Coordinates	12°2′36″N77°1′42″N
Official name	City of Aventura, Florida
Native name
Settlement type	City
Image seal	P0011.JPG|
Map caption	Location in Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida
Image map1	Aventura.gif
Mapsize1	250x200px
Map caption1	U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
Pushpin map
Pushpin label position
Coordinates region	US-FL
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Susan Gottlieb
Leader title1
Established title	Incorporated
Established date	1995
Established title2
Established title3
Unit pref	Imperial
Area total km2	9.1
Area land km2	7.0
Area water km2	1.1
Area total sq mi	3.5
Area land sq mi	2.7
Area water sq mi	0.8
Population as of	2010
Population total	35,762
Timezone	EST
Utc offset	-5
Timezone dst	EDT
Utc offset dst	-4
Coordinates display	display=inline,title
Elevation footnotes
Elevation m	1
Elevation ft	3
Postal code type	Zip Codes
Postal code	33180-33162
Area code	305, 786
Blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	12-02681
Blank1 name	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 info	1777315
Website	http://www.cityofaventura.com/

Aventura is a planned, suburban city located in northeastern Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name is from the Spanish word for "adventure", and was named "Aventura" after one of the developers of the original group of condominiums in the area remarked to the others, "What an adventure this is going to be." The name predates the well known mall (Aventura Mall) built near the condominium developments. According to the U.S. Census estimates of 2010, the city had a population of 35,762.

History

Most of what would later become the City of Aventura was initially developed during the late 1970s and into the 1980s as a high-rise residential area by Oxford Development Company, when the area was still mostly swampland known as "Biscayne Gardens". Although Aventura functions as a separate city, incorporated in 1995, it is still served by Miami-Dade Fire and rescue, and the official addresses in Aventura are still Miami addresses. Aventura holds and funds its own police department, which was formed in 1997.

Aventura is also home to the Aventura Mall, a high-end regional mall which was developed by Ray Parello, Don Soffer, and Eddie Lewis of Oxford Development and is currently owned by Simon Property Group and Turnberry Associates. The enormous success of the mall encouraged explosive growth in the area and includes an expansive AMC movie theater, as well as Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, JCPenney, Sears, and Equinox.

Geography and climate

Geography

Aventura is located at .

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km²). 2.7 square miles (7.0 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (23.08%) is water.

Surrounding areas

: Hallandale Beach : Hallandale Beach Hallandale Beach : Ojus Golden Beach, Sunny Isles Beach : North Miami Beach Sunny Isles Beach : North Miami Beach

Climate

Aventura has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Am) with hot and humid summers and short, warm winters, with a marked drier season in the winter. The city sees most of its rain in the summer (wet season) and is mainly dry in winter (dry season). The wet season, which is hot and humid, lasts from May to September, when it gives way to the dry season, which features mild temperatures with some invasions of colder air, which is when the little winter rainfall occurs-with the passing of a front. The hurricane season largely coincides with the wet season.

In addition to its sea-level elevation, coastal location and position just north of the Tropic of Cancer, the area owes its warm, humid climate to the Gulf Stream, which moderates climate year-round. A typical summer day does not see temperatures below 75°F (21°C). Temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s (30-35 °C) accompanied by high humidity are often relieved by afternoon thunderstorms or a sea breeze that develops off the Atlantic Ocean, which then allow lower temperatures, although conditions still remain very muggy. During winter, humidity is significantly lower, allowing for cooler weather to develop. Average minimum temperatures during that time are around 59°F (15°C), rarely dipping below 40°F (4°C), and the equivalent maxima usually range between 65 and 75 °F (18-24 °C).

Aventura receives abundant rainfall. Most of this rainfall occurs from mid-May through early October. It receives annual rainfall of 58.6 inches (146.5 cm). The South Florida metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, is the second largest metropolitan area in the world after Tokyo that receives regular cyclonic activity. Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, although hurricanes can develop beyond those dates. The most likely time for Aventura to be hit is during the peak of the Cape Verde season which is mid August through the end of September.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 25,267 people, 14,000 households, and 6,691 families residing in the city. The population density was 9,344.7 inhabitants per square mile (3,613.2/km²). There were 20,020 housing units at an average density of 7,404.2 per square mile (2,862.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75% White (non-Hispanic), 20.65% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 1.70% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.45% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races.

There were 14,000 households out of which 11.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.2% were non-families. 45.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.79 and the average family size was 2.45.

In the city the population was spread out with 10.1% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 35.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. For every 100 females there were 80.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,526, and the median income for a family was $59,507. Males had a median income of $50,791 versus $37,682 for females. The per capita income for the city was $41,092. About 5.6% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2000, speakers of English as their first language accounted for 59.92% of the population, while Spanish accounted for 22.63% of residents. Those who spoke Hebrew were at 3.66%, and Yiddish was spoken 2.78% of the population. Other languages spoken include Portuguese 2.65%, French 2.40%, Russian 1.75%, and German at 1.46% of city residents.

Aventura is known for its substantial Jewish population, many of whom come from the Northeast (New York, Chicago, Boston, etc.) Besides American Jews, Aventura also has experienced a significant influx of Hispanic Jews (especially Argentine Jews, Cuban Jews, [Colombian Jews], and Venezuelan Jews,) Brazilian Jews, French Jews, Russian Jews, Portuguese Jews, German Jews, Canadian Jews and Israelis also residing in the city.

As of 2000, Aventura had the seventeenth highest percentage of Brazilian residents in the US, with 1.9% of the US populace. The thirtieth highest percentage of Colombian residents in the US, at 4.25% of the city's population, and the ninety-second highest percentage of Cuban residents in the US, at 2.89% of the city's population. It also had the twelfth most Israelis in the US, at 2.4%, while it had the thirteenth highest percentage of Romanians (tied with Hartford, Ohio and Bern, Pennsylvania,) at 1.8% of all residents. Aventura's Russian community had the twenty-fifth highest percentage of residents, which was at 12.4%, while it was the thirteenth highest Venezuelan community in the US, which made up 1.31% of the population.

Transportation

The Aventura Express shuttle bus is a city run public bus service, free to Aventura residents. The Miami-Dade Transit, and Broward County transit bus systems also run through the city. The Miami-Dade Metrorail and Metromover does not, however, serve the city.

The main north-south road in the city is Biscayne Bouelevard and the main east-west route is the William H. Lehman Causeway. Although no interstates run through the city, I-95 is just 5 minutes away.

Government

Aventura has a manager-commission form of city government. The City Commission is the city's legislature, while the city manager is the city executive.

The City Commission enacts local ordinances and laws, adopts resolutions authorizing actions on behalf of the city, reviews plans for development, and establishes the policies by which the city is governed. The City Commission comprises seven members—six commissioners and the mayor:

Susan Gottlieb , Mayor

Zev Auerbach, Commissioner

Bob Diamond, Commissioner

Terry Holzberg, Commissioner & wife of one of the founders of Aventura and former commissioner, Harry Holzberg

Billy Joel, Commissioner

Michael Stern, Commissioner

Luz Urbáez Weinberg, Commissioner

The City Commission also hires the City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Manager, who then hire all subordinate employees. The city manager oversees the day-to-day operations of the city government, administers the city's service providers, prepares long-range plans, and implements the policies established by the City Commission. Eric M. Soroka is the current City Manager, while Teresa M. Soroka is the current City Clerk.

Media

Aventura is served by the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market for local radio and Television. Aventura has its own newspaper, Aventura News which is published weekly and is part of Miami's Community Newspapers, " The Voice of the Community". The city has a magazine named Aventura Magazine and is served by The Miami Herald, and El Nuevo Herald.

Area attractions

Perhaps one of the most famous attractions is the Aventura Mall, a indoor shopping center located in the center of the city. There is also The Loehmann's shopping plaza and an outdoor mall named the "Shoppes at Waterways". The city also has its own exclusive parks and recreation department which operate, Founders Park, Founders Park Bayside, Waterways Park, Waterways Dog Park, Veterans Park, The Community Recreation Center, And the new Liberal Arts theater. Although not inside the city limits, some of south Florida's finest beaches are just a few minutes away from Aventura, across the William H. Lehman Causeway.

Education

Aventura is served by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system.

The Aventura City of Excellence School was for years the only public school located within the City of Aventura. It is a K-8 charter school that is sponsored by the city. It is an award winning school despite the fact that it was built and opened in 2003. The school was ranked in the top 10 of all schools in Florida in 2006. Children who live in Aventura are given admission preference during the admission lottery held every year. The school has an enrollment cap of 100 students per grade so that the school will never be overcrowded There is another public school that serves the residents of Aventura called Aventura Waterways K-8 center. It is not funded or run by the City of Aventura but by Miami-Dade public schools. The school is located outside of the city limits but all children that live in Aventura are in the boundary for that school.

High schools that serve Aventura include:

North Miami Beach High School (North Miami Beach)

Dr. Michael Krop High School (Unincorporated Miami-Dade County)

Regional Universities and Higher Education Institutions include:

Florida International University:Biscayne Bay Campus (North Miami)

The Northeast Branch of the Miami-Dade Public Library System serves Aventura.

References

External links

City of Aventura

Category:Cities in Miami-Dade County, Florida Category:Populated coastal places in Florida Category:Tropics

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