Kendall

Kendall has no borders, per se. The neighborhood is an unofficially defined region of unincorporated Miami-Dade county. Therefore, it has no government or city lines, although most residents accept some commonly defined boundaries. The western boundary of Kendall is Krome Avenue and the Everglades. The eastern border is formed by U.S. 1, although some of the area immediately adjacent to U.S. 1 is also considered Kendall by many residents. The northern reaches of the neighborhood end somewhere around Kendall Drive (SW 88th Street) while the southern terminus is Coral Reef Drive (SW 152nd Street).

nteresting Facts

• 52% of Kendall residents speak Spanish as a first language while only 40% speak English as a first language
• Kendall's population was 75,226 during the 2000 U.S. Census
• The median household income in the area was $51,330 in 2000
• Janet Reno, former Attorney General of the United States under Bill Clinton, lives in Kendall
• O.J. Simpson is the area's most infamous resident

Things To Do

Kendall is full of exciting activities and events for both adults and children. Some favorite activities include:

• Shopping is available throughout the area with numerous retail shops centralized around Kendall Drive. Those looking for shopping malls may wish to visit Shops at the Falls or Dadeland Mall.
• Miami Metro Zoo is one of the world's finest zoos and hosts an incredibly diverse collection of animals, including a world-renowned aviary
• The Gold Coast Museaum located on the ground of Miami MetroZoo, is an inexpensive ($5 for adults, $3 for kids) way to learn about the history of railroads in South Florida
• The Everglades National Park is an ecological treasure in our backyard, offering numerous nature activities and tourism opportunities

  Places To Work

  Kendall is primarily a bedroom community for downtown Miami. Therefore, many of the area's residents commute to offices downtown for employment. Workers remaining in the local area primarily serve in the retail, restaurant and hospitality industries, although there are several major employers in the region. Two of the largest are:
  • Baptist Hospital
  • Miami Dade College

  Transportation

  Most Kendall residents drive on the congested South Florida freeway/road system to get around the area. However, Kendall is served by two stops on the Metrorail, connecting the area to downtown Miami. Major airlines serve the nearby Miami International Airport. General aviation services are available at the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport.

Kendall is a census-designated place and an unincorporated suburban community in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Miami. As of the 2000 census, the area had a total population of 75,226.

While the defined boundaries of the community have been labeled Kendall by the US Census Bureau, locals often included western communities, such as The Hammocks, Country Walk, The Crossings, Kendale Lakes, Kendall West, and Three Lakes, as part of Kendall.

The Kendall area is also home to one of the largest Colombian American populations in the State of Florida. Over 11,000 Colombians live in the area, mostly concentrated in the western fringes (West of the Florida Turnpike), in the census-designated places of The Hammocks, Country Walk, The Crossings, Kendale Lakes, Kendall West and Three Lakes, where they make up over 60 percent of the population in certain neighborhoods (West Kendall, Royal Palms on 134th Ave. and the Hammocks). 

 History

Much of what is now Kendall was purchased from the State of Florida in 1883 by the Florida Land and Mortgage Company. It is named after Henry John Broughton Kendall, a director of the company who moved to the area in the 1900s to manage the company's land. As the land was not open to homesteading, development was slow well into the 20th century. A post office opened in 1914, and the first school opened in 1929. After the end of the land boom in 1926, some residents left. Two Seminole camps were in the Kendall area, and Seminoles continued to live there into the 1940s. 

 Climate

Climate in Kendall is quite similar to the rest of interior Miami-Dade County. Summers are warm and wet. Winters tend to be milder and cooler than the coast and Downtown Miami. Regular temperatures during summer are hot in the 90s during the day, but very mild in the 70s at night. During summer, unlike winter, temperatures don't vary much. During winter, temperatures are mild in the 60s thru 70s and cool at night in the mid to low 50s. Warm fronts during winter can bring spring temperatures in the 80s as highs, and cold arctic fronts can bring low temperatures into the mid to low 40s. It is normal for there to be at least 3-4 days of winter when temperatures can dip into the high and mid 30s. Even at times at least once every season the lows can go into the low 30s and even to freezing point. Kendall is one of the seven locations in Miami to be affected by the three snowfalls in recorded history in South Florida. Kendall was mainly affected by the 1989 Christmas eve snowfall. Spring is very moderate in Kendall with highs pretty much in the 80s and lows in the 60s. Surprisingly, the highest temperature ever reached in Kendall, or Miami for that matter is 98 degrees, in 1998. The lowest is 29 degrees in 1989.