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Just north of 73rd Street, a variety of vegetables can be seen growing on a small square of verdant land. The produce, flourishing in its limited environment, is symbolic of what exists right across the bridge in Park View Isle. There, a slightly secluded island is chock full of life in the form of apartments, condominiums, and townhouses. All are a little different from the other, and nearly all are enjoy a view of the water.

But it wasn’t always that way. Located west of the North Shore neighborhood and east of Normandy Isle and Normandy Shores, Park View Isle, like many areas of Miami Beach, began its life as mangroves. In 1925 it was filled, and an island emerged from the murky bay bottom. Shortly thereafter, in the fall of 1926, South Florida was slammed by a legendary hurricane, halting the land boom of the early 1920s and ending real estate development for a time.

Even during the toughest of years, however, some construction continued. In 1929, the 79th Street Causeway (known then as the Everglades Causeway) was completed, opening the door for further development in North Beach. And by the 1930s Park View Isle was on its way up again. It received concrete seawalls courtesy of Thomas H. Horobin, who also ensured the island would be connected to the oceanfront by constructing a paved parkway, stretching east on 73rd Street.

Now, 70-plus years later, there’s more to Park View Isle than a seawall. A multitude of housing options exist on the island.  Potential residents can live in their choice of condominiums, townhouses, or rental apartments located on streets that boast the names not of flora or fauna or literary figures but of men such as Michael, Gary, Bruce, Wayne, and Raymond.

Encompassing much of real estate in the neighborhood is the 250-plus unit Park View Point condominium, built in 1964. It stands tall on a huge landscaped lot and dominates the island’s east side. Park View Plaza condos built in the 1980s sits in the isle’s center as do a series of low-scale garden apartments that were built during the 1950s and are a mix of condos and rental units. Townhomes from the mid-1950s line the southwestern perimeter of the isle.  Offering fee-simple ownership, the townhomes feature expansive space, garden patios and water views with docks that offer no fixed bridges to the bay.

An island onto itself with only one road (73rd Street) in and out, Park View Isle may not be the easiest neighborhood to find. But if you happen to pass a street and see a vegetable garden sprouting in the city, just step over the short bridge and admire the life all around you. You’ll know instantly you’ve come to the right place.Amenities

North Shore Youth Center

North Beach Community GardenAttractions

Island

Waterfront Townhomes

No Fixed Bridges to Bay

Walking Distance to Beach and Commercial Districts