Want to live somewhere really fun? Boat, fish, swim? You might want to take a peak at E-Lake. The 76 acre Miami lakefront community is home to a handful of residents who rarely relinquish their claim to the lakefront! Jennings-built homes originally sold for $15K – $20K in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Today the lots themselves sell for more than a million! We have one listed now… at 9200 SW 140 St … the least expensive piece of property on E Lake… updated and beautiful!
Wave runners, sailboats, ski boats, rafts, wake boarders… private sandy beaches… and a water quality (which is tested monthly) that has been (for over 30 years now) exceptional! From your dock you can see fish. From your beach front chickee hut you’ll enjoy breathtaking sunsets. E-Lake affords an active-lifestyle for the sports-oriented. It also offers laid-back peace and quiet for those wanting resort-style tranquilityin the privacy of their own backyard. Curl up in a hammock with your favorite book. Enjoy a leisurely bar-b-que down by the waterfront. Take a boat ride at sunset over to visit with friends. Enjoy the privacy … or the sense of community. At E Lake you can certainly have both. Living on the lake affords an outdoor, active lifestyle unique to this particular area of Miami… and it offers a retreat where you can savor every minute of your spare time.
Everyone has a backyard that butts up on the lake. Many of the residents have boats. Because of the sense of community, rules are few and far between, but there’s a sense of caring and respect that’s refreshing. Residents have a voluntary annual contribution of $150 toward testing and treating the water and a desire to maintain not only the lake and but the quality of life. There is no homeowner’s association. What there is, is a common thread… a lifestyle that revolves around the outdoors, and an enjoyment of life and living… and a glimpse back, to a time when being a “good neighbor” .. and where pride and respect mattered.
What’s the history of E Lake? In the early 1920’s Henry Flagler bought the land around E Lake as a rock quarry… for the coral rock, limestone (also known as oolite) needed to build his railroad. The rock was crushed to form the bed of the tracks, and used in making the cement for necessary bridges and other structures. Flagler’s railroad was to go from Miami all the way down to Key West. Because of the aquifer and Miami’s unique water table, the quarry began to fill with water. In spite of concerted efforts, the digging apparatus couldn’t contend with the infiltration of water… eventually causing excavation to cease. By the 1940’s a fresh water lake filled in the rock quarry, and when seen from above, the lake looks like the letter “E”. The largest of the fingers is to the north, with the depth ranging from 35 ft on the east to over 60 ft on the west side. E-Lake Community extends between SW 136th Street and SW 144th Street (on the north and south), and from SW 92 Avenue over to SW 97 Avenue (on the east and west).
Not surprisingly, the rock quarry site which is now the historic Venetian Pool in Coral Gables similarly filled with water, due to Miami’s natural underground springs. The Venetian Pool ( a few miles to the north of E-Lake) became an elegant public swimming hole for local Gables residents. Not much of a surprise to see other construction in and around Miami having to deal with that Miami aquifer even today!
By the 1960’s two developers began building homes on the land immediately surrounding E-Lake. F & R Builders and Jennings were the two prominent builders and many of their homes are still right where they built them. Jennings homes are known for the scalloped edges in the closets, and their solid construction… enabling Jennings homes throughout South Florida to withstand hurricanes in the days when shutters or impact windows were the name of the game. Today, many of the original Jennings homes on E-Lake have been added to, enlarged or remodeled. Nevertheless,those homes that originally sold for $15,000.00-$20,ooo.00 occupy lots today that themselves are valued at over a million dollars. Real estate has long been a wise investment! There are certainly market ups and downs, but in the long run, real estate (especially water front property) often appreciates nicely. Homes are not often available on E-Lake. If you have an interest in E-Lake, contact The Restivo Team at EWM Realtors (305) 793-1365. The Restivo Team just listed 9200 SW 140 St on E Lake for sale, and the beautifully updated 4 bedroom lakefront Jennings-built home is for sale at $1,195,000.00. www.MiamiRealEstateCafe.com
E-Lake Community … a lifestyle worth exploring!
