Located six milessouthwest of the heart of Miami,just west of Coconut Groveand the Florida seaboard, CoralGables is an arty but upscale community that prides itself on walkability,though it's only a short train ride from a true metropolis; the Miami Metrorailmakes three stops inside city lines. Developer George E. Merrick designed and builtCoral Gables in 1922, seeing it as his chance to bring the aesthetics of thecountry's City Beautiful movement to South Florida. Tree-lined residentialstreets surround a downtown core of high-rise office buildings, dining,entertainment and shopping avenues. The University of Miami main campus ishere, and Coral Gables is home to the famous Biltmore Hotel. Mediterranean inits palm-shaded style, fiercely protective of its 1920s-boomtime character, andfilled with parks, museums, historical places, academics and business, CoralGables represents a rare and unique level of cultural balance. The Universityof Miami the city's biggest employer is home to more than 15,000 full-timestudents during the school year, not only bringing a youthful energy to CoralGables in the fall and spring, but also making the city a player in the worldof medicine, law and oceanographic research. The city is also home to one ofthe largest Cuban populations in the United States. The city celebrates thatinfluence in many ways, including summer concerts that focus on Cubanmusicians. While it may be on the cutting edge of scholarship and culturaldiaspora, the city is also protective of its character. Merrick's adherence tothe style and substance of Florida's Mediterranean revival in Florida in the1920s is evident in the city's color, architecture, and green spaces. Cityordinances and zoning reflect residents' concern about preserving theatmosphere that Merrick brought to this corner of Florida.