Miami Beach Is an Island City, Formed Essay

Total Length: 897 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 2

Page 1 of 3

Miami Beach is an island city, formed on a former sand bar just east of the South Florida mainland. Its most current tourism slogan is "Miami Beach 25/7: The World's Playground," because it takes the extra hour to enjoy all the city has to offer (Official Website of the City of Miami Beach, 2012). The city of Miami Beach occupies the southernmost portion of a barrier island that stretches more than thirty miles up until Broward County. Wide and sandy Atlantic Beaches adorn the entire east coast of the island, and the west coast borders on Biscayne Bay. Average ocean temperature is 74 degrees Fahrenheit, average summer temperature is about 82 degrees and average winter temperature is about 67 degrees (Miami Beach 411, n.d.). Miami Beach is a highly desirable place to live and visit.

Miami Beach consists of three main zones: South Beach, central or middle Miami Beach, and North Beach (not to be confused with North Miami Beach, which is a separate city). Postal codes range from 33139 on South Beach to 33141 on North Beach. Property values vary considerably throughout these zones, with the biggest difference between South Beach and North Beach. South Beach homes average about $278.59 per square foot versus $173.16 per square foot for North Beach (Miami Beach 411, n.d.).
Median value of owner-occupied units is relatively high compared with the rest of the state and even the entire country at $349,400 (United States Census Bureau, 2013). According to the United States Census Bureau (2013), median income on Miami Beach is $42,411.

Developed heavily during the 1950s, much of the architecture of South Miami Beach (South Beach) consists of characteristic art deco hotels and apartment buildings, for which the city is renowned. The bulk of the art deco architectural zone is concentrated on Ocean Drive between 1st and 15th streets, but there are art deco buildings scattered throughout the city.

Miami Beach was, and remains, a popular holiday resort destination. Northerners, primarily from New York, settled it during the 1950s and 1960s and marketed the city as a holiday resort due to its climate in the winter. A dip in the real estate market led to a lull in Miami Beach development during the 1970s and 1980s, when a revival in the city began. A proliferation of nightclubs and luxury resorts ensures a steady stream of tourism, especially outside of the summer months.

However, there are also about 90,000 residents of the city and nearly 70,000 housing units (United States Census Bureau, 2013). More than half (about 60%) of residents are renters and not.....

Need Help Writing Your Essay?