (or the Metrorail). Matheson Hammock Beach is approximately 15 minutes away by car, and the beaches of Miami are about a 20-minute drive from the neighborhood.

If you’ve been searching for a neighborhood that features a seamless blend of laid-back coastal with high-energy amenities, check out Coconut Grove WH Center. The neighborhood is a perfect blend of that mix, and the fact that it also offers some of the area’s lowest price points is just an added bonus.

Written By

Andrew Spencer

Photography Contributed By

Yanan Sun

Video By

Austin Lewis