Community Background Report

City of Sweetwater

County

Miami-Dade

Boundaries

See interactive map

Community Type

Municipality

History

The City of Sweetwater occupies approximately 532 acres of land in western Miami-Dade County. The area known as Sweetwater was founded during the Florida land boom of the 1920s when the Miami-Pittsburg Land Company purchased the acreage and laid out the original plat of “Sweetwater Groves”. In 1938, Clyde Andrews acquired most of “Sweetwater Groves” and began to market lots to tourists and migrants.

In 1941, Sweetwater successfully incorporated as a City. The town’s first mayor was Joe Sanderlin. By 1959 Sweetwater had attracted 50 residents and contained a church, a town hall, a grocery store, a service station, and 183 homes. The town also had a two-man police force and a volunteer fire department.

In 1970, 3,000 residents inhabited Sweetwater. During the 1970s the city’s growth was propelled by several events including the establishment of Florida International University to the south, the construction of State Road 836 to the north, State Road 826 to the east, and the influx of Hispanic residents and immigrants. During this time a large amount of Nicaraguan refugees established their presence in the City of Sweetwater. The town then became known as a largely Nicaraguan community. All of the events above led to the doubling of the Sweetwater population throughout the 1970s.

In Sweetwater’s 1998 Comprehensive Plan it is stated that the town had developed 97% of their land and only 3% of available land remained vacant. In 2004 the city began consideration of partnering with Florida International University to establish a University City along 109th street corridor through Sweetwater that would include new or redeveloped housing catering to the university’s student and faculty population. In 2005 Mayor Manuel Marono and his staff began the annexation process to include areas northward to Northwest 25th Street, westward to the Florida Turnpike, and eastward to SW 107th street.

Community Dynamics

Sweetwater has a population of 20,739, with a median age of 38.4 and a median household income of $31,665. Between 2014 and 2015, the population of Sweetwater grew from 20,562 to 20,739, a 0.86% increase, and its median household income declined from $31,858 to $31,665, a 0.61% decrease. The population of Sweetwater is 95.6% Hispanic, 2.5% White, and 1.28% Asian. A non-English language is spoken by 96.6% of the population, and 61% are U.S. citizens. As of 2000, 16.63% of Sweetwater residents identified as being of Nicaraguan heritage. This was the highest percentage of Nicaraguans and Nicaraguan Americans of any place in the country. As a result, Sweetwater is locally known as "Little Managua", named after the Nicaraguan capital.

Although seniors make up only 15 percent of the population, Sweetwater has numerous programs and services that are directed towards aiding the senior citizens in the community and surrounding communities.

The City of Sweetwater has four parks. Construction on Dominoes Park, located at 10620 SW 7th Terrace, began in mid-2004. The Dominoes Park project is still under construction and has experienced problems with funding.

Business Landscape

The economy of Sweetwater employs 9,425 people. It has a full-service police department and a fire department, as well as the city hall complex, four parks, an elementary school, a county fire station, 4,353 residential housing units, 14 shopping centers, over 600 businesses, several churches and a bank. There are two 24-hour diners in Sweetwater, which are Rey's Pizza (Cuban Style Pizza) and La Esquinita Havanera (Cuban Cuisine). Both are located a short distance from each other off 107th Avenue. Sweetwater is also located near Miami International Mall. After a December 2010 vote, Dolphin Mall is now part of the City.

Transportation Characteristics

Major roads bordering the 2.4 square mile City of Sweetwater are Florida’s Turnpike, Tamiami US 41, and West Flagler Street.

Florida International University received an $11.4 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant (also known as a TIGER grant) to construct a bridge, which is scheduled for completion by the summer of 2018, connecting the FIU Modesto A. Maidique Campus to the City of Sweetwater. Part of a larger transportation initiative, the idea is to create a safer path for the students and local residents who cross between Sweetwater and FIU each day. Though the exact number of pedestrians crossing SW 8th Street at 109th Avenue is unknown, it is estimated that more than 4,000 FIU students currently live in Sweetwater, in addition to the Sweetwater youths who aspire to attend college one day.

The City provides a free trolley service to the public. The trolley route connects all of Sweetwater's most popular locations, such as Dolphin Mall, the parks, and the Sweetwater Municipal Complex, as well as Florida International University and International Mall, on its borders.