Community Background Report

City of North Miami

County

Miami-Dade

Boundaries

North: N.E. 147th St
South: N.E. 121st St
West: N.W. 17th Ave
East: Biscayne Bay

Community Type

Municipality

History

In 1856, the United States Army soldiers cut a military trail through thickets and rivers connecting Fort Lauderdale to Fort Dallas, at the mouth of the Miami River. This was Miami- Dade County’s first roadway. At a unique, naturally occurring bridge along the trail, a pioneer settlement developed on the site of an old Indian village and it became known as Arch Creek. An overland, mule-driven stagecoach along Military Trail was the first mode of transportation, but that was put out of business by Henry Flagler’s railroad, which passed through Arch Creek in 1896. In 1926, Arch Creek was officially incorporated as the Town of Miami Shores. In 1931, the name was changed to the Town of North Miami. The 1940s census stated that 1,973 inhabitants lived in the "Town of North Miami." At the end of World War II in 1945, the large and constant influx of military veterans and their young families changed the face of North Miami by ushering in a great period of growth. Homebuilding, road building, and construction of shops and business offices now continued for decades, almost without stopping. By 1951, it was reported nationally that North Miami was one of the fastest growing towns in the United States. In 1953, the name was changed again, this time to the City of North Miami.

Community Dynamics

North Miami is known for its large Haitian-American population. In 2001, voters made Republican Josaphat Celestin the first Haitian-American mayor of a large Miami-Dade County community.Mayor Smith Joseph, also Haitian, has served two terms. North Miami is a multi-ethnic community that exemplifies the vibrant diversity upon which the region thrives. In that sense, North Miami is a unique community, mixing nearly equal numbers of Haitians, Hispanics, and non-Hispanics.

According to DataUSA, North Miami has a population of 62,042 people, with a median age of 34.6, with 18,302 number of households, and a median household income of $36,537Between 2014 and 2015, the population of North Miami grew from 60,756 to 62,042, a 2.12% increase, and its median household income declined from $36,776 to $36,537, a 0.65% decrease. The median property value in North Miami is $143,400, and the homeownership rate is 46.7%.The population of North Miami is 57.2% Black, 26.5% Hispanic, and 12.8% White. The percentage of speakers of a non-English language is 71.6%, and 76.5% are U.S. citizens.

North Miami crime statistics report an overall downward trend in crime, based on data from 14 years, with violent crime and property crime both decreasing. Based on this trend, the crime rate in North Miami for 2018 is expected to be lower than in 2012.

North Miami has two state parks. The Oleta River State Park, the largest urban park in the Florida State Park system, is located on 1,043 acres (4.22 km2), comprised of 993 acres (4.02 km2) of land and 50 acres (0.20 km2) of inland water, on Biscayne Bay. The Arch Creek Park, an 8-acre (32,000 m2) site at the junction of NE 135th Street and Biscayne Boulevard, offers many opportunities for botanical, historical and archaeological study.

Business Landscape

North Miami has over 2,500 businesses in the retail and service category. The City has established a Community Redevelopment Agency to revitalize businesses located in the City’s center, along the Northeast 125th Street and West Dixie Highway corridors. Efforts are focused on rehabilitation and beautification, including improved walkability in residential areas. The City of North Miami has a strong video and recording industry. This industry has a long history of producing media for artists that have been distributed around the world. Popular television and film productions such as Star Trek, Miami Vice, and Flipper have been produced in North Miami.

The largest universities in North Miami are Florida International University, North Campus, and Johnson & Wales University. North Miami is also the home of the Miami Auto Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), a 23,000-square-foot (2,100 m2) structure designed by the internationally acclaimed architect Charles Gwathmey.

Biscayne Landing, a mixed-use commercial/hotel/residential community in the process of development on the site of the Munisport Landfill Superfund Site, has not been successful, with most of the units in the two apartment buildings uninhabited. Recently, the now defunct Biscayne Landing company was acquired by the Soffers (Aventura Mall Developers) and LeFranks, and together they are building SoleMia. This development will be over one million square feet, and is the largest mixed-use construction project in the U.S.

Transportation Characteristics

The City of North Miami is strategically located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. It is served by an excellent transportation network, making it easily accessible from Interstate 95, US Highway 1, Florida’s Turnpike, West Dixie Highway, and US Highway 441. The area is less than a 30-minute drive from Florida’s two major airports, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International and Miami International Airports. It is also in close proximity to the Port of Miami and Port Everglades.

In December 2004, the City of North Miami implemented a free community bus service called the NoMi Express, in order to increase the number of local destinations accessible via public transit. Since its inauguration in December 2004, the NoMi Express averages approximately 750 boardings per day, which translates to 16,000 boardings per month, or 190,000 boardings annually. The countywide Metrobus system also serves North Miami.

Off-street bicycle paths exist in the northeastern portions of the City, within the Oleta River State Recreation Area and the Florida International University campus. Bicyclists use the lower volume residential streets and sidewalks along major arterials for riding.

A major roadway improvement project by FDOT on NE 16th Avenue from NE 123rd Street to NE 135th Street is expected to be completed by June 2018.