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Real Estate & Homes in Hialeah - Florida - Hialeah, Florida homes and communities
Hialeah
Hialeah Background
Diversity is the backbone of this culturally rich, complex city located just west of Miami at the junction of Interstate 95, I-75 and the Florida Turnpike. More than 90 percent of its residents are Hispanic, and the growth of the city can be traced to the influx of Cuban emigrants who fled communism in the 1960s. The community is led by a strong mayor and City Council who help guide the city’s growth and services. Hialeah’s location adjacent to glitzy Miami provides shopping, sports and nightlife while providing residents with a strong sense of community that exists apart from its more cosmopolitan sister city.
Hialeah History
Like the pastel buildings and pink flamingos associated with South Florida, the history of the region is colorful. The original settlers were Tequesta Indians, a tribe lucky enough to have found the confluence of warm weather and bountiful land and sea. The Spanish spoiled this idyllic world, bringing disease and warfare, the ravages of which destroyed the Indian population.
It wasn’t until the early 1800s that the first permanent white settlers arrived, lured by offers of 160 acres of free land from the federal government. The first growth catalyst for the area was the completion of the Florida East Coast Railway to Miami. Henry Flagler, who owned the railroad, built a luxurious hotel at the terminus of the railroad line and laid out the city of Miami. Flagler also constructed housing, dredged a ship channel and donated land for various public uses.
By 1920, the area’s population had increased by 440 percent over the prior decade. Land development became the driving force in the area’s economy as speculators rushed to participate in the real estate boom. South Florida became the poster child of the “Roaring ‘20s” as the rich flocked to its glorious beaches, glamorous hotels and racetracks. No place was more exciting in the early 1920s than Hialeah.
In 1925, Hialeah Park, with its world-renowned horseracing track, opened with great fanfare. In 1926, disaster struck the South Florida economy when a shipwreck blocked Miami harbor for weeks; a major hurricane struck; and anti-Florida sentiment spread like wildfire in the North. Not long afterwards, the Depression added insult to injury, and the once booming area languished.
The period had its bright spots, however, with the growth of commercial aviation and the birth of Pan American World Airways, and the development of the lovely Art Deco hotels and buildings on Miami Beach. The Army used these same hotels as barracks during World War II, and the area became a training ground for enlisted men and officers. Following World War II, the area once again prospered as the sand and sea, the year-round warmth, and the tropical breezes drew people.
The next wave of population growth occurred in the 1960s, when thousands of Cubans fled their homeland and found their way across the water to the Miami area. A great many of these refuges made their way to Hialeah and remain there to this day. Another major influx occurred in 1980 when the boatlift brought another 100,000 Cubans to the United States. The influence of these emigrants in Hialeah and South Florida is profound, as they have imbued the region with their proud heritage, strong work ethic and love of freedom.
Hialeah Fast Facts
Population: 226,419
Land area: 22 square miles
Average temperatures: 67.2°F in January, 82.6°F in July
Annual humidity: 72.5%
Median household income: $30,000
Per capita income: $22,370
Cost of living: 118.3 on scale of 100 compared with national average
Median home price: $202,200 compared with national median of $163,600
*Information provided by 2000 Census
Economy
As is the case in most Florida cities, Hialeah's economy is heavily service-based. The 2000 Census indicates that Hialeah’s working population is engaged in a variety of businesses sectors, led by manufacturing; retail trade; and educational, health and social services.
With Cuban Americans comprising more than 90 percent of Hialeah’s population and owning the majority of the city’s businesses, Hialeah has the well-earned reputation as a hard-working, closely knit business community. Hialeah’s proximity to Latin America and the Caribbean and its natural affiliation with the Hispanic cultures of those growing regions create a unique opportunity for future expansion for Hialeah’s businesses.
Quality of Life
Home and family come first in the lives of Cuban Americans, and Hialeah provides its residents with a strong sense of community. The local government leads the way to ensure the quality of life in Hialeah, with a strong mayor and City Council who understand residents’ priorities. Hialeah’s fire department is recognized as one of the top 25 in the country, and the police department is actively involved in youth programs designed to guide the decision-making process of the city’s young people. For weekend fun, southeast Florida offers the best in entertainment, culture, recreation and sports.
Activities
Arts and Culture
A quick check of Dade County’s calendar of events finds more than 1,300 listings throughout the year. The myriad offerings reflect the colorful diversity of the area’s population. Perhaps the most famous of the area’s art festivals is the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, which takes place each February. More than 330 internationally renowned artists exhibit in 12 categories. The Beaux Arts Festival is a juried fine arts show that features arts and crafts from more than 200 exhibitors.
Miami Beach and South Miami also hold art festivals each year. The Art Basel Miami Beach show is recognized as the most important annual contemporary art show of its kind in the world. There are dozens of art galleries sprinkled throughout the area, displaying the works of local and national artists. The Florida Museum of Hispanic and Latin American Art in Miami is dedicated to contemporary art from Spain and Latin America.
Dance
Almost any genre of dance can be found in the Hialeah-Miami area. Formal ballet is the specialty of the Miami City Ballet. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo is the world’s foremost all-male comic ballet. The finest flamenco dancers in the world perform at the Flamenco Festival. And numerous local dance companies perform throughout the year.
Music
From opera to jazz, Bob Marley to Chopin, music is in the heart and soul of South Floridians. Every weekend throughout the year, Hialeah residents need only to look in the local newspaper to find musical entertainment listings of all kinds. The Miami Symphony Orchestra and the New World Symphony perform the world’s most beautiful classical and contemporary orchestral works. The Florida Grand Opera attracts world-renowned guest performers. In a more casual setting, the Gulfstream Park concert series offers music under the stars. For fun, the Bob Marley Caribbean Festival takes place in March, and the Latin Jazz Festival occurs in March. Other popular shows are Festival Argentino, the JVC Jazz Festival and the Fourth of July Blast.
Theater
Artsy Coconut Grove is the center of the area’s theater offerings. Hialeah residents can enjoy Shakespeare at the New Theater, Latin-themed plays at the XIX International Hispanic Theatre Festival, and works for children at the Miami Children’s Theatre. Local playwrights are fortunate to have a number of theaters performing their works, including the famous Coconut Grove Playhouse. Broadway and off-Broadway plays are featured in the larger theater venues in Miami and Miami Beach.
Festivals and Events
Because of the year-round warm weather and the fun-loving nature of South Floridians, festivals and street fairs abound throughout the year. A sample listing hints at the wide variety of festivals occurring each weekend in the area: The Three Kings Day Parade and Festival, Haitian Independence Festival, Annual MLK Parade and Festival, Fab Fest: Taste of the Beach, Hialeah Spring Festival, Carnaval Miami, Great Sunrise Balloon Race and Festival, and the Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival. There is a festival to celebrate every heritage in South Florida.
Shows and Expos
South Florida is the capital of trade shows and conventions, drawing conventioneers from around the world to its warm climate, sexy beaches and lively nightlife. More than 50 shows take place throughout the year, including the Redland International Orchid Festival, American Food & Beverage Show, Wine & Spirits Expo of the Americas, Miami International Boat Show, Worldwide Motorcycle Show, and numerous antique and auto shows.
Attractions and Museums
Perhaps the area’s top attraction is the Miami Metrozoo, one of the top 10 zoos in the United States. This zoo features 300 acres of cageless exhibits with more than 1,300 animals. The Miami Seaquarium is 38 acres of marine entertainment and exhibits. Parrot Jungle and Monkey Jungle are fun and surprisingly beautiful parks featuring birds, monkeys and fossils.
An airboat ride in the Everglades is just a short drive away. The Everglades National Park, the third largest national park in the continental United States, encompasses 1.5 million acres of breathtaking beauty. For exotic flora, the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden is one of the world’s largest botanical gardens, and the Fruit & Spice Park features 500 varieties of exotic fruits, herbs and spices.
For history buffs, the Ancient Spanish Monastery built in 1141 is the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere. The nation’s largest 20th Century National Register Historic District is the Miami Beach Art Deco District, which contains more than 800 historic buildings erected in the 1920s and 1930s. Cauley Square Historic Village showcases “Old Florida” style cottages that have been restored.
Sports and Recreation
The South Florida area is home to six professional sports teams: Florida Marlins, baseball; Miami Dolphins, football; Miami Heat, basketball; Florida Panthers, hockey; Miami Fusion, soccer; and Miami Matadors, East Coast hockey league. The University of Miami offers collegiate sporting events for those who prefer college spectator sports. Other major events in the area include the Grand Prix of Miami, one of the stops on the Rolex Sports Car Series; the Mayor’s Cup Billfish Tournament, a Rolex I.G.F.A event; the Florida Caribbean Tennis Championships; the Worrell 1000 Catamaran Race, an open ocean race for 20-foot catamarans; and the Yeungling Light Big Shot Open, a beach volleyball event. In Hialeah, the world-famous Hialeah Park Racetrack is a popular attraction for residents and visitors alike. Hialeah Park is not just a racetrack; it is also a 220-acre park that has been classified an Audubon Bird Sanctuary and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
For the amateur sports enthusiast, Hialeah has three tennis centers, five public swimming pools and 14 public parks totaling more than 100 acres. Great diving, snorkeling, fishing, sailing, swimming and other water sports are just a half-hour’s drive away at Miami’s gorgeous beaches. Just a few hours south are the famous Florida Keys, with its incomparable fishing, diving and "Jimmy Buffet lifestyle."
Nightlife and Restaurants
Hialeah residents have ready access to some of the best nightlife and restaurants in the country. The playground of the rich and famous, South Beach has become the nation’s favorite weekend getaway. The revival of South Beach has changed the face of Miami Beach forever. The abandoned, broken buildings inhabited by drug addicts and the homeless in the 1980s are now a glittering, people-watching mecca of edgy nightclubs like Bash, Club Deep and Twist; hip jazz joints like the All-Spice Lounge and Jazid; and trendy restaurants offering world-class cuisine at Pearl, China Grill and Bed.
International cuisine, including the best Latin restaurants in the country, can be found throughout the Miami-Dade-Hialeah area. For the casual diner, there are plenty of wonderful local cafes and restaurants that specialize in local fare and fresh seafood.
Where is Hialeah?
Written by Margaret Bowles exclusively for HomesParadise.com.
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