HispanicBusiness

New cities that have incorporated since the 2000 census -- Miami Gardens, Doral, and Cutler Bay -- have outpaced the population growth of Miami-Dade County, according to census data released this week.

Doral doubled in size, Cutler Bay grew by nearly 20 percent and Miami Gardens catapulted to one of the top 20 most-populated cities in Florida.

Palmetto Bay, also a new city, did not have comparable census data in 2000.

The strong growth of the new cities contrasted with long-standing, unincorporated areas such as Kendall and West Kendall, which experienced modest gains or even decreases in population. And the county as a whole grew only 10.8 percent from 2000 to 2010.

In 2000, critics said Miami Gardens would never thrive as a city. The area that would become Doral was just a destination for people to work, not to live, others said. And the soon-to-be Town of Cutler Bay was viewed as too far from the county's population centers.

Fast forward a decade, and these budding cities are thriving.

Miami Gardens comes in at 17th statewide with a population of 107,167. In 2004, the city's estimated population was 105,414, according to the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. The city incorporated in 2003.

"We think a lot of the people who moved away before we incorporated for a more luxurious or better life are moving back because we have a wide range of offerings now that can satisfy those needs,'' said Miami Gardens City Manager Danny Crew.

In Doral, the population has more than doubled to 45,704, the latest census figures show. Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez attributes the increase to the city's central location near major transportation arteries such as Florida's Turnpike and Miami International Airport. The city, which incorporated in 2003, is also a major business hub, particularly for importers and exporters, a significant base of Miami-Dade's business community.

"A lot of people work in Doral or have a business here and people want to be closer to their workplace. They like having their job around the corner," Bermudez said.

Cutler Bay, meanwhile, experienced a population swell of 19 percent to 40,000 residents. The town's vice mayor, Ernie Sochin, attributes the growth to a housing boom. Cutler Bay was one of the few areas with land available for development, he said.

"If you look in the other areas in Dade County, this is probably the only area that has the space for new population growth," Sochin said.

Unlike the newly formed cities, areas that remained unincorporated since the last census showed little change, or even decreased in population.

Kendall only added about 100 residents in the last decade, reaching a population of 75,300. And West Kendall -- where long-time, sprawling residential communities dominate -- the population actually shrunk. The latest census shows a population of 36,000, a decrease of more than 1,000 residents.

Frank Irizarry, chairman of the West Kendall Business association and a local activist, takes issue with that number.

"That sounds hyper-tiny," he said.

Irizarry said the area stretches from the Turnpike to Krome Avenue and from Southwest 152nd Street to Bird Road. In that space are dozens of residential communities with thousands of residents. The area supports almost 5,000 businesses and has seen the addition of bus lines and other transportation hubs, he said.

The Census definition of West Kendall excludes large neighborhoods such as Kendale Lakes, the Hammocks and Country Walk.

There is one trend the unincorporated areas and newly formed cities didn't escape: the foreclosure crisis. The number of empty homes increased in almost all of these areas.

With a 170 percent increase in unoccupied homes from 2000 to 2010, Cutler Bay had among the worst spikes in vacant homes. Kendall is not much better off, with a 130 percent increase.

"A condo in Kendall during the boom may have cost close to $190,000. Today it is worth $40,000," said Jorge Guerra, a real estate broker who owns Real Estate Sales Force in Kendall. "These condos sit vacant because the owners are upside down and haven't paid [Homeowners Association] dues. The owners aren't even able to rent them because of what they owe the bank and home associations."

Another trend across the communities: diversification.

Three out of four residents in Miami Gardens are black, making it the largest majority black city in the state.

The Hispanic population nearly tripled in Doral, to 36,300 residents. Though the city is known for large communities of Venezuelans and Colombians, Bermudez said the Hispanic growth is coming from all regions of Latin America.

To get an idea of the Hispanic growth and shifting demographics in West Kendall, all you have to do is look at the types of businesses flourishing there, said Jorge Pena.

Pena, an insurance agent and founding chairman of the West Kendall Business Association, said the number of Hispanic businesses and restaurants is growing to keep up with a long-established residential community.

"We're very diverse here, that's for sure," he said. "The great part about it is you can get so many different types of food, so you never get bored."