Community Background Report

Catalina Lakes

County

Miami-Dade

Boundaries

North: S.W. 64th Street
South: S.W. 40th Street
West: S.W. 87th Avenue
East: S.W. 67th Avenue

Community Type

Neighborhood

History

The name of this neighborhood is derived from Lake Catalina; the largest of several lakes in the neighborhood is located at the southwestern corner of the area. Catalina Lakes extends eastward from SW 87th Avenue to the railroad between SW 69th Court and SW 69th Avenue. Large fields for cultivation were laid out on the prairies surrounding the original settlement of Flagler, and its railroad. They were platted in long narrow strips (Trautman). Whole tracts of the Catalina Lake’s agriculture were fenced with a common enclosure, using the lake as the main water source for irrigation. This irrigation and agricultural system was maintained in Catalina Lakes and the County until the late 1940’s, after World War II. The fenced common lands were abandoned in favor of mixed-individual, privatized plots of land dedicated to specific crops (Trautman). Today’s houses are generally built with brick, standing two or three stories high and were built right up to the lake and sidewalk line. Most houses have docks for their personal boats and some houses are of mansion-sized proportions in relation to the size of most other homes in the Miami-Dade County area (Trautman). Jena Congdon, president of the Lake The name of this neighborhood is derived from Lake Catalina; the largest of several lakes in the neighborhood is located at the southwestern corner of the area. Catalina Lakes extends eastward from SW 87th Avenue to the railroad between SW 69th Court and SW 69th Avenue. Large fields for cultivation were laid out on the prairies surrounding the original settlement of Flagler, and its railroad. They were platted in long narrow strips (Trautman). Whole tracts of the Catalina Lake’s agriculture were fenced with a common enclosure, using the lake as the main water source for irrigation. This irrigation and agricultural system was maintained in Catalina Lakes and the County until the late 1940’s, after World War II. The fenced common lands were abandoned in favor of mixed-individual, privatized plots of land dedicated to specific crops (Trautman). Today’s houses are generally built with brick, standing two or three stories high and were built right up to the lake and sidewalk line. Most houses have docks for their personal boats and some houses are of mansion-sized proportions in relation to the size of most other homes in the Miami-Dade County area (Trautman).

Community Dynamics

Catalina lakes’ average per capita is $46,002, higher than the Miami Dade County’s $28,823. The community is at the center of Miami-Dade County has been asked to incorporate with South Miami but the people of Catalina Lakes refused. The homeowners prefer to remain an independent from other neighborhoods. The neighborhood of Catalina Lakes boast a population of 11327 people, 3710 households. In Catalina Lakes the population was spread out with 16.41% under the age of 18, 67.49% from 18 to 64, and 16.1.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The racial distribution of Lake Catalina was 90.82% White, 0.73% African American. 66.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. (Census 2010).

Business Landscape

Most employment in this area is based on retail, services, maintenance, truck driving, construction and repair. The Tropic Park is at the heart of the Catalina Lakes community. East part of the community contains multiple strip malls and retail businesses. South Miami Senior High School, South Miami Middle Community School and St. Thomas Catholic Church serves this community.

Transportation

Catalina Lakes’ major roadways includes State Road 826, SR 874, Bird Road (SW 40th Street), SW 82nd and SW 72nd Avenues and Miller Road (SW 56th Street). Previously Catalina Lakes communicated with County authorities concerning its major roadways. A nearby community, north of Bird Road (SW 40th Street) , sought a court injunction to block a Miami-Dade County Public Works project that would expand SW 82nd Avenue between Bird Road (SW 40th Street) and Miller Road (SW 56th Street). Jena Congdon, president of the Lake.