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Key Biscayne is a village in
Miami-Dade County, Florida Miami-Dade County () is a County (United States), county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the most populous coun ...
, United States. Located on the island of
Key Biscayne Key Biscayne () is an island located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, located between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. It is the southernmost of the barrier islands along the Atlantic coast of Florida, and lies south of Miami Beach and sout ...
, the village is part of the
Miami metropolitan area The Miami metropolitan area is a coastal metropolitan area in southeastern Florida. It is the sixth-largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States, and the lar ...
of
South Florida South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...
. The population was 14,809 at the 2020 census, up from 12,344 in 2010.


Geography

Key Biscayne lies south of
Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean an ...
and east of
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
. The village is connected to Miami via the Rickenbacker Causeway, originally built in 1947. Because of its low elevation and direct exposure to the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
, it is usually among the first Miami areas to be evacuated before an oncoming hurricane. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has an area of , of which is land and (27.0%) is water. The village is bordered on the north by Crandon Park, a Miami-Dade County park; on the south by Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park; on the east by the Atlantic Ocean; and on the west by
Biscayne Bay Biscayne Bay is a lagoon with characteristics of an estuary located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida. The northern end of the lagoon is surrounded by the densely developed heart of the Miami metropolitan area while the southern end is large ...
.


History


Rickenbacker Causeway

While there had been earlier plans to develop a town on Key Biscayne, the opening of the Rickenbacker Causeway from
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
to
Virginia Key Virginia Key is an barrier island in Miami, Florida. It is located in Biscayne Bay south of Brickell and north of Key Biscayne and is accessible from the mainland via the Rickenbacker Causeway. The island is mainly occupied by the Virginia Ke ...
and on to Key Biscayne in 1947 opened the island up to large-scale residential development. The northern two-thirds of the island had operated as the largest coconut plantation in the continental United States during the first half of the 20th century. In 1940, the Matheson family donated over of their land to Dade County for a public park, which became Crandon Park, in exchange for a commitment from the county that it would build a causeway to the island. The remaining Matheson property, stretching across the middle of the island, was sold to developers. Beginning in 1951, the Mackle Construction Company offered new homes on the island for $9,540, with $500 down. A U.S. Post Office branch opened in Key Biscayne, the Community Church started holding services in an old coconut-husking shed, and Key Biscayne Elementary School opened in 1952. The island's southern third, which included Cape Florida, was owned by James Deering, and, after his death, by his brother Charles, for 35 years. In 1948, José Manuel Áleman, a Cuban politician in exile, bought the Cape Florida property from the Deering estate. After Áleman died in 1951, his widow, Elena Santeiro Garcia, added to the property, purchasing an ocean-to-bay strip that had been part of the Matheson property. This strip included a canal William Matheson dug in the 1920s that extended from the bay across most of the island. The land north of the canal was developed as part of what is now the Village of Key Biscayne. In 1966, Garcia sold the Cape Florida property to the state of Florida, and the property became Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, which opened January 1, 1967.


Richard Nixon compound

In 1969, U.S. President
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
purchased the first of his three waterfront homes, forming a compound known as the Florida White House, to be near his close friend and confidant Bebe Rebozo, owner of Key Biscayne Bank, and industrialist
Robert Abplanalp Robert Henry Abplanalp, ( KHS) (April 4, 1922 – August 30, 2003) was an American inventor and engineer who invented the modern form of the aerosol spray valve, the founder of Precision Valve Corporation, a Republican political activist, and ...
, inventor of the modern spray can valve. Rebozo was indicted for laundering a $100,000 donation from
Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American Aerospace engineering, aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, and investor. He was The World's Billionaires, one of the richest and most influential peo ...
to Nixon's election campaign. Presidents Kennedy and Nixon met for the first time after Nixon's 1960 presidential campaign defeat in an oceanfront villa at the old Key Biscayne Hotel. Plans for the break-in at the
Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal executive leadership board of the United States's Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. According to the party charter, it has "general responsibility for the affairs of the ...
headquarters in the
Watergate complex The Watergate complex is a group of six buildings in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. The complex includes a development of Housing cooperative, cooperative apartment residences. It also includes a hotel and an o ...
were discussed at Nixon's Key Biscayne compound and, as the
Watergate scandal The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the Presidency of Richard Nixon, administration of President Richard Nixon. The scandal began in 1972 and ultimately led to Resignation of Richard Nixon, Nix ...
unfolded, Nixon retreated into seclusion there with greater regularity. Between 1969 and 1973, he visited Key Biscayne over 50 times. The U.S. Department of Defense spent $400,000 constructing a helicopter landing pad in
Biscayne Bay Biscayne Bay is a lagoon with characteristics of an estuary located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida. The northern end of the lagoon is surrounded by the densely developed heart of the Miami metropolitan area while the southern end is large ...
adjacent to his compound; when Nixon later sold the property, including the helicopter pad, there were public accusations that he had enriched himself at taxpayer expense.


Incorporation

The area was incorporated as a new municipality in 1991, making it the first new city in Miami-Dade County in over 50 years. Rafael Conte was elected the first mayor, along with the members of the founding village council: Clifford Brody, Mortimer Fried, Michael Hill, Bautista Tedin, Lucas Keller, Luis Lauredo, Joe Rasco, and Raymond Sullivan. The municipality's first manager was C. Samuel Kissinger and the first clerk was Guido Inguanzo. The village's incorporation, overseen by Alfred Brewer, provided local control over taxes and future development. Key Biscayne is a small, intimate community. Most families that live there have known each other for generations. Children who grew up on the island are sometimes referred to as "Key Rats".


Hurricane Andrew

In 1992,
Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...
flooded some homes and businesses on Key Biscayne, impacting insurance. The eye wall passed over uninhabited Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, which received the brunt of the storm. The damage was a blessing for the park because it destroyed all the non-native vegetation the state had been trying to eradicate. Federal and state funding allowed the replanting with native vegetation, making the park a showplace natural area. The town is in Evacuation Zone A. In 2017, a study found that the town could be partly flooded at high tides by 2045 after sea-level rise. Property values fell. In November 2020, the town voted to approve a $100 million bond to protect itself. The village has its own fire, police and public elementary and middle school. The millage tax rate remains one of the lowest of any municipality in Miami-Dade County. In 2004, the village completed the construction of a civic center, including fire, police and administration buildings and a recreation and community center with indoor multi-use courts, an outdoor swimming pool, and a musical theater program.


Climate

Key Biscayne has a
tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...
( ''Am''). Key Biscayne experiences hot, humid summers and warm, dry winters. The island is in USDA plant zone 11a. Due to its island location, Key Biscayne is subject to cooler highs than Miami year-round. Hurricanes threaten the island occasionally, though landfalls are rare. Precipitation is lower than that of Miami, as the Atlantic Ocean inhibits summer thunderstorm convection.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 14,809 people, 4,058 households, and 3,174 families residing in the village.


2010 census

As of the 2010 U.S. census, there were 12,344 people, 4,256 households, and 2,976 families residing in the village.


2000 census

In 2000, 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.99. In 2000, 24.2% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males. In 2000, the median income for a household in the village was $86,599, and the median income for a family was $107,610. Males had a median income of $86,322 versus $46,765 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the village was $54,213. , 59.73% of residents spoke Spanish at home, while 30.84% spoke only English. Speakers of Portuguese were 2.83%, French 2.67%, Italian 1.67%, and German 1.47% of the population.


Media

''The Islander News'' is a weekly community newspaper serving Key Biscayne. The estimated circulation in 2020 was 3,600. ''Key Biscayne Magazine'' is a lifestyle magazine published in Miami by TAG Media, publishers of '' Brickell Magazine''. The circulation of the magazine was about 10,000 in 2020.


Education

Miami-Dade County Public Schools serves Key Biscayne. The Key Biscayne K–8 Center serves Key Biscayne. Middle school students may attend Ponce de Leon Middle School in Coral Gables instead of the Key Biscayne School. High school students are zoned to Coral Gables Senior High School.MAST Academy about to be expanded for Key Biscayne students
" ''
Miami Herald The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by McClatchy, The McClatchy Company and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1903, it is the fifth-largest newspaper in Florida, serving Miami-Dade, Broward County, Fl ...
''. June 13, 2013. Retrieved on April 26, 2013.
MAST Academy, a magnet school on
Virginia Key Virginia Key is an barrier island in Miami, Florida. It is located in Biscayne Bay south of Brickell and north of Key Biscayne and is accessible from the mainland via the Rickenbacker Causeway. The island is mainly occupied by the Virginia Ke ...
, has since 2012 given eligible Key Biscayne residents priority in filling 1,100 seats in the school's Cambridge program. The Miami-Dade Public Library System operates the Key Biscayne Branch Library. It opened in January 1985. St. Agnes Academy is a Catholic private school at 122 Harbor Drive, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami. It serves pre-K–8th grade.


Notable people

* Jaime Bayly, writer * Jay Berger, former tennis player * Raul Boesel, race car driver *
Cher Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...
, actress and singer * Soman Chainani, writer * Gaetano Ciancio, transplant surgeon *
Isabel Pérez Farfante Isabel Pérez Farfante (July 24, 1916 – August 20, 2009) was a Cuban-born carcinologist. She was the first Cuban woman to receive her Ph.D. from an Ivy League school. She returned to Cuba from the United States only to be blacklisted by Fi ...
,
carcinologist This is a list of notable carcinologists. A carcinologist is a scientist who studies crustaceans or is otherwise involved in carcinology (the science of crustaceans). References

{{Reflist, 24em Carcinologists, . Lists of zoologists, Carcino ...
* Mary Joe Fernández, former professional tennis player * Timothy Ferris, author * Emerson Fittipaldi, race car driver * Fonseca, Colombian singer * Andy García, actor * Arthur Hanlon, pianist *
Juanes Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez (born 9 August 1972), known professionally as Juanes, is a Colombian musician who was a member of the Rock music, rock band Ekhymosis and is now a solo artist. Since releasing his solo debut album ''Fíjate B ...
, Colombian singer * Luis J. Lauredo, former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States * Martin Margulies, billionaire art collector and fixture of Miami's high society *
Juan Pablo Montoya Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (; born 20 September 1975) is a Colombian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to , IndyCar between 1999 and 2022, and the NASCAR Cup Series between 2006 and 2024. Montoya won seven Formula One Grand ...
, Colombian race car driver *
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
, U.S. president; see Nixon's Florida White House *
Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. In a Brad Pitt filmography, film career spanning more than thirty years, Pitt has received list of awards and nominations received by Brad Pitt, numerous a ...
, actor * Bebe Rebozo, banker and confidante of Richard Nixon * Eddie Rickenbacker, fighter pilot for whom Rickenbacker Causeway is named


Hotels and condominiums controversy

As noted above, the construction of several condominium complexes in Key Biscayne caused the population to soar. In 2007, voters approved an amendment to the village charter requiring that future land use changes be approved by voters. In 2008, the village council, saying that requiring community voting on zoning changes infringed on its responsibility, submitted another proposal to revise the charter. But on November 4, 2008, voters overwhelmingly rejected the council's proposed change, defeating the amendment by a more than two-to-one margin.''The Miami Herald'', November 5, 2008


Other information

Key Biscayne hosts the Tennis Center at Crandon Park, former home to the Miami Open Tennis Tournament, and a golf course, along with many amenities for water sports and fishing. Key Biscayne has a visitors center, open 24/7, 365 days a year, in the Village Hall, 88 West McIntyre Street #100, next to the police station. Staffed M–F from 9am to 5pm


Gallery

File:KeyBiscayneFireStation.JPG, Fire station


References


Further reading

*


External links

{{authority control History of Miami-Dade County, Florida Villages in Miami-Dade County, Florida Populated places established in 1947 1947 establishments in Florida Villages in Florida Populated coastal places in Florida on the Atlantic Ocean Former census-designated places in Florida Seaside resorts in Florida