Pinecrest

Pinecrest is a suburban village in Miami-Dade County, with the neighborhoods of Coral Gables to the east, South Miami to the northeast and Palmetto Bay on the south side.

As the community began to grow in the 1930’s, the first tourist attraction in the Miami vicinity, Parrot Jungle and Gardens, was established in 1936. The founders, Franz and Louise Scherr, developed this 20-acre property at Red Road and SW 111 Street into a world-famous attraction, visited by many famous people including Sir Winston Churchill. Today, this is still an area attraction and community center called Pinecrest Gardens, providing a focal point to meet, participate and enjoy many programs and events for all ages.

During its ongoing development, the foundation for Pinecrest’s structure in the 1950’s and 1960’s was defined by the construction of ranch-style homes on one-acre lots amidst a rural, lushly-landscaped, residential setting. Many streets throughout Pinecrest have names originating from prominent people associated to the area and for flowers and vegetation reflecting the natural beauty and resources of the Pinecrest environment. One of the main roadways, Kendall Drive, is named after Henry John Boughton Kendall, a trustee of the Florida Land and Mortgage Company that purchased a vast area of Pinecrest in 1883. Other street names include Hibiscus Parkway, Oleander Parkway, Tropical Way and Pine Needle Lane.

The Village of Pinecrest was incorporated in 1996 and became Miami-Dade’s 29^th municipality. The Village Council, with the Village Manager, established municipal services including police, parks and recreation, building and planning services and public works.