Coral Gables is located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida and a city in Miami-Dade County and is adjoined by Miami on the northeastern part via the Biscayne Bay. The area where the present-day Coral Gables stand was developed at the start of the 1920s by George E. Merrick from a nucleus of his family-owned land of citrus and farmland named the site after the family house that was made of coral rock walls and roofs. The site is considered to be a well-planned residential area and is popular because of its plazas that well-landscaped and streets that have the Meditteranean-style architectures. The town also has a compound of houses that are built-in styles such as French, South African, Dutch, and Chinese styles. The area is well within the waterways that are navigable by the small boats that provide access to the Biscayne Bay and the outside waters.