Coral Gables Real Estate
Where is Coral Gables, Florida?
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County. It is located southwest of Downtown Miami. Coral Gables is home to the University of Miami. Coral Gables is bordered on the west by Red Road (West 57th Avenue), on the north by Tamiami Trail/U.S. Route 41 (South 8th Street), on the east by Douglas Road (West 37th Avenue), and on the south by the Charles Deering Estate.
History of Coral Gables
Coral Gables was one of the first planned communities thanks to the early twentieth century City Beautiful Movement. The city was developed by George Merrick during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. Mandated in the original plan, the city’s architecture is almost entirely Mediterranean Revival style.
Merrick meticulously designed the downtown commercial district to be only four blocks wide and more than two miles long. The main artery bisected the business district. Merrick planned this so that he could claim every business in Coral Gables was less than a two-block walk. Back when the city was up and coming, there was an electric trolley system. Today, there is a new, free circulator trolley system which runs down Ponce de León Boulevard.
In 1925, roughly simultaneous to the founding of Coral Gables, the city was selected as the home to the University of Miami, which was constructed that year on 240 acres of land just west of the U.S. Route 1, approximately two miles south of downtown Coral Gables.
During World War II many Navy pilots and mechanics were trained and housed in Coral Gables. Today, Coral Gables is known as the Fine Dining Capital of South Florida.
Coral Gables Real Estate
Coral Gables consists of mostly single family homes and some condo and apartment buildings. Lots of the luxury rental buildings in Coral Gables are occupied by a large percentage of University of Miami students such as Red Road Commons, Gables Ponce, and Modera. There are some condominium complexes in Downtown Coral Gables close to Miracle Mile, with prices comparable to those of Brickell.
Most of the real estate in Coral Gables is single family homes. These homes tend to have a historic, mediterranean feel, and many have been in existence for decades. The neighborhood has a ritzy reputation and is great for young families, but it’s not cheap! The median listing price in Coral Gables is just over 900k.
Coral Gables Lifestyle
Demographics
The population is about 51,000 people. The city’s population is relatively spread out with 25.02% aged 25 to 44 and 27.01% aged 45 to 64. The median age is 39.8 years. In 2015, the average household income was $150,808.
As of 2000, Coral Gables had the eighteenth highest percentage of Cuban residents in the US, with 28.72% of the populace. It also had the sixty-fourth highest percentage of Colombian residents in the US, at 2.27% of the city’s population, and the sixteenth highest percentage of Venezulan residents in the US, at 1.17% of its population.
Restaurants & Bars
One can easily find incredible eats in Coral Gables because, after all, it is the Fine Dining Capital of South Florida. Many of these fantastic restaurants are located on Miracle Mile. For example, Seasons 52 is a fine dining restaurant that only uses seasonal, local ingredients and completely changes their menu according to the season. Havana Harry’s is a famous Cuban restaurant that serves huge portions for an affordable price. There is almost always a line out their door. Coral Gables bars feature the famous Titanic Brewery & Restaurant near the University of Miami which offers a happy hour, karaoke, and live music. Another bar, Tap 42, offers dozens of craft beers, cocktails, and creative eats.
Hotels
Coral Gables is home to the award-winning Biltmore Hotel. The Biltmore is inspired by Giralda, the medieval tower of the Cathedral of Seville. Here, guests can enjoy 5 Star golfing, spa treatments, and fine cuisine. For a few years, the Biltmore was the tallest building in Florida at 315 ft. and the pool was once the largest pool in the world. Hotel Colonnade also calls Coral Gables home and features a rooftop pool and contemporary rooms and suites. Coral Gables has many other hotels such as the Hyatt and Sheraton.
Parks & Recreation
Leisure
Coral Gables hosts many annual festivals such as Carnaval on the Mile, a weekend long festival on Miracle Mile featuring art, live music, food, and entertainment for children. The Coral Gables Seafood & Music Festival features fresh seafood, live music, and marine art and entertainment for children.
Exercise
There are a plethora of gyms in Coral Gables. The Shops at Merrick Park, a high-end shopping center, has a Soul Cycle and an Equinox. If you prefer to exercise outside, the M-Path Trail spans 9.4 miles underneath the MetroRail and is great for walking, running, and biking. There are many parks. The University of Miami features an arboretum on the edge of campus.
Coral Gables Points of Interest
University of Miami
The University of Miami is an accredited research university that is home to 11,000 undergraduate students and 5,000 graduate students from across the world. The university is composed of 12 different colleges and schools of study. Since the city’s beginning, the University of Miami has been the largest employer in Coral Gables.
Miracle Mile
Miracle Mile is a stunning half mile long section of fine restaurants, high-end shops, quality salons, art galleries, boutiques, and a live theater. The shops on Miracle Mile are beautifully architected and the tree-lined street is lushly landscaped. This area is known for its commitment to quality.
Matheson Hammock Park
Matheson Hammock Park is one of Coral Gable’s hidden gems. It is a manmade atoll pool surrounded by swaying palm trees. Around the calm waters of the atoll, visitors hang from hammocks (hence the name). Matheson Hammock Park is the perfect beach for small children because the atoll water is quite still. The Red Fish by Chef Adrianne sits right on the beach and is run by celebrity chef, Adrianne Calvo.
If you’re ready to call Coral Gables your home, browse our listings in Coral Gables