History Of Aventura Florida

History of Aventura Florida

by

Phillip Federer

Aventura, Florida is a relatively young city, having become incorporated less than 20 years ago in 1995. The city is located 12 miles north of Miami and covers just 3.2 square miles, but it has a thriving residential and business community, with an annual city budget of nearly $50 million and real estate worth $7.3 billion. It\’s hard to remember that the carefully manicured model city we see today was once little more than a mangrove swamp.

The name Aventura is Spanish for \”adventure,\” and is said to have been chosen because one of the initial area developers remarked, \”What an adventure this is going to be.\” The planned development of this 35,000 member community certainly has proved interesting over the years, especially as the city strives to add attractions and services that will enable it to live up to its motto: \”City of Excellence.\”

The area that is now Aventura used to be called Turnberry, a name it borrowed from the famous Turnberry Isle resort. The Turnberry Isle resort was the dream child of real estate developer Donald Soffer. Starting in 1967, Soffer began to enact his plans for transforming a sandy, swampy corner of Miami-Dade County into an upscale planned residential community of houses and condos. The Turnberry Isle resort was the centerpiece of his plan, and throughout the 1970s more aspects of his plan continued to grow up around the resort.

The Aventura Mall was opened in 1983 and expanded in 1996. It was a key part of Soffer\’s plan and continues to be an important part of the city\’s identity. Numerous outdoor shopping centers as well as parks like Waterways Dog Park and Founders Park were also added to the city over the years.

Today, the modern city of Aventura bears a close resemblance to Soffer\’s original plans. The name may have changed, but the golf courses, lakes, trails, exclusive homes, shopping centers, and offices he envisioned are all in place. The Aventura condos and houses have all matured. The Turnberry Golf Course and the Aventura Country Club Drive Circle are particularly well known.

Other important moments in Aventura, Florida\’s history include the formation of an official police force in 1997 and the widening of Biscayne Boulevard, a main artery through the city that is now 10 lanes wide. The establishing of the Community Recreation Center and the city\’s first charter school in 2003 were also landmark events. The Aventura City of Excellence School is a K-8 charter school that ranked among the top 10 Florida schools in 2006, just 3 years after it opened. The school\’s admission limits are set at 100 students per grade, ensuring that the school\’s ability to educate students will never be compromised by overcrowding.

Other developments in the city aimed at improving quality of life and building a sense of community include recent renovations to the Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, which has been serving the area in its present location since 1974 and gained its current name in 1993, just before the city\’s incorporation.

Aventura residents and businesses alike are looking forward to future developments that will one day become history, including the expected extension of the Tri-Rail commuter rail service through Aventura in 2015.

The author is a freelance writer with an interest in Florida history. For more information on

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