Wynwood-Miami, FL - Metro 1 Properties' President Tony Cho and commercial sales associate, Tony Arellano, have just secured a 1.5 acre marquee location for Sunbelt Rentals in the heart of Wynwood, Miami. Metro 1 represented Sunbelt Rentals, which is a publicly traded company on London Stock Exchange with 428 locations worldwide. This is a signal that the downtown market is maturing as more and more large national retailers move into the area following The Shoppes at Midtown's late 2006 arrival.

Metro 1 Properties established list of commercial real estate services includes tenant and landlord representation. A breakdown of Metro 1 Properties' landlord and tenant representation services includes, but is not limited to leasing negotiations, tenant prospecting, product positioning, smart marketing strategies, location research, building condition and competitive property valuation marketing analysis.

Metro 1 Properties is a fresh concept which integrates the tools of a marketing firm and the power of real estate brokerage to bring you the maximum value through maximum exposure and cooperation. Metro 1 Properties' mission is to market, sell, lease and manage real estate in urban centers and surrounding areas promoting sustainable growth and responsible development. For more information on Metro 1 Properties please visit www.metro1properties.com or call the Metro 1 Properties office at 305.571.9991.

Wynwood-Miami, FL - Metro 1 Properties officially announces their “Urban Spaces Leasing Division,” the latest addition to the company’s lengthy list of services. The Urban Spaces Leasing Division will focus on locating short-term spaces for events, gallery exhibitions, film productions and photo shoots. This division has exclusive access to a large assortment of spaces ranging from the unique, industrial warehouse to the luxury home with waterfront views.

From one day and beyond, Metro 1 Properties provides those who seek space all that they require and more. The Urban Spaces Leasing Division marries professional real estate brokerage services with the extensive knowledge of a location scout, bringing forth a combination of expertise unlike any other firm. The division has previously leased spaces out to national corporations for commercials as well as traveling dinner parties from Los Angeles and well-known art galleries. Metro 1 Properties’ Urban Spaces Leasing Division is gearing up for this year’s Art Basel where the firm expects to lease a large number of spaces to galleries from across the globe as it did last year.

Metro 1 Properties is a fresh concept which integrates the tools of a marketing firm and the power of real estate brokerage to bring you the maximum value through maximum exposure and cooperation. Metro 1 Properties’ mission is to market, sell, lease and manage real estate in urban centers and surrounding areas promoting sustainable growth and responsible development. For more information on Metro 1 Properties please visit www.metro1properties.com or call the Metro 1 Properties office at 305.571.9991.

Chicago, IL - For the month of November Metro 1 Properties will host the "Metro Mixer" at Chicago's well-known N9NE Steakhouse & Ghostbar in conjunction with Chicago Agent Magazine. All of this is in celebration of the Greenbuild Expo being held in Chicago from November 7-9th. Throughout the year Metro 1 Properties has hosted a series of "Metro Mixers," a monthly networking event where South Florida's top professionals meet to strengthen business relationships. As a member of the USGBC, it was only natural that Metro 1 Properties would attend this year's Greenbuild Expo as well as create a platform for realtors and like-minded professionals to network in a casual atmosphere.

The "Metro Mixers" have been a favorite for many in the South Florida real estate industry known for the event's charitable partners, media sponsors and speakers in addition to the complimentary "Metro-tinis" and hors d'oeuvres. The "Metro Mixers" serve the community by working in conjunction with local charities such as The Miami Rescue Mission, A Better Way Miami and The Neighborhood Housing Authority to raise awareness and funding. Past events have been held at established locations such as Karu & Y, Grass Lounge, O Asian Grill and Tarpon Bend to name a few.

Metro 1 Properties is a fresh concept which integrates the tools of a marketing firm and the power of real estate brokerage to bring you the maximum value through maximum exposure and cooperation. Metro 1 Properties' mission is to market, sell, lease and manage real estate in urban centers and surrounding areas promoting sustainable growth and responsible development. For more information on Metro 1 Properties please visit www.metro1properties.com or call the Metro 1 Properties office at 305.571.9991.

Miami - Metro 1 Properties, a Miami-based commercial real estate services firm, has been named the exclusive leasing and marketing agent for One Flagler, the iconic Morris Lapidus-designed office tower located along Flagler Street in the heart of downtown Miami's bustling Central Business District. Currently undergoing a dramatic multi-million dollar restoration, One Flagler features leasable office and retail space available for immediate occupancy.

Metro 1 Properties' president Tony Cho will lead the team responsible for marketing the property regionally, nationally and internationally. According to Cho, Metro 1 Properties will target a strong mix of professional service firms as tenants and owners, as well as jewelers and investors interested in long-term investment opportunities at one of downtown Miami's premier addresses for business.

"One Flagler is a smart decision for business owners who want a Class A location, high-end quality product at an affordable rate," said Cho. "With rents on Brickell, Miami Beach and Coral Gables increasing to $40 to $50 per square foot triple-net, One Flagler offers a comparable product at one-half the price."

The 145,000 square foot, 15-story office and retail property offers suites ranging from 300 to 10,000 square feet, accommodating the needs of both small and large businesses. One Flagler's for-lease rates start at an accessible $25 per-square-foot gross with attractive first year incentives. In addition, the building offers valet parking and has been upgraded with a new lobby, roof, elevator modernization, HVAC overhaul, as well as aesthetic upgrades to all restrooms and common areas to name a few.

"One Flagler presents a tremendous opportunity for small and mid-size professional service firms to rent at an attainable price point, in the heart of downtown Miami," said Jeremy Green, managing partner of Apex, the firm managing the financing, renovation and marketing of One Flagler. " The CBD has the potential to become one of America's great urban downtowns, alongside Chicago, Boston and New York, and we're excited that the landmark One Flagler office tower is playing a part in the area's historic revitalization and eventual transformation into a world-class city."

Designed by famed architect Morris Lapidus, One Flagler offers a signature style evidenced by the building's efficient design, practical floor plates and ample window lines. One Flagler is a timeless landmark that exemplifies utility and design for the modern business owner.

The One Flagler leasing and management office is located at 14 NE First Avenue, Suite 1205. For more information, please call Tony Cho of Metro 1 Properties at 305.577.7776.

About Metro 1 Properties

Metro 1 Properties is the premiere commercial real estate brokerage with a focus on sustainable urban real estate solutions, including site selection, design and marketing consultation, new construction, existing buildings, and affordable housing. Metro 1 Properties' mission is to market, sell, lease and manage real estate in urban centers and surrounding areas promoting sustainable growth and responsible development. www.metro1properties.com

About Apex Development & Management Group

With a reputation for success developing and operating commercial properties and developments in Miami's most dynamic urban neighborhoods, Apex is a catalyst for the ongoing evolution of South Florida's real estate landscape. The firm operates with a singular focus: generating attractive financial results through commercial and residential development in upcoming urban neighborhoods. From property analysis and financing, to construction management and leasing, Apex's experienced professionals manage every aspect of the investment and development process. Visit www.apexdmg.com for further information.

Miami, FL - Metro 1 Properties, Inc. welcomes Carl Hildebrand, the newest addition to the firm's team of city-savvy, urban associates. Mr. Hildebrand, as the Director of Green Building Initiatives, positions Metro 1 as the premiere real estate brokerage for those interested in going green. As Director he will be providing sustainable urban real estate solutions to Metro 1 Properties customers based on his Sustainable Value Network, as well as spearheading the firm's Green/LEED certified building curriculum.

Mr. Hildebrand is a graduate of the University of Miami, where he developed his interest in Latin American Political Science, International Studies and Geography. In addition, Mr. Hildebrand completed his graduate work from American University's School of International Service and studied abroad to Oxford University, Trinity College and Initiatives of Change in Caux, Switzerland. In support of his alma mater he is the President of the South Florida American University Alumni Association.

In 2006, Mr. Hildebrand joined the United States Green Building Council South Florida Chapter where he currently volunteers as the Miami Branch Program Chair. As Principal on the Slow Food Miami Advisory Board, he encourages a future of good, clean and fair food. Participation within these organizations continues to develop his interest in sustainability, environmental design and real estate.

Also known as "The Green Broker," (www.thegreenbroker.com) Mr. Hildebrand is interested in developing smarter choices for better living in South Florida through projects like Green Flamingos (Green business forum), the Green Office at CASADECOR, Earth Dance Film Festival, articles in 944 Magazine, and both residential/commercial projects. Mr. Hildebrand coordinates forums on Green initiatives and is available to speak to any group or development team.

Metro 1 Properties is the premiere "green" commercial real estate brokerage with a focus on sustainable urban real estate solutions, including site selection, design and marketing consultation, new construction, existing buildings, and affordable housing. Metro 1 Properties offers a one-stop shop for the socially and environmentally conscience customer by providing essentially everything one would need perform under LEED standards. For more information on Metro 1 Properties please visit www.metro1properties.com or call the Metro 1 Properties office at 305.571.9991.

Message from Tony Cho

Metro 1 has had a tremendous 1st quarter thanks to all the hard work and determination of our associates and staff. Revenue has been steadily climbing since inception almost three years ago and the company is growing in both numbers and revenue. This past quarter Metro 1 welcomed Carl Hildebrand, who will be leading our Green building initiatives, sustainability services, and overseeing our in-house green curriculum for all agents, staff and preferred customers. We also welcomed Suzanna Mishiev, Assistant Director at One Flagler, a tremendous office building in Miami's CBD and Amy Aronson, who will be focused on leasing residential income producing properties.

As we enter the 2nd quarter of 2008, we are finally starting to see more realistic pricing in income producing commercial and residential assets and many more investors and users are back out in the market looking for opportunities.

Although there is still limited access to capital, rates are at historic lows and foreign currencies (especially the Canadian dollar, the English pound, and the Euro) add tremendous additional savings for investors and users alike. Banks are eager yet extremely cautious to lend following the continued meltdown of the sub prime mortgage sector.

We are noticing that most institutional and a lot of private capital tends to follow Class A product in well located areas. In South Florida, many REITs such as First Industrial and Prologis are launching large scale industrial developments throughout Florida.

For landlords and sellers, now is the time to be flexible and creative in your strategies and pricing. I would say to investors and users that it is time to be out in the market looking to make the very best deal possible. This can be achieved by doing your homework and finding a good professional to help you navigate through very uncertain economic times.

Metro 1 is well positioned and is providing creative commercial real estate solutions to our investors, tenants, landlords and sellers. As the premier urban real estate firm, Metro 1 has access to many opportunities and the ability to take those opportunities and turn them into cash producing investments.

There is no better time to be in real estate and no better place in this country than Miami. With an over supply across the board in many asset classes and more inventory being delivered over the next 24 month, we can anticipate prices dropping further over that same period; however, many say that the bottom is near and that we won't stay there very long.

------------------

One Flagler - Office in CBD

Metro 1 Properties named exclusive sales and leasing agents for new project!

Metro 1 Properties has been named the exclusive leasing and marketing agent for One Flagler, the iconic Morris Lapidus-designed office tower located along Flagler Street in the heart of downtown Miami's bustling Central Business District. Currently undergoing a dramatic multi-million dollar restoration, One Flagler features leasable office and retail space available for immediate occupancy.

The 145,000 square foot, 15-story office and retail property offers suites ranging from 20 to 12000 square feet, accommodating the needs of both small and large businesses. One Flagler's for-lease rates start at an accessible $25 per-square-foot gross with attractive first year incentives. Additionally, the building offers valet parking and has been upgraded with a new lobby, roof, elevator modernization, HVAC overhaul, as well as aesthetic upgrades to all restrooms and common areas to name a few.For more information, visit www.oneflagler.com

Q1 2008 Top Sales Associate

Congratulations Fabian Graff

Metro 1 Properties recognizes Fabian Graff as the Top Sales Associate for the first quarter of 2008. Graff's top deal this quarter included the sale and partial leaseback of a 100,000sf warehouse in Hialeah, formerly home to Beckman Coulter. Graff is a senior investment specialist with the firm with a concentration in industrial properties.

------------------

Why buy or build green?

Interesting Factoids

Your return on investment for a green building is 74% more likely compared to 47% on a non-green building.

The economic benefits of green buildings include reduced operating costs and enhanced asset value and profits.

Green building occupancy rates average 61% compared 41% in non-green buildings.

Source: United States Green Building Council

------------------

Metro 1 Properties Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 10, 2008 M1 Gallery Grand Opening featuring the work of Vicenta Casan @ Metro 1 Properties from 7-11PM. Enjoy complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

Friday, May 17, 2008 Green Flamingos sustainability networking event @ Metro 1 Properties from 6-8PM. Enjoy complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

------------------

A note from the Director of Green Building Initiatives

The triple bottom-line-also referred to as TBL, 3B, or more specifically people, planet and profit-is an organizational measurement system considering social, environmental and economic success. First coined by writer and entrepreneur John Elkington in 1994 the system is just now resonating. As the Director of Green Building Initiatives, I am addressing Metro 1's current TBL initiatives and future goals within these areas of the brokerage:

People

To maintain a competitive advantage in the ever-changing market place, Metro 1 heavily invests in training its team of urban associates. This is no exception in regards to becoming US Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professionals (AP). By December all Metro 1 agents are required to have achieved their accreditation, which is quickly becoming a benchmark in the industry.

Reaching out beyond the office, community connection is also very important at Metro 1. Social business events like Metro Mixers, and educational events like Green Flamingos, which offers opportunities to network with green professionals from our Sustainable Value Network (SVN) connect people in countless ways.

Planet

As Metro 1 grows, the company is exercising its purchasing power by choosing green office furniture with either Cradle to Cradle or GREENGUARD Certification. However; most importantly, we are incorporating the new with the old. Our tables and outdoor chairs are being made from reclaimed materials sourced from abandoned buildings.

Metro 1 is launching an awareness campaign to protect and plant native South Florida Slash Pines. In our parking lot, we have one of ten pine trees left in downtown Miami as the Pine Rocklands Habitat has been officially designated at a "globally imperiled habitat."

Profit

Green business is good business. Investing in energy efficient appliances, waste reduction approaches, as well as research and development into new cleaner, greener technologies saves time, money, energy, and a big carbon footprint. Metro 1 is switching from styrofoam to ceramic coffee cups to reduce waste and plans to expand its paper recycling program to include plastic and glass despite no local pick-up.

On a larger scale, for its own office Metro 1 retrofitted an old warehouse near downtown Miami maximizing the structure's use for its own offices. The urban working space has high ceilings with excellent lighting, air quality and amenities such as an eat-in kitchen that has helped increase agent productivity and wellbeing while lowering sick days.

In less than a month, a Green Building Resource Center will be a main fixture in the Metro 1 lobby. This effort is to encourage and educate clients and visitors alike about sustainable initiatives at work and home. Please visit soon to pick up information from the US Green Building Council as well as local suppliers providing green solutions.

The best return on investment (ROI) is one that not only benefits the investor but also the environment and his or her employees. Only by addressing and measuring an organization's social, environmental and economic success can true business vitality can be determined. Metro 1 Properties is alive is this down market. Being apart of the greater solution never felt so good.

------------------

Metro Green

Metro 1 Properties launches Sustainable Services Division

Meeting the demands of today, Metro 1 Properties continues to lead the way by becoming one of the first "Green" brokerages in Florida. The launch of Metro 1 Properties' Sustainability Services Division consists of a myriad of "green" services that includes site selection, design and marketing consultation, new construction, existing buildings and affordable housing. As a member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Metro 1 Properties has integrated sustainable growth and development in the firm's infrastructure creating a platform for real estate professionals to flourish in a niche market.

------------------

Greenbuild Conference 2008

Boston, MA

Metro 1 Properties will be one of the only real estate brokerages in the country to exhibit at the USGBC's Greenbuild Conference in Boston, MA this November. Last year, Greenbuild attracted more than 23,000 attendees and is expected to double in size for the 2008 conference.

"Buildings play a critical role in protecting and improving our environment and the health of the people who occupy them. USGBC's Greenbuild conference and expo is an unparalleled opportunity to connect with other green building peers, industry experts, and influential leaders as they share insights on the green building movement and its diverse specialties." - USGBC

------------------

In The Community

Metro 1 Properties volunteers at Northwestern High School

Metro 1 Properties recently participated in a volunteer event held at Northwestern High School. Organized by the Non-Violence project, the event brought the community and students together by planting donated trees and shrubs, painting, and installing a "Peace Pole" in the school's courtyard. The goal of the all-day event was to increase morale and school pride amongst students.

Bal Harbour-Miami, FL - Metro 1 Properties’ President Tony Cho and commercial leasing associate, Alvaro Giraldo, have just secured a 2,000 square foot exclusive location for Segefredo Café in the upscale Shops of Bal Harbour. According to Women’s Wear Daily, The Shops of Bal Harbour does more business per square foot than any other retail venue and is currently home to high-end stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Chanel, Gucci and Neiman Marcus. Metro 1 Properties represented Vida y Estilo, a restaurant group that owns and operates five of the finest establishments in the heart of South Beach in addition to another Segefredo located in Brickell. The decision to expand to Bal Harbour was partly due to the success of the Brickell Segefredo location which is known to be frequented by Miami’s upper echelon of business professionals and celebrities. According to Segefredo this was a smooth transaction and stated that “Metro 1 Properties is the best combination of professionals, performance and value for our Real Estate needs.”

Bal Harbour is excited to have Segefredo join their impressive and prestigious roster of shops and construction is currently under way. The location offers 1,000 square feet of indoor space with an additional 1,000 square foot terrace. Located on the second floor, this space was formerly home to the Panini Café and is located next to the American Express store. The Shops of Bal Harbour and Vida y Estilo are a perfect marriage, each highly successful and respected in their own right. Metro 1 Properties worked closely to secure this seven year lease with Matthew Lazenby, leasing director and partner in The Bal Harbour Shops.

Metro 1 Properties offers an established list of commercial real estate services including tenant and landlord representation. A breakdown of Metro 1 Properties’ landlord and tenant representation services includes, but is not limited to leasing negotiations, tenant prospecting, product positioning, smart marketing strategies, location research, building condition and competitive property valuation marketing analysis.

Based in Miami, Metro 1 Properties Inc. is a boutique commercial real estate brokerage dedicated to providing a superior level of advisory and transaction services for clients conducting business throughout the world. We offer clients the services of a vertically-integrated, full service brokerage with a unique twist: the power of an advertising firm as well. Our services include commercial sales and leasing, landlord and tenant representation, sustainability services, M1 debt and equity financing and M1 marketing.

Our focus is to build community and effect the redevelopment of the urban core through strategic alliances with private investors, developers, landlords, retailers, tenants and governmental entities and to promote services that are sustainable, always advocating for smart growth. For more information on Metro 1 Properties please visit www.metro1properties.com or call the Metro 1 Properties office at 305.571.9991.

Miami, FL – Metro 1 Properties, Inc. welcomes Daniel de la Vega, the newest addition to the firm’s team of city-savvy urban associates. After a successful run in residential real estate, whereby he was involved in and closed transactions in excess of $50 million in five years, Daniel’s focus now will be in investment grade commercial real estate. De la Vega will be active within all of Metro 1 Properties’ specialties, including and focusing on landlord and tenant representation for leasing and exclusive sales advisory on investments sales. Daniel holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance and Marketing, and is in the process of getting his Masters in Real Estate as well as his CCIM.

MIAMI - A well-known real estate company recently announced that Miami had the nation’s lowest suburban office market vacancy rate at 6.5%. According to the company's recently released United States National Office Vacancy Index for the second quarter of 2007, Fort Lauderdale was next at 7.0%, and Orlando was third at 7.7%

Charlotte had the nation’s lowest downtown office vacancy rate, followed by Manhattan and Boston. With a 3.1% rate, Charlotte had the lowest Downtown office vacancy in the country for the second straight quarter. Midtown Manhattan followed with a 4.8% rate.

“Demand for office space remained strong across the country, as evidenced by the second quarter’s 17 msf of positive absorption,” said Ward Caswell, CBRE’s U.S. director of research. On a national basis, downtown office vacancy was 10.6%, down 20 basis points from the previous quarter, while overall suburban office vacancy was 13.7%, also dropping 20 basis points from the first quarter.

Courtesy of http://www.frej.net

Top city officials are touting a public-private partnership (PPP) as a possible financing mechanism for a proposed $200 million downtown streetcar project. Miami’s chief financial officer, operations director and assistant transportation coordinator visited government representatives in two European cities and spoke with potential investors about the scheme and came back optimistic that a PPP could be successful in Florida. “The financing vehicle they use to deliver a lot of their facilities has not been used in the United States at all,” CFO Larry Spring told Miami Today. “In this structure, there are safeguards built in, a way for governments to control and share the risks with developers of projects.”

Once the city commission passes enabling legislation, officials hope to issue a request for proposals this fall for a build-operate-maintain deal. A contract is expected to be awarded in December 2008 followed by revenue service in December 2011. The city's share of the capital cost would be funded with federal grants, the transportation sales tax and revenues and interest generated by the streetcar system. Meanwhile, one potential bidder has already come forward. Grupo Soares da Costa SGPS of Portugal has confirmed it plans to assemble a consortium to bid on the three-line streetcar. The city is currently conducting a detailed engineering analysis, seeking possible funding sources and refining cost estimates.

Courtesy of http://www.heritagetrolley.org/

By JULIA CHAPLIN

Published: February 3, 2008

THE art and cocktail bacchanal known as Art Basel Miami Beach was still three months away, but that didn't stop a hundred artists and their hangers-on from cramming into a raw and unoccupied restaurant in Miami's Design District last fall. Glasses of Red Bull and vodka flowed freely. A noise band, armed with electric guitars and homemade synthesizers, jammed so loudly that it seemed to disturb the entire neighborhood. A gang of fresh-faced artists in tight T-shirts and worn-out jeans suspended a six-foot-long digital timer from the ceiling that counted down the milliseconds left in the party.

At the same time, another crowd had gathered at World Class Boxing, an old gym in a strip mall about 20 blocks away that had been delicately transformed by art collectors into a climate-controlled gallery. Guests admired works by international artists like Jim Lambie and Olafur Eliasson as more drinks flowed - this time from the gallery owners' private wine label.

The most unusual thing about this art-saturated Saturday night in Miami was that it wasn't unusual at all. Since Art Basel Miami Beach touched down on this city's palm- and condo-strewn shores six years ago, a contemporary art wave has swept across Miami like a tropical storm. Art is everywhere, from the walls of boutique hotels where works by young art stars have replaced the stark minimalism of the 1990s, to what might be the nation's first contemporary art shopping mall, the Aventura Mall.

So if you missed all the hullabaloo of Art Basel, with its 43,000 visitors, countless receptions and exhibits crammed into four days in early December, not to worry. A dizzying amount of art and its whimsical after-parties now rages on all season long.

"Every gallery and institution plans their best shows during Art Basel," said Terence Riley, the director of the Miami Art Museum, who is spearheading an ambitious $220 million new home for the museum designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. "But they generally stay up for a few months afterwards. It's a secret time to see international, museum-quality art."

The best part of heading down to Miami now for a sun-kissed art crawl is that there are no lines, super-tight guest lists or jacked-up hotel rates. Add to that several high-profile private collections, the meteoric rise of local artists and a rush of new galleries to showcase them, and Miami has matured from a fleeting, skin-deep art showcase into an unlikely cultural oasis.

And unlike cities with long artistic roots, Miami offers a uniquely high-low thrill: you can glimpse museum-grade art at impressive private galleries in the morning, then dodge loitering crack dealers and prostitutes in the afternoon, as you search for promising new talent in the city's sketchier areas.

"The Miami art scene is somewhere between young adulthood and late adolescence," Mr. Riley said. "It's no longer a kid, but it's still happy-go-lucky and trying to figure out what it wants to do with its future."

The prime place to witness Miami's art odyssey is not in glittery Miami Beach, but across Biscayne Bay, along the sun-bleached avenues of the once-derelict Wynwood Art District. Before Art Basel came to town, Wynwood was an industrial wasteland with just a handful of pioneering galleries and private collections like the Rubell Family Collection and the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse. But over the last few years, a bevy of enterprising new galleries have either relocated or opened up shop.

"CONTEMPORARY art is the new glamour," said Rosa de la Cruz, the Miami-based art collector and philanthropist. "Of course, there's a danger that it will become trendy. But it's better to have a glam image than a crime image."

Now there are some 70 galleries and counting, from upstarts like the Spinello Gallery and David Castillo Gallery, to internationally regarded galleries like Fredric Snitzer, Kevin Bruk and Emmanuel Perrotin. Sandwiched between tire shops and clothing wholesalers, their concrete facades are freshly painted in purples, pinks and charcoals - giving the area the feeling of a discount bohemian frontier, where idiosyncratic experiments in art and commerce are possible because of cheap rents, too much space and plenty of parking.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the quality of the work is uneven, ranging from captivating to horribly clichéd. During my visit in early December, I saw trite performances that involved a woman suspended from a harness, and art installations that looked like art school projects.

More thought-provoking work was found at Twenty Twenty, a scrappy gallery that opened near vacant lots where prostitutes and drug dealers ply their trade. It was started by Scott Murray, a 27-year-old with tousled hair and a sunburn who was wearing skinny jeans when he greeted me outside. Inside, scattered on the floor, was a piece called "How to Become A Millionaire in 100 Days." The artist, a 24-year-old named Jen Stark, spent 100 days tearing a million scraps of colored paper - a not-so subtle statement about the hyper-commercialized art market.

Hoping to see more, I accidentally pushed through a white curtain and ended up in Mr. Murray's tiny bedroom.

In this young art pond, places like Fredric Snitzer Gallery are held as the art establishment. A sort of godfather of the local art scene, Mr. Snitzer championed Miami artists like Hernan Bas and Naomi Fisher long before contemporary art was considered cool in Miami. Three years ago, he moved his gallery from Coral Gables to a sprawling warehouse in Wynwood.

"An adventurous collector can wade through and find something good amongst the heap," Mr. Snitzer said of Wynwood. "A space will have terrible shows for months and then a great one. You really have to look."

Where you won't have to look too hard is at the district's private art collections. Places like Rubell and Margulies have blossomed in recent years into world-class viewing opportunities, and their numbers continue to grow.

Among the splashiest is the Cisneros Fontanals Arts Foundation, founded in 2002 by the Venezuelan philanthropist Ella Fontanals-Cisneros. From the outside, the collection looks like a glassy high-end boutique - a stark contrast to the surrounding concrete blight. Inside, the gleaming structure has works by Damien Hirst, Mateo López and Ai Weiwei that would be the envy of any contemporary art museum.

After dark, the Wynwood art scene moves to a clutch of new restaurants and bars that few of Art Basel's high-rolling sophisticates would be caught dead in. Popular among the upwardly mobile art set is the Lost and Found Saloon, a kitschy Western-themed restaurant with wagon-wheel chandeliers, a desertscape mural and cowhide wall hangings.

I was joined there on a recent Tuesday by two artists in their late 20s, Daniel Newman and Nick Lobo, who were making a pit stop between visits with gallery owners. "Before Miami had import-export and tourism," said Mr. Lobo, a sculptor who attended Cooper Union in New York City but has returned to Miami to jump-start his career. "Now art is our No. 1 export."

That might be an overstatement, but since Art Basel was first held in 2002, Miami artists have been snapped up by galleries in New York, Tokyo and Berlin. Hernan Bas, for example - Miami-born and known for his romantic, vaguely homoerotic paintings - now exhibits at Daniel Reich in New York and Saatchi Gallery in London and is part of MoMA's permanent collection. And last November three Miami artists - Bert Rodriguez, William Cordova and Adler Guerrier - were chosen for the Whitney Biennial, giving the budding scene a high-profile imprimatur.

Not insignificantly, the art scene also has the support of Miami developers and real estate brokers, who offer up free space to young artists and gallery owners for exhibitions as a way of adding cachet to marginal neighborhoods like Wynwood.

"Bank towers, unsold condos, empty office spaces, you name it," Mr. Lobo said. After all, many of the local art collectors are also real estate developers, among them Don and Mera Rubell, Craig Robbins and Marty Margulies.

Hoteliers have also gotten into the act, turning lobbies and suites along South Beach into veritable galleries. Last October, the Sagamore Hotel commissioned the photographer Spencer Tunick to shoot photos and videos at the hotel. An image of 500 nude revelers was unveiled during Art Basel. And at the new Angler's Resort, the walls are adorned with luscious photos of indigenous flowers by the local photographer Sheila DeLemos.

The hubbub has more recently spread to the Design District, 18 blocks dotted with pastel-colored furniture stores from the 1920s and '30s. While several high-end design showrooms like Kartell and Vitra have set up there in recent years, the surplus of raw space has drawn numerous artists.

Indeed, if you're walking around and see a blacked-out storefront or a colorful unmarked door, chances are there's an art project in the works. Wander into the Moore Building - where Design Miami, the design offshoot to Art Basel Miami Beach, is held - and stumble across a white futuristic installation by the architect Zaha Hadid. Push through a door on the second floor and find yourself in the Moore Space, a nonprofit gallery that consistently exhibits internationally acclaimed artists like Tracey Emin and Paul McCarthy.

Or find your way inside the Art Deco Buena Vista office building, where you might see young artists and their friends hauling canvases to the top floor. It is the home of the Bas Fisher Invitational, a so-called "no-profit" space run by the artists Naomi Fisher and Jim Drain.

Behind one of the walls, through a secret cut-out in the sheet rock, is a studio filled with old slide projectors and yarn that is shared by Ms. Fisher and her boyfriend, Mr. Drain, an artist who recently moved to Miami from Rhode Island. In lieu of rent, Mr. Drain pays his landlord with works of art - most recently, a sculpture made of painted toilet seats. (The landlord, Craig Robins, is an avid art collector and a leading Design District developer.)

Around the corner, along a row of purple storefronts, is Nektar De Stagni's Shop, whose windows were recently filled with hundreds of pairs of Ferragamo shoes. Is it a boutique or gallery? Turns out, it is a little of both. Run by Nektar De Stagni, a fashion designer, and her boyfriend, the artist Martin Oppel, the storefront serves as a lifestyle boutique that sells Ms. De Stagni's glammed-up fashions, along with art books, T-shirts and jewelry by local artisans. In the back is a studio cluttered with paintbrushes and sewing machines.

BUT for many of the district's young artists, the shop also doubles as a party information booth. Ms. De Stagni, who moonlights as a D.J. (called Faux Real) at popular artist parties like Poplife on Saturdays at the White Room, is eager to pass along tidbits about the latest hot spots.

If it's the second Saturday of the month, she'll probably clue you into Second Saturday, a loosely organized arts circuit when many galleries time their new shows. Besides the usual white-wine receptions and mobbed openings, there are barbecue competitions judged by artists and impromptu D.J. sets at unlikely venues like Mike's at Venetia, an Irish sports bar on the ninth floor of a condo complex.

Even on nights when there are no receptions, the art party rages. At midnight on a recent Friday, a crowd had gathered at Circa 28, a chill bar that opened in Wynwood in December. It happened to be during the Art Basel fair, but there was not a dolled-up socialite or dark-suited corporate sponsor in sight. Abstract paintings hung crookedly on the walls, and young artists sat languidly under a bookshelf - in marked contrast to the hedonistic, bottle-service hangouts of South Beach. Outside on the deserted sidewalk, a truck pulled up and opened its flatbed to reveal a portable art exhibit and D.J. booth that began to play lounge music.

Soon people trickled out of the bar, beers and all, creating an ad hoc tailgate party. A police car was parked a block away but seemed uninterested. A good clean party is tolerated here, almost protected, in a neighborhood with a history of more serious crime.

No Need to Wait for Art Basel. It's an Art Fair All Year Long.

Miami's go-go art scene is no longer confined to the four-day December circus known as Art Basel Miami Beach. Galleries, private collections and alternative spaces are popping up faster than weeds, particularly in the Wynwood Art District and the Design District. Here are a few places to view art-fair caliber works all season long.

WYNWOOD ART DISTRICT

The Rubell Family Collection (95 Northwest 29th Street; 305-573-6090; www.rubellfamilycollection.com) seems to get bigger and more impressive every year. Housed in an austere warehouse formerly owned by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the collection recently added a leafy sculpture garden. Check out the wondrous videos by the Miami-based artist Hernan Bas, alongside works by the European artists Urs Fischer and Anselm Reyle, until May 31.

For emerging young artists, check out Twenty Twenty (2020 Northwest Miami Court, second floor; 786-217-7683; www.twentytwentyprojects.com), a year-old alternative space on a dodgy industrial stretch. It has generated much buzz for its high-grade talent and festive openings.

The Parisian gallery Emmanuel Perrotin has a satellite location in a former refrigerator warehouse (194 Northwest 30th Street; 305-573-2130; www.galerieperrotin.com). Works by the sculptor Peter Coffin and the French installation artist Tatiana Trove are on view.

Anthony Spinello, 25, runs the jewel-box-size Spinello Gallery (2294 Northwest Second Avenue; 786-271-4223; www.spinellogallery.com), with trendy openings that often feature graffiti and graphic artists.

Andreina Fuentes, owner of Hardcore Art Contemporary Space (3326 North Miami Avenue; 305-576-1645; www.hardcoreartcontemporary.com) fills the space with works centered around social and political issues and pop culture.

DESIGN DISTRICT

You can see tomorrow's art stars at the Bas Fisher Invitational (180 Northeast 39th Street, Suite 210), a so-called "no profit" gallery devoted to edgy, non-commercial work, started by the local artists Hernan Bas and Naomi Fisher.

The low-key Moore Space (4040 Northeast Second Avenue; 305-438-1163; www.themoorespace.org) has exquisitely curated contemporary art shows, thanks to the deep pockets of one of its patrons, Rosa de la Cruz. "French Kissin'," an exhibit of emerging French artists, is on view until March 8.

For a mix of art, fashion and music, stop by Nektar De Stagni's Shop (155 Northeast 38th Street; 786-556-3033; www.nektardestagni.com), a boudoir-esque boutique run by the local fashion designer and D.J. An adjoining studio is used by the artist Martin Oppel, who is also her boyfriend.

WHERE TO PARTY

Circa 28 (2826 North Miami Avenue; 305-722-1858; www.circa28.com), a bar in Wynwood, is decorated like a gentlemen's club and is often the spot for after-parties and impromptu musical performances by visiting bands like the Brazilian Girls and Rapture.

To dance with Miami's young art intelligentsia, hop over to Poplife (www.epoplife.com), the Saturday night party held at the White Room (1306 North Miami Avenue; 305-995-5050; www.whiteroommiami.com), a sleek club that opened in December on the edge of Overtown, an up-and-coming night-life district.

The trendy Japanese bistro Domo Japones (4000 Northeast Second Avenue; 305-573-5474) draws a post-opening crowd with innovative dishes like black edamame, and mirin-glazed short ribs. Dinner, about $75 for two including wine, is served until midnight.

Lost and Found Saloon (185 Northwest 36th Street; 305-576-1008; www.thelostandfoundsaloon-miami.com) is a popular pit stop for gallery hoppers and paint-splattered artists. The laid-back cafe has a campy, frontiersman décor and serves Southwestern fare like "posse energy burritos" ($6.75) and piñon-and-pepita-crusted tofu ($9.25).

Source: The New York Times Online