South Florida by the numbers: Memorial Day in Miami

“South Florida by the numbers” is a web feature that catalogs the most notable, quirky and surprising real estate statistics.

While Memorial Day honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the U.S. armed forces, its intended meaning can sometimes get lost here in Miami. The existence of the U.S. military itself in South Florida can often go under the radar, but it actually maintains a large and significant local presence. According to The Beacon Council (Miami’s economic development organization), the defense industry makes an economic impact of $5.5 billion, while supporting nearly 60,000 jobs. In this Memorial Day edition of South Florida by the numbers, we pay our respects to those who defended (and continue to defend) our great nation, with a look at connections between South Florida’s military, veteran, real estate, and business interests.

#1: According to personal finance web site WalletHub, Florida’s ranking among the best states for military retirees. The analysis used 22 key indicators of retirement-friendliness toward veterans, including job opportunities, housing affordability, and quality of VA hospitals. Florida has the nation’s third-largest veteran population, and is the top state for a veteran getting hired and for state tax on military pensions. [MiamiHerald]

$10,000: Amount recently donated by the Miami Association of Realtors to help local veterans care for their pets. The grant was awarded to Miami-Dade County Animal Services, which will establish a “Patriot Pets program” for needy veterans with pets to utilize pet vaccinations, pet microchips, off-site donations, pet retention, and transfer of dog ownership. [MiamiRealtors]

$1.5 million: Amount approved last year by the State of Florida to help renovate and restore the Miami Military Museum & Memorial, located on the grounds of ZooMiami. According to its web site, the museum is “dedicated to the preservation of South Florida’s military history, communicated through education and public events showcasing historic military moments and South Florida’s contribution.” It is scheduled to open on September 16, 2017. [MiamiToday]

25 stories: Height of a new luxury condominium proposed by The Related Group on Terminal Island, which sits off the MacArthur Causeway on Miami Beach. The island is also home to the City of Miami Beach’s fleet management facilities, an FPL facility, parking and ferry facilities for Fisher Island, and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Miami Beach station; the commander of which has expressed concerns about “an elevated level of industrial maintenance, that will negatively impact any residence.” All involved parties are working to resolve this and other issues. [TheRealDeal]

$110,000: In February, the amount awarded by the Florida Defense Support Task Force in a grant to the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. The grant will create a “South Florida Defense Alliance” aimed at helping coordinate with the U.S. Southern Command, Homestead Air Reserve Base, and the 7th Coast Guard District headquarters. According to an announcement from Gov. Rick Scott, “…the alliance’s mission will be to unite, champion and represent the local defense community.” [MiamiHerald]

This column is produced by the Master Brokers Forum, a network of South Florida’s elite real estate professionals where membership is by invitation only and based on outstanding production, as well as ethical and professional behavior.