Brickell City Centre Traffic Up Double Digits, Swire Shares Hits Record

OMNI. When it first opened it was filled with unique and one of a kind boutiques. There was also a whole section dedicated to designers like Emilio Pucci, Gucci and Chanel. Lots of high end stores. They closed within a couple of years. Don’t bother with an explanation, you weren’t even born yet. Even the JC Penner (yes) had a wine boutique that sold French champagne.
Another example is Merrick Park. Several of the original stores have been replaced by Victoria’s Secret and the likes. So there. Don’t be so quick to judge. Unlike most of you, I can speak from experience having lived here much longer than you’ve been alive. And please, don’t make another stupid comment about my generation needing to go away and die off. Be respectful otherwise I can’t take you seriously.

The Omni must have been around for well more than a couple of years. There was a Jordan Marsh, a Radio Schack, and probably a typewriter store!
It was the closest movie theater for South Beach, since there wasn’t a first un movietheater there in the 80’s and 90’s.
I don’t recall anything close to Sax Fifth Avenue or any of the boutiques that BCC offers, but the Omni was dangerous and uncomfortable as I remember it. When Cocowalk opened, there never any reason to go to Omni.

You cannot compare the OMNI with BCC. BCC is in a VERY established neighborhood. The OMNI when it originally opened did not have the traffic that Brickell currently has… Not even close. Brickell has traffic at all hours of the day. I have lived in downtown Brickell since 2007 and have seen the growth in the last 11 years. It started off slow, but the growth of people living in that area has increased rapidly in the last five years. The demographics have completely changed as well. It is so much more diversified now than it was in 2007. Also, the people living The Grove, Key Biscayne and Brickell are not exactly broke… If you can afford to live in these neighborhoods, you can afford to eat at those restaurants. BCC is the place where those surrounding neighborhoods will shop. Those folks are just an Uber ride away. Also, with the tax changes, I predict we will see an increase of affluent individuals move to Miami specifically Brickell and surrounding neighborhoods. Every year, BCC will get better and better.

Dude, you are old as dirt, but even if you were not, you are comparing apples to oranges. I am only 31 but I was born at Jackson and grew up at the Venetia. The reason why the Omni failed was because the area went to crap in the 90’s. I remember my parents would not even let me walk by myself because there were homeless people and prostitutes even in broad daylight. Unless that happens to Brickell in the next few years, BCC has a bright future in front of it.

Boy, you sure are one funny assuming simp. If you think the Omni Mall was a better Mall than BCC, then that’s your opinion. But as I remember, the Omni Mall wasn’t built with the residential density around it like BCC, nor did it have three floors like BCC. And the village at Merrick Park hasn’t tanked, you may not like some of the stores, but it hasn’t “tanked” yet.

“Unlike most of you, I can speak from experience having lived here much longer than you’ve been alive. And please, don’t make another stupid comment about my generation needing to go away and die off. Be respectful otherwise I can’t take you seriously.”

We see that this guy is one person that’s very assuming and easily insulted and enraged.

Omni was killed by the neighborhood surrounding it collapsing. All the neighborhoods around BCC are excellent.

All good comments… BCC is unique in that it has residences, office workers, and hotels that support mall..

More importantly, downtown living has become popular again and everyone is downsizing to condos and city living.. also people are no longer afraid to see diversity.

I’m neither insulted nor enraged. You are the one that “assumes”. Where did I write that I don’t like “some of the stores” in Merrick? I wrote that some have closed, as some WILL close at BCC. The fact that Omni didn’t have three floors has nothing to do with stores closing either. You can’t compare the Titanic to one of today’s cruise ships, but it was luxurious in 1912. See…you are missing the point. BCC is beautiful. I love the design, the look and feel of it. What I’ve said from the get go is that (my opinion) I don’t think we have the market to sustain some of these stores. Let’s talk again in a couple of years…you funny little assuming simp you! Besitos.

Are you psychologically mad or just mentally delusional?

You wrote “I’ve seen better places (meaning malls) tank.” And then you say “You can’t compare the Titanic to one of today’s cruise ships.”

What?

You’re the one who already made the comparisons with these Malls! And then with your twisted mind you say “See…you are missing the point.”

Is this person crazy or what?

“Let’s talk again in a couple of years…you funny little assuming simp you! Besitos.

Yeah, later for you to Paquito.

First off, BCC does not allow just anyone to lease in their offices or retail space. You must be an established business to get a call back from the leasing office. They are very picky as to who they are ALLOWING to lease in their retail stores. BCC has done everything right. What usually drives a high-density mixed-use development like BCC is the office building(s). As mentioned in the article, they are already 100% leased up. BCC has all the elements in place that make a mixed-use development successful: office, hotel, residential, retail, entertainment, excellent location (in an already established urban neighborhood), next to public transportation (metro mover), close to other high-density neighborhoods and close proximity to major highways. The demographics are aligned with the businesses they have put in place in the mall. This development is not relying on suburb clientele… the target market for this mall are the folks living in Brickell and surrounding neighborhoods. When developers do their market analysis on demographics they only go as far as 5 miles out… that is their target audience. Also, Brickell is becoming a destination place much like Miami Beach. South Americans love Brickell… BCC is also relying on those… Read more »

There are some huge differences between Omni 40-50 years ago and BCC Today.
1-40 years ago the American suburban nightmare killed the American urban centers as a shopping destination.
2- They built the Bal Harbour Mall, so the white middle class who stayed in the quasi-segregated Miami Coastal neighborhoods had a ”safe” place to go spend their money. Today Bal Harbour is dead, The Design District kill it.
3-Population density and demographics: while BCC is within walking distance of thousands of Brickell and Downtown tourists and residents, Omni Depended on people driving from the suburbs.

Design district did not “kill” bal harbour. The Design district is smoke and mirrors and absolutely devoid of character, sales and foot traffic, apart from possibly Hermes. There are vacancies everywheee. bal harbour continues to be busy, restaurants and boutiques. Brickell City Centre has decent foot traffic some stores are faring well, others are not.

All good points. Let’s give BCC a couple of years and see if I’m totally wrong.

can you leftist quit throwing around the term quasi-segregated. How is it segregated when the coastal areas are the most visited. And I hope when you say white you’re including Hispanics since 90% of them living in miami-dade are white.

Excuse the redundancy, but you must be a retarded racist republican. What the hell a Tourist would do in a residential neighborhood. I’m referring to the South Florida coastal neighborhoods, where 2% or less nonwhite residents. For example, when you go drive to places like MorningSide, Bellemeade, etc your car plate will be registered at the gate, even though those streets are serviced with public funds (tax-payers money).