Miami Springs, Florida

Miami Springs, Florida
City
City of Miami Springs
Seal
Motto:  At the Heart of it All!
Location in Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida
U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
Coordinates: 25°49′11″N80°17′28″W / 25.81972°N 80.29111°W / 25.81972; -80.29111
Country	United States of America
State	Florida
County	Miami-Dade
Incorporated	August 23, 1926
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
•  Mayor	Maria Puente Mitchell
•  Vice Mayor	Title is held through rotation
•  Councilmembers	Jorge Santin Jacky Bravo Walter Fajet Victor Vazquez
•  City Manager	Interim Manager Tammy Romero
•  City Clerk	Erika Gonzalez-Santamaria
Area [1]
• Total	2.98 sq mi (7.73 km2)
• Land	2.88 sq mi (7.46 km2)
• Water	0.11 sq mi (0.27 km2)
Elevation	6 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020) [2]
• Total	13,859
• Density	4,813.82/sq mi (1,858.78/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	33166, 33142 (Miami)
Area code(s)	305, 786, 645
FIPS code	12-45200 [3]
GNIS feature ID	0286762 [4]
Website	www.miamisprings-fl.gov

Glenn H. Curtiss Mansion and Gardens

Miami Springs is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. As of 2020, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 13,859.

History

The city was founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss, "The Father of Naval Aviation", and James Bright, during the famous "land boom" of the 1920s and was originally named "Country Club Estates". It, along with other cities in Miami-Dade County such as Coral Gables and Opa-locka, formed some of the first planned communities in the state. Like its counterparts, the city had an intended theme which in its case, was to reflect a particular architecture and ambiance.

In this case it was a regional style of architecture called Pueblo Revival developed in the American Southwest, primarily New Mexico, and incorporating design elements of pueblo architecture. Other buildings incorporated Mission-style design. In fact, the original Hotel Country Club was designed to resemble a pueblo village. ^[5]

Shortly prior to incorporation in 1926, the city was renamed after a spring located in the area which provided parts of Miami with fresh water until the mid-1990s.

Crime

In 2021, the Miami Herald reported, "As crimes at hotels surge, Miami Springs weighs hiring more cops." According to the story, Miami Springs city leaders have proposed hiring more police officers due to a surge in crimes from area hotels. In 2013, the Miami Springs Mayor and City Council riled locals when they approved an ordinance permitting a red-light district across from the airport. This zone, known as the Abraham Tract, has two hotels that serve as emergency homeless shelters, a 24-hour adult bookstore, and is near an hourly “love” motel.As crimes at hotels surge, Miami Springs weighs hiring more cops

The Miami Herald report said: "Rapid hotel expansion has resulted in more crime in the city’s hotel district that includes shootings, rapes, and drug dealing. In 2019, a woman with the word “whore” tattooed on her arm beat a man on the head with “an unknown object” during a hotel robbery, police said. During a jailhouse search, officers found five Rolex watches inside her vagina. At the time, city officials rallied for more hotels and pledged that the measure would result in lower property-tax rates. The historic small town, founded in 1926 by aviation pioneer Glenn Curtis, now has 21 hotels. As for taxes, Miami Springs set its property-tax rate at 7.3300 for every $1,000 of taxable home value, last fall, one of the highest in the county."

Geography

Miami Springs is located northwest of downtown Miami at 25°49′11″N80°17′28″W / 25.819725°N 80.291071°W / 25.819725; -80.291071 . ^[6] It is bordered to the northeast by the city of Hialeah and to the southwest by the village of Virginia Gardens. U.S. Route 27 runs parallel to the Miami Springs/Hialeah border. It leads east 6 miles (10 km) to its southern terminus at U.S. Route 1 in Wynwood, Miami, and northwest 4 miles (6 km) to Hialeah Gardens. To the south Miami Springs is bordered by Miami International Airport.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Miami Springs has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8 km²). 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²) of it are land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) of it (3.55%) are water. ^[1]

The core of Miami Springs (excluding the more recently annexed areas) is roughly shaped as a triangle with three definable sides. Northwest 36th Street forms most of the southern boundary, while the Miami River canal forms the northern/eastern boundary. Finally, the Ludlam Canal and Florida East Coast Railroad Yard delimit the western boundary.

Surrounding areas

•   Hialeah
•   Medley Miami
• Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Virginia Gardens   Hialeah, Miami, Unincorporated Miami-Dade County
•   Unincorporated Miami-Dade County Unincorporated Miami-Dade County
•   Virginia Gardens, Miami International Airport

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1930	402		—
1940	898		123.4%
1950	5,108		468.8%
1960	11,229		119.8%
1970	13,279		18.3%
1980	12,350		−7.0%
1990	13,268		7.4%
2000	13,712		3.3%
2010	13,809		0.7%
2020	13,859		0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]

2020 census

Miami Springs racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic) ^[8]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	2,526	18.23%
Black or African American (NH)	107	0.77%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	13	0.09%
Asian (NH)	131	0.95%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)	2	0.01%
Some other race (NH)	42	0.30%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)	147	1.06%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	10,891	78.58%
Total	13,859

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 13,859 people, 5,245 households, and 3,204 families residing in the city. ^[9]

2010 census

Miami Springs Demographics
2010 Census	Miami Springs	Miami-Dade County	Florida
Total population	13,809	2,496,435	18,801,310
Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010	+0.7%	+10.8%	+17.6%
Population density	4,795.4/sq mi	1,315.5/sq mi	350.6/sq mi
White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic)	93.4%	73.8%	75.0%
(Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian)	26.3%	15.4%	57.9%
Black or African-American	1.6%	18.9%	16.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	71.2%	65.0%	22.5%
Asian	1.2%	1.5%	2.4%
Native American or Native Alaskan	0.2%	0.2%	0.4%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	1.7%	2.4%	2.5%
Some Other Race	1.9%	3.2%	3.6%

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 13,809 people, 4,988 households, and 3,437 families residing in the city. ^[10]

2000 census

In 2000, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.16.

In 2000, the city population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $56,892. Males had a median income of $37,176 versus $30,823 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,963. About 6.9% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2000, speakers of Spanish as a first language made up 63.21% of residents, and English accounted for 35.49% of the population. Other languages spoken as the main language were well below 1.00%. ^[11]

History

City of Miami Springs, Florida

Miami Springs was founded by an aviation pioneer, and thus, the fate of the city has always been intertwined with the aviation industry, particularly since Miami International Airport (MIA) is located just south of the city on the southern border of NW 36th Street. The airline industry brought many residents from airline crew bases, as well as employment opportunities at the airport, which brought much prosperity to the city. This dependence, however, left the city vulnerable. The sudden 1991 collapses of both Eastern Airlines and Pan American World Airways left many Miami Springs residents unemployed and unable to afford living in the neighborhood. Given that the businesses in Miami Springs had always relied upon the large disposable incomes of the employees of the large airline carriers, the bankruptcy of both corporations in the same year created a chain reaction, eventually causing many small businesses to close their doors. Despite the closure of the airlines, from a residential standpoint, Miami Springs remained strong. The city is often seen as blessedly isolated from the perceived turbulence of the rest of Miami-Dade County. This has continued to provide ample replacements for the older residents who are lost over time. Nonetheless, the legacy of the airline closures remains. Residential millage taxation rates hover near the state mandated maximum.

Economy

The Consulate-General of Bolivia in Miami is located in Suite 505 at 700 South Royal Poinciana Boulevard in Miami Springs. ^[12]

Significant historical landmarks

Miami Sanitorium in a 1954 postcard

Curtiss Mansion is a Pueblo style home that belonged to city founder Glenn Curtiss. Beginning in the late 1970s, the house was subject to vandalism and a number of fires.

Fair Haven Nursing Home is one of the oldest buildings in Miami Springs and is built in the pueblo style favored during the initial development. The building was designed by architect Bernard E. Muller. It was designated a Miami Springs Historic Site in 1984.

Back in 1927, Fair Havens Retirement Center was Miami Springs founder Glenn Curtiss’ masterpiece. But it was never added to the National Registry of Historic Places, according to documents obtained from the U.S. Department of Interior’s National Park Service by Miami Herald reporter Theo Karantsalis. [Miami Springs landmark sold for $29 million. Its historic designation is in question

A simple timeline of events:

• 1926 - Country Club Estates incorporated
• 1927 - Hotel Country Club officially opened
• 1930 - Miami-Battle Creek Sanitarium opened
• 1942 - Sanitarium leased to US Army
• 1945 - Sanitarium reopens
• 1959 - Miami-Battle Creek Sanitarium becomes The Palm Spa
• 1962 – Renamed Fair Havens Center
• 2020 - Fair Havens sold. Miami Herald shows site not deemed historic.

Glenn H. Curtiss Memorial Circle, Miami Springs, Florida

Before becoming a nursing home, the building served as the Hotel Country Club. The hotel was built by Glenn Curtiss and partners, and was intended to promote the development of the then-new Country Club Estates. It was furnished in a Southwestern style, with Navajo rugs on the floor and handcrafted solid mahogany furniture. In 1929, after the crash, Curtiss sold the hotel to his friend John Harvey Kellogg, who renamed it the "Miami Battle Creek Sanitarium" and operated for many years. During World War II, it served the Air Transport Command as a hospital for recuperating military personnel. Later it became a home for the elderly, which it still is today. ^[13]

A 'Virtual Tour of Historic Miami Springs' can be done on the City of Miami Springs website: https://www.miamisprings-fl.gov/tour

Education

Miami Springs High School

The city of Miami Springs is served by a sizeable number of public and private educational institutions.

The city is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools System (M-DCPS), and all public schools under this system follow guidelines set forth by the Florida Department of Education. Miami Springs is served publicly by:

• Miami Springs Senior High School
• Miami Springs Middle School
• Miami Springs Elementary School
• Springview Elementary School

Two charter schools serve Miami Springs:

• Glenn Curtiss Elementary AIE Charter School (Academy for International Education) provides K–8 education. ^[14]
• ISAAC Academy (Integrated Science and Asian Culture) provides K–8 education. ^[15]

Private schools in Miami Springs are largely provided by local religious institutions:

• All Angels Episcopal Church operates All Angels Academy ^[16] for children of a similar age group.
• Blessed Trinity Catholic School ^[17] of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami is located in nearby Virginia Gardens, ^{[18] [19] [20]} and provides K–8 education.
• Grace Lutheran Church operates Grace Lutheran Learning Center for children of a similar age group. ^[21]

References

1. "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
2. "P1. Race – Miami Springs city, Florida: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. Source: "Escape from the Southwest: The Pueblo Style in Minnesota and Florida" by Carl D. Sheppard and Stephen D. Schreiber in Pueblo Style and Regional Architecture; Nicholas C. Markovich, Wolfgang F.E. Preiser, and Fred Sturm (Eds.)
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
8. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
9. "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Miami Springs city, Florida". United States Census Bureau .
10. "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Miami Springs city, Florida". United States Census Bureau .
11. "MLA Data Center Results of Miami Springs, FL". Modern Language Association . Retrieved October 31, 2007.
12. "Servicios Consulares Archived 2009-02-19 at the Wayback Machine ." Embassy of Bolivia in the United States . Retrieved on January 30, 2009.
13. Hotel Country Club (Fairhavens), history
14. Glenn Curtiss Elementary AIE Charter School official website
15. ISAAC Academy official website
16. AllAngelsAcademy.org | Home
17. Blessed Trinity - Home
18. "Home". Blessed Trinity Catholic School. Retrieved May 6, 2020. Address: 4020 Curtiss Parkway Virginia Gardens, FL 33166. - Comparison with the zoning map shows that it is physically in Virginia Gardens.
19. "Zoning Map" (PDF). Virginia Gardens . Retrieved May 6, 2020.
20. "Directory of Catholic Schools 2019-2020" (PDF). Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami. p. 6. Retrieved May 6, 2020. Blessed Trinity 4020 Curtiss Parkway Miami Springs, FL 33166
21. Grace Lutheran Learning Center - Miami Springs, Florida - FL - school overview

Popular links

• [http://www.litwithfire.com/ Theo Karantsalis, news reporter, who covers Miami Springs for the Miami Herald, Miami New Times, and other media
• MiamiSprings.com Miami Springs community wesbite
• Miami Springs municipal website