The Colombian community in Florida has reached over 375,000, and their culture is an intricate part of the the South Florida area. The new plaza will be a center celebrating and embracing the Colombian heritage, featuring plenty of green grassy areas to run in, as well as park benches and other facilities. 

The plaza will be a “green” project, with solar power energy, designed by MGE Architects.   Other artistic elements will honor the Colombian heritage, and will include a mural wall with quotes from Colombian historical figures. 

This center is a great way to celebrate the Colombian culture in Miami.  The Plaza Colombian will be located in the Westwind Lakes Park.

Sand from the Orlando area will be shipped down on trucks and put onto the beaches to add to the current base, and to extend the beach in length, meaning more room for beach towels and fun!

Though the project will only act as a temporary fix to the erosion issue, local officials are hopeful for additional governmental assistance that my come in or around 2011.

The 2010 federal budget proposed includes a little extra help for eroded beaches in South Florida.  The years of wear and tear from outside pollutants on our beautiful beaches certainly has taken its toll.  This deterioration of quality beaches not only affects those who are happy-go-lucky sun-bathers, but the ecosystem as a whole in the South Florida area.  Native species, both those living on land and in the surrounding waters, are adversely affected by the deteriorating environment.  Miami Dade estimates a need for $8.25 million in order to restore the Miami shoreline.

In addition to beach restoration, the money will also go towards restoration and preservation of the Everglades. This funding from the government goes well beyond that of which the state of Florida has received in recent years towards environmental restoration and preservation, so the state officials are very anxious to receive this funding and begin on overdue restoration of the area.

The Tournament will be held today, May 2nd, with the official start at 7am.  So get your fishing boat ready, gear up your team, and sign up today!  Fishing in Miami is great, but add to that a $15,000 first place prize? You can be sure the reels will be flying!

Starting April 15th through May 11th, Deering Estates will have a wide range of art on display, portraying the work of the students from public and private schools all across Miami-Dade County.  Students in the area learn various art expressions and mediums in their curriculum, and many are thrilled to have the chance to display their work to their friends and family, and to the public!

Deering Estate is located in Cutler Ridge at 16701 SW 72nd Avenue, and is open from 10am until 5pm every day. Stroll the halls and enjoy the pastel or watercolor creations, clay sculptures, or digital art! There is so much to see, so mark your calendar and head on over to Deering Estate this weekend.  You will not be disappointed!

The developing area of West Kendall recently has defined itself, with its center being at Southwest 137th Avenue.  For quite some time this area had been known as “too far west”, as development of local malls, businesses, and supermarkets were few and far between.

Now, Southwest 137th Avenue seems to be the connecting route for those living in West Kendall, utilizing this road for easy travel to Doral, the Dolphin Expressway, or to the Tamiami Airport.  With accessible routes in and out of this area, the population has increased dramatically.  In the Kendall area, real estate buyers find themselves very interested in these beautiful new communities that have been constructed throughout the area.  And now, West Kendall, once a rural area,  is filled with large gated communities with homes and condos galore.

Communities such as Country Walk and Three Lakes are two popular communities in the area, that feature large homes with swimming pools and backyard patios.  These West Kendall homes have attracted home buyers from many different areas, which has led to the extensive use of Southwest 137th Avenue.  The level of traffic on the road has led many local businesses to want a definitive separation and signs for this “West Kendall” area, mostly in effort to compete with the popular Kendall Drive.  Kendall Drive is the most well known business area in Kendall, but they can now expect some friendly competition from their neighbors on Southwest 137th Avenue!

These new homes in Liberty City, which are scheduled to be completed this year, are just that.  Green LEED certified, and affordable. How does a home qualify to be LEED certified anyways?  Well, there are five factors that are considered when reviewing a home or a building, including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, selection of materials, and the quality of the indoor environment.

Some of the elements included to qualify these Liberty City homes as “green” include things such as recycled oak wood flooring, fluorescent lighting, low VOC paints, energy efficient appliances, and landscaping that is drought-resistant.  And besides being environmentally friendly, owners of these homes will save big time on their yearly energy bills, with an estimated cost of just $2,000 per year. The starting price for one of these homes is at about $200,000.

The Seven Mile Bridge, connecting Marathon to Little Duck Key, is one of the longest bridges in existence.  And do not be fooled by the name, as this bridge is actually only 6.79 miles long (close enough I guess). But those who travel through the Florida Keys know how important this bridge is, and tremble in their boots at the thought of part of it being shut down, as this is the only route in and out of the area south of Marathon.

Luckily, the up coming construction and maintenance repair on the bridge is scheduled for only 3 days, including March 18th, March 23rd, and April 6th.  The lane closures will take place from 8pm until 6am.  Expect significant delays, and plan accordingly!  This will slow down your expected commute time.

The Celtics will being going into this game tonight with much tension, having 5 regular players currently unable to play due to injuries.  And with Wade’s performances recently, the Miami Heat are looking in good shape to take a victory tonight over the Celtics.  The Celtics did take a victory over Miami in January, with a final score of 98-83. 

Tonight’s game will begin at 7:30pm, at the American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami.

This will be one of the biggest street parties you will ever be a part of, as you walk the street filled with vendors offering Latin foods of every flavor, musical performances on every block, children’s activities, and even some freebies along the way!  Musical performances are nearly every block from 11th Avenue, all the way to 27th Avenue, and include huge stars like Pitbull, Fat Joe, Brook Hogan, Shaggy, Eddy Lover, and many, many more!

Calla Ocho 2009 will be held this Sunday, March 15th, from 11am-7pm, giving you plenty of time to party in the street with thousands of others from Miami, South Florida, and across the world!