Coral Gables

Coral Gables was one of the first planned communities, and its planning was based on the popular early twentieth century City Beautiful Movement. It is infamous for its strict zoning regulations. The city was developed by George Merrick during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. The city’s architecture is almost entirely Mediterranean Revival style, mandated in the original plan, including 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. By 1926, the city covered 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) and had netted $150 million in sales, with over $100 million spent on development.

Merrick meticulously designed the downtown commercial district to be only four blocks wide and more than two miles (3 km) long. The main artery 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 replaced by the popularity of modern automobiles, but now a new free circulator trolley system, initiated in November 2003, 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 (97 ha) of land just west of 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 is a pedestrian-friendly destination. Located four miles from Miami International Airport, the “City Beautiful” has around 140 dining establishments and gourmet shops, and many notable international retailers. Among the landmarks in Coral Gables are the Venetian Pool, Douglas Entrance and the Miami Biltmore hotel.

The city of Coral Gables has its own newspaper, Coral Gables News, which is published bi-weekly and Coral Gables is covered by several local and regional radio and television stations, several Coral-Gables-focused websites, and one weekly printed newspaper that is part of Miami Community Newspapers.

The Gables’ one remaining printed newspaper, The Coral Gables News Tribune, is still published twice monthly and is part of Miami’s Community Newspapers, now also online.

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

Portions of the 1995 film Fair Game were filmed in Coral Gables.

The City of Coral Gables also provides a free trolley service, with a trolley running a continuous circuit up and down Ponce de Leon Boulevard during the day.

Coral Gables is served by rapid transit on Douglas Road at Douglas Road station, at the University of Miami at University station, and near Sunset Drive and Red Road at South Miami station, connecting the city with Downtown Miami and Miami International Airport.

Several countries operate consulates in Coral Gables. They include Barbados, Colombia, El Salvador, Italy, Spain, the Principality of Monaco, St. Lucia, and Uruguay.

Several countries have honorary consulates located in Coral Gables, including Australia, Belize, Hungary, Senegal, St. Kitts & Nevis, Togo, and Thailand.

In addition, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami, of the Republic of China, is located in Suite 610 at 2333 Ponce De Leon Boulevard.

• Hotel Colonnade in Coral Gables
• Biltmore Hotel
• Coral Gables Museum
• Coral Way
• Miracle Mile
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
• University of Miami
• Venetian Pool
• Village of Merrick Park
• Coral Gables Villages
• Riviera Schools

• Festival of Art, University of Miami, held in January
• Carnival on the Mile, Miracle Mile, held in February/March
• Festival Miami, University of Miami, Gusman Concert Hall, held in October
• Junior Orange Bowl Festival, held in December–January

University of Miami

Coral Gables is the location of the University of Miami, a university ranked in the top tier of national universities, with particular national status in the fields of business, engineering, law, marine science, medicine, communications, and music.

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools
Coral Gables schools are part of the Miami-Dade School District, 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 Dr, 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.

Private schools
Gulliver Academy – Marian C. Krutulis Campus, a PreK-8 school that is a member of Gulliver Schools, is within Coral Gables. The management offices of Gulliver Schools were formerly located in Coral Gables. The lower campus of the Riviera Schools is located in Coral Gables.

The historic St. Theresa Catholic School, a PreK-8 school is located near Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel. St. Philip’s Episcopal School, the French-American School of Miami, and St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School, all PreK-5 schools, are also located in Coral Gables.

Public libraries

Miami-Dade Public Library System operates the Coral Gables Branch.