A neglected corridor beneath Miami’s Metrorail has been reborn as The Underline, a vibrant 10-mile linear park proving that the city’s most ambitious architecture might just be its most accessible.
WRITTEN BY: RILEY KAMINER
In the high-stakes world of Miami, where luxury is measured in both skyline and shoreline, an audacious new vision has taken hold. It is not a super-yacht or a palatial estate, but a ten-mile-long public space, an elegant ribbon of urban life that has quietly become the city’s most coveted amenity. This is The Underline, an act of sophisticated subversion that transforms the forgotten space beneath the Metrorail into an extraordinary destination. It proves that in a city defined by flash, true luxury can be found in the art of thoughtful, elevated design.
The genesis of this urban marvel traces back to a very personal moment for Miami native Meg Daly, who is now the Chairwoman and Friends of The Underline Board Member. After a biking mishap, she found herself walking, for the first time, beneath the very transit system she had always seen from a car window. There, she discovered a forgotten corridor. “The idea for The Underline came from a very personal moment,” Daly recalls. “I noticed something I had never seen from my car: a wide, shaded, continuous corridor… standing there, I thought: Why isn’t this space being used for something more—something that connects people instead of just moving trains?” This simple question became the spark for a grand, almost improbable, urban renewal.
To realize this dream, Daly enlisted James Corner Field Operations, the fabled landscape architects behind New York’s High Line. The collaboration wasn’t about replication; it was about creating a masterpiece uniquely tailored to Miami’s vibrant soul. “From the start, we wanted The Underline to be more than a path—it had to be a destination,” Daly explains. “Every element—from native and climate-resilient landscaping to custom seating was planned with both beauty and durability in mind.” The park unfolds as a series of “exceptionally curated ‘rooms’,” each with its own character: the reflective calm of the River Room, or the joyous chaos of the Hammock Playground.
The impact has been profound, creating a new gold standard for urban living. Much like its New York counterpart, The Underline has become a powerful economic engine, a testament to the value of visionary public space. “Luxury residential buyers are increasingly seeking walkable neighborhoods with direct access to green space, culture, and wellness amenities,” Daly observes. “The Underline offers all three in a way that’s uniquely Miami. It is redefining how people perceive and value properties along its 10-mile stretch.” It’s an amenity that connects neighborhoods and provides a sublime, car-free link to mass transit, attracting a sophisticated demographic that prizes both convenience and aesthetics.
With nearly 300 events a year, from serene sound bowl meditations to the high-fashion spectacle of the annual Sneaker Ball, The Underline is a place where art, wellness, and community converge. “It is distinctly Miami—lush, colorful, and culturally layered,” Daly says, highlighting its native flora and public art that reflects the city’s diverse, electric energy. When its full ten-mile span is completed in 2026, The Underline will be more than a park; it will be the very spine of Miami’s walkable, livable future— a timeless and elegant legacy in a city always in motion.
Luxury residential buyers are increasingly seeking walkable neighborhoods with direct access to green space, culture, and wellness amenities. The Underline offers all three in a way that’s uniquely Miami. – MEG DALY
