Coral Gables, Florida

Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida and is located Template:Convert southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248.<ref name="2020CensusPopulationByRace" />

The city is a Mediterranean-themed planned community<ref name="About Coral Gables">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> known for its historic and affluent character reinforced by its strict zoning, popular landmarks, and tourist sights.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Coral Gables Candidate Debate">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The University of Miami is located in Coral Gables.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> With 16,479 faculty and staff as of 2021, the university is the largest employer in Coral Gables and second-largest employer in all of Miami-Dade County.<ref>"Largest employers in South Florida", South Florida Business Journal, September 24, 2021</ref>

History

George Merrick's family home, originally known as Coral Gables

Coral Gables was formally incorporated as a city on April 29, 1925. It was and remains a planned community based on the popular early twentieth century City Beautiful Movement and is known for its strict zoning regulations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city was developed by George Merrick, a real estate developer from Pennsylvania, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. Merrick named the development after his family's home, a plantation built in the early 1900s. The main building of their estate had been named Coral Gables because it was built with Miami Limestone (commonly called "coral rock") and coral-colored Ludowici tile.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The city's architecture is almost entirely Mediterranean Revival style, mandated in the original plan,<ref>Template:Citation</ref> with an emphasis on Spanish influence in particular, such as the Coral Gables Congregational Church, donated by Merrick. The domed Catholic Church of the Little Flower was built somewhat later, in a similar Spanish Renaissance style.

Early in the city's planning and development, Merrick shared his vision for Coral Gables as "a most extraordinary opportunity for the building of 'Castles in Spain'," according to Coral Gables historian Arva Moore Parks.<ref name="Castles in Spain">Template:Cite book</ref> Merrick's success in executing this vision for the city would catch the attention of Spain's King, Alfonso XIII, who awarded Merrick the Order of Isabella the Catholic for his support of Spanish culture in Coral Gables.<ref name="Community Newspapers">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="FIU Archives">Template:Cite web</ref>

By 1926, the city covered Template:Convert and had netted $150 million in sales, with over $100 million spent on development.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That year also saw the opening of the Biltmore Hotel and Golf Course, a major landmark in city.

Merrick meticulously designed the city with distinct zones. For example, he designed the Downtown commercial district to be only four blocks wide and more than Template:Convert long. The main artery, now known as Miracle Mile, bisected the business district. Merrick could boast that every business in Coral Gables was less than a two-block walk. The city used to have an electric trolley system, which was ended as a result of the growing usage of automobiles,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but now a new free circulator trolley system, initiated in November 2003, runs down Ponce de León Boulevard. Another distinctive and character-defining feature of the city planned by Merrick are the themed Coral Gables Villages that date to the 1920s and were designed to expand the city's architecture beyond Spanish influence to include Italian, French, and Dutch South African among others.

In 1925, roughly simultaneous to the founding of Coral Gables, the University of Miami was constructed on Template:Convert of land just west of U.S. Route 1, approximately two miles south of Downtown Coral Gables. By the fall of 1926, the first class of 372 students enrolled at the university.<ref name="mnhist">Template:Cite news</ref>

During World War II, many Navy pilots and mechanics were trained and housed in Coral Gables.

The skyline of Coral Gables in December 2014

Spanish-style house built in 1925. The house is typical of the Mediterranean-inspired architecture that has shaped the city of Coral Gables since its creation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Coral Gables has traditionally placed high priority on historic preservation. The city passed its first preservation ordinance in 1973 as many of its founding structures from the 1920s began to reach their 50th anniversaries.<ref name="Historic Preservation Program">Template:Cite web</ref> Further ordinances were enacted in the 1980s establishing the Historic Preservation Board and in the 1990s establishing the Historic Preservation Department, now called the Historical Resources & Cultural Arts Department.<ref name="Historic Preservation Program" />

As part of the city's historic preservation program the Historical Resources Department is tasked with researching and identifying significant properties and local landmarks for listing in the Coral Gables Registry of Historic Places as well as on national historic registers. The department also reviews modifications to locally designated landmarks and initiates grant proposals.<ref name="CG Historic Preservation">Template:Cite web</ref> The Historic Preservation Board is a quasi-judicial body that votes on local landmark designations and other issues pertaining to the historic character of the city.<ref name="CG Historic Preservation Board">Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (64.64%) is water.

Climate

Template:See also Coral Gables has a tropical climate, similar to the climate found in much of the Caribbean. It is part of the only region in the 48 contiguous states that falls under that category. More specifically, it generally has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification, Am).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

Historical demographics	2020<ref name="2020CensusPopulationByRace" />	2010<ref name="2010CensusPopulationByRace" />	2000<ref name="2000CensusPopulationByRace" />	1990<ref name="1990Census1" />	1980<ref name="1980Census1" />
White (Non-Hispanic)	30.6%	40.1%	47.7%	53.2%	65.1%
Hispanic or Latino	58.8%	53.6%	46.6%	41.8%	29.6%
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)	4.8%	2.5%	3.1%	3.1%	4.0%
Asian and Pacific Islander (Non-Hispanic)	2.6%	2.7%	1.7%	1.7%	1.3%
Native American (Non-Hispanic)	< 0.1%	< 0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
Some other race (Non-Hispanic)	0.7%	0.2%	0.2%	0.1%
Two or more races (Non-Hispanic)	2.5%	0.9%	0.7%	N/A	N/A
Population	49,248	46,780	42,249	40,091	43,241

Demographic characteristics	2020<ref name="2020CensusHouseholds">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2020CensusSexByAge">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2020CensusMedianAge">Template:Cite web</ref>	2010<ref name="2010CensusHouseholds">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2010CensusSexByAge">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2010CensusMedianAge">Template:Cite web</ref>	2000<ref name="2000CensusHouseholds">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2000CensusSexByAge">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2000CensusMedianAge">Template:Cite web</ref>	1990<ref name="1990Census1" />	1980<ref name="1980Census1" /><ref name="1980Census2">Template:Cite web</ref>
Households	21,868	20,266	17,849	15,460	16,429
Persons per household	2.25	2.31	2.37	2.59	2.63
Template:Abbr	87.6	89.7	87.6	90.0	88.0
Ages 0–17	16.6%	17.9%	17.4%	15.5%	17.2%
Ages 18–64	63.3%	66.5%	66.8%	67.1%	66.0%
Ages 65 +	20.1%	15.6%	15.8%	17.4%	16.8%
Median age	41.9	38.8	38.1	37.0	36.1
Population	49,248	46,780	42,249	40,091	43,241

Economic indicators
2017–21 American Community Survey	Coral Gables	Miami-Dade County	Florida
Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSPersonalIncome">Template:Cite web</ref>	$63,061	$32,513	$34,367
Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSHouseholdIncome">Template:Cite web</ref>	$113,623	$57,815	$61,777
Poverty Rate<ref name="ACSPoverty">Template:Cite web</ref>	7.5%	15.7%	13.1%
Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment">Template:Cite web</ref>	97.2%	82.5%	89.0%
Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment" />	71.5%	31.7%	31.5%
Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment" />	37.8%	11.9%	11.7%

Language spoken at homeTemplate:Refn	2015Template:Refn	2010Template:Refn	2000<ref name="2000CensusLanguage">Template:Cite web</ref>	1990<ref name="1990Census2">Template:Cite web</ref>	1980<ref name="1980Census3">Template:Cite web</ref>
English	40.0%	39.4%	43.1%	51.8%	63.4%
Spanish or Spanish Creole	53.5%	54.7%	50.2%	42.8%	30.3%
Other Languages	6.5%	5.9%	6.7%	5.4%	6.3%

Nativity	2015Template:Refn	2010Template:Refn	2000<ref name="2000CensusNativity">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2000CensusForeignBorn">Template:Cite web</ref>	1990<ref name="1990Census3">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="1990Census2" />	1980<ref name="1980Census3" />
% population native-born	61.5%	62.3%	62.1%	64.4%	69.9%
... born in the United States	57.5%	58.3%	58.8%	61.2%	67.9%
... born in Puerto Rico or Island Areas	2.0%	2.0%	1.8%	1.6%	2.0%
... born to American parents abroad	2.0%	2.0%	1.5%	1.7%
% population foreign-bornTemplate:Refn	38.5%	37.7%	37.9%	35.6%	30.1%
... born in Cuba	15.0%	16.4%	19.2%	20.3%	15.1%
... born in other countries	23.5%	21.3%	18.7%	15.3%	15.0%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 49,248 people, 18,457 households, and 11,087 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the median household income in the city was $118,203; the estimated per capita income, $74,780. Some 9.5 of citizens were estimated to be living below the poverty line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 46,780 people, 16,453 households, and 10,377 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, 11.4% of households were vacant.

In 2000, 24.45% had children under the age of 18 living with them. As of 2000, in Coral Gables, 61.11% were family households, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.89% were non-families. The average household size was 2.36, and the average household had 1.68 vehicles.

Economy

Miracle Mile and Ponce de Leon Boulevard in Coral Gables in April 2010

Major economic contributors to Coral Gables include:

• The University of Miami, the largest employer in Coral Gables since the city's founding with over 20,000 faculty and staff employees as of 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Baptist Hospital of Miami, the second-largest employer in Coral Gables
• Bacardi, which has its United States headquarters with 300 employees at 2701 Le Jeune Road<ref>"Bacardi U.S.A. Marks Opening of State-of-the Art South Florida Headquarters." Retrieved June 19, 2011.</ref>
• Intelsat has its Latin American headquarters in Suite 1100 at One Alhambra Plaza.<ref>"Corporate web site." Retrieved on October 18, 2010.</ref>
• Fresh Del Monte Produce has its headquarters in Coral Gables<ref>Walker, Elaine. "Machines to sell food that's good for you." Miami Herald. September 26, 2009. Retrieved on October 2, 2009.</ref>
• ExxonMobil has marine fuels operations in Suite 900 at One Alhambra Plaza in Coral Gables<ref>"Contact us marine." ExxonMobil. Retrieved on January 26, 2009.</ref>
• MasTec, Inc., the second-largest Hispanic-owned company in the nation,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> located at 800 South Douglas Road<ref>"MasTec website – about us." MasTec. Retrieved on September 5, 2012.</ref>
• Odebrecht has over 300 employees at its location at 201 Alhambra Circle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• American Airlines maintains Ponce de Leon Travel Center at 901 Ponce De Leon Boulevard.<ref>"Miami And Coral Gables, Florida Travel Center Template:Webarchive." American Airlines. Retrieved on April 9, 2009.</ref>
• Dolphin Entertainment, an independent film studio in Coral Gables<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• FIFA, which maintains its North American headquarters in Coral Gables in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will include Miami.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Tourism

Coral Gables at night in January 2014

Matheson Hammock Park in July 2015

Located four miles from Miami International Airport, Coral Gables has around 140 dining establishments and gourmet shops, and many notable international retailers. Among Coral Gables landmarks are the Venetian Pool, Douglas Entrance, and Miami Biltmore hotel.

Arts and culture

Places of interest

Miami Biltmore Hotel, built in 1926 in Coral Gables and pictured in March 2011

• Coral Gables Villages
• Coral Way
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
• Miami Biltmore Hotel
• Miracle Mile
• Riviera Schools
• Shops at Merrick Park
• University of Miami
• Venetian Pool

Festivals and events

• Festival of Art, University of Miami, held in January<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Carnival on the Mile, Miracle Mile, held in February/March<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Junior Orange Bowl Festival, held in December–January<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Public libraries

Template:Further Miami-Dade Public Library System operates Coral Gables Branch Library in Coral Gables.<ref>"Coral Gables Template:Webarchive." Miami-Dade Public Library System. Retrieved on September 28, 2009.</ref>

Education

The University of Miami, the largest employer in Coral Gables, in April 2006

Coral Gables Senior High School in October 2006

File:Coral Gables Library.jpg

Coral Gables Branch Library in November 2014

University of Miami

Template:Main The University of Miami, a private university ranked in the top tier of national universities,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with particular national status in the fields of business, engineering, law, marine science, medicine, communications, and music, is located in Coral Gables.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Template:Further Coral Gables schools are part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, which serves Miami-Dade County. The district has several high schools in Coral Gables, most notably Coral Gables Senior High School and International Studies Preparatory Academy, both of which educate students in grades nine through 12. It also has a K–8 school, Coral Gables Preparatory Academy (formerly Coral Gables Elementary School), with two campuses, including a historic campus located on Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Henry S. West Laboratory Elementary is another school for K–6. Finally it has two middle schools: George Washington Carver Middle School located on Lincoln Drive and Ponce de Leon Middle School located across from the University of Miami on the east side of U.S. Route 1 on Augusto Street. Present day George Washington Carver Middle was moved to the current location on Grand Avenue on land donated by George Merrick. When Carver died in 1942, the school was renamed in his honor.<ref>"GWC web site Template:Webarchive." Retrieved on September 12, 2010.</ref>

Private schools

Gulliver Academy, Marian C. Krutulis Campus, a PreK–8 school that is a member of Gulliver Schools, is within Coral Gables.<ref>"Our Campuses." Gulliver Schools. Retrieved on March 21, 2018. "Academy – Marian C. Krutulis Campus 12595 Red Road Coral Gables, Florida 33156"</ref> The management offices of Gulliver Schools were formerly located in Coral Gables.<ref>"About Our Campuses." Gulliver Schools. Retrieved on September 28, 2009. "Gulliver Schools 1500 San Remo Avenue, Suite 420 Coral Gables, Florida 33146"</ref> The lower campus of Riviera Schools is located in Coral Gables.

The historic St. Theresa Catholic School, a Pre-K–8 school is located near Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel. St. Philip's Episcopal School, French-American School of Miami, and St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School, all Pre-K–5 schools, are also located in Coral Gables. Coral Gables Preparatory Academy, a private K-8 school, is located in Coral Gables.

Media

The Miami Herald is the region's predominant daily newspaper. Coral Gables has one newspaper, Coral Gables News Tribune, which is published twice monthly and covers local and regional news and one weekly newspaper that is part of the portfolio of Miami Community Newspapers publications.<ref> Coral Gables News</ref>

At the University of Miami in Coral Gables, The Miami Hurricane, the official student newspaper, is published weekly each Tuesday.

Coral Gables is part of the Miami-area media market.

Film location

Template:See also Numerous movies have been filmed fully or partially in Coral Gables, including Nude on the Moon (1961), Goldilocks and the Three Bares (1963), Jimmy, the Boy Wonder (1966), I Eat Your Skin (1971), Shock Waves (1977), Absence of Malice (1981), The Mean Season (1985), Miami Rhapsody (1995), Bad Boys (1995), The Perez Family (1995), Fair Game (1995), Two Much (1995), Blood and Wine (1996), Curdled (1996), Wild Things (1998), The Hours (2002), My Sexiest Year (2007), Dostna (2008), Posthumous (2012), and others.<ref>"Filming Location: Coral Gables, Florida", NNDB</ref>

Infrastructure

Transportation

Template:Further Coral Gables is served by Miami Metrobus, and by Miami Metrorail at University Station.

Coral Gables provides a free trolley service.

Notable people

• Doris Hart former World No1 tennis player, and winner of 34 Grand Slam titles
• Marc Anthony, salsa singer
• Juan Alvarez, former professional pitcher for Anaheim Angels, Florida Marlins, and Texas Rangers
• Zach Banks, racing driver
• Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Shane Battier, former professional basketball player, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Miami Heat
• Bruce R. Berkowitz, mutual fund manager<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Kevin Buckler, race car driver & founder of The Racers Group
• Columba Bush, former First Lady of Florida
• Jeb Bush, 43rd Governor of Florida
• Marty Bystrom, former professional pitcher for the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies
• Maxine Clark, founder of Build-a-Bear Workshop
• Colleen Corby, model
• Alice Dixson, actress, commercial model and former beauty queen
• Gail Edwards, actress, It's a Living, Blossom, Full House
• Gus Gandarillas, former professional pitcher for Milwaukee Brewers
• Juan Ramón Jiménez, Nobel Prize-winning author
• Dane Johnson, former professional pitcher for Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Toronto Blue Jays
• José José, pop singer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Nancy Kopp, former Treasurer of Maryland
• Soia Mentschikoff, legal scholar and law professor at Harvard Law School
• Marilyn Milian, judge, The People's Court
• Thurston Moore, singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth
• Alonzo Mourning, former basketball player for Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, and New Jersey Nets
• Jesús Permuy, architect, human rights advocate, businessman and radio host
• Marta Permuy, art patron and promoter
• Mimi Rogers, actress
• Baruj Salinas, international artist
• Jon Secada, Latin pop singer
• Roy Sekoff, founding editor Huffington Post
• George D. Shea, U.S. Army major general<ref name="Constitution">Template:Cite news</ref>
• Pamela Smart, murderer convicted in notorious case
• Oliver Sollitt, Illinois state representative and businessman
• Jonathan Vilma, former professional football player, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lester J. Whitlock, U.S. Army major general<ref name="Times1971">Template:Cite news</ref>
• Kathryn Slaughter Wittichen, clubwoman and socialite
• Dewing Woodward, artist, philanthropist and first art professor at the University of Miami

Sister cities

Template:See also Coral Gables' sister cities are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Template:Flagicon Aix-en-Provence, France
• Template:Flagicon Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
• Template:Flagicon Cartagena, Colombia
• Template:Flagicon Quito, Ecuador
• Template:Flagicon San Isidro, Argentina
• Template:Flagicon Santa Tecla, El Salvador
• Template:Flagicon Seville, Spain

Diplomatic missions

Template:See also Countries with consulates in Coral Gables include: Barbados, Colombia,<ref>"Contáctenos." Consulate-General of Colombia in Miami. Retrieved on January 30, 2009.</ref> El Salvador,<ref>"Norte América Template:Webarchive." Consulate-General of El Salvador in Miami. Retrieved on January 31, 2009.</ref> Italy,<ref>"Welcome to the web site of the Consulate General of Italy in Miami Template:Webarchive." Consulate-General of Italy in Miami. Retrieved on January 30, 2009.</ref> Peru, Spain,<ref>Home page. Consulate-General of Spain in Miami. Retrieved on January 30, 2009.</ref> Monaco, St. Lucia, and Uruguay.<ref>"Consular in US Template:Webarchive." Embassy of Uruguay Washington D.C. Retrieved on January 30, 2009.</ref>

Countries with honorary consulates in Coral Gables include: Australia, Belize, Hungary, Senegal, St. Kitts and Nevis, Togo, and Thailand. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office maintains Taiwan's diplomatic mission here.<ref>"Contact Us Template:Webarchive." Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami. Retrieved on January 30, 2009.</ref>

In popular culture

• The 2014 adventure game A Golden Wake is based on the founding and development of Coral Gables in the 1920s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Template:Official website