Avila (Tampa)

Developer J. Robert "Bob" Sierra laid the groundwork for Avila in 1978.[2][3] Surrounded by eight-foot walls, its name was inspired by the Spanish city of Ávila that was itself protected by imposing walls.[1][2] The vast majority of the current homes in Avila were built in the 1980s.[4] The neighborhood was created with various dining options and its centerpiece, the Avila Golf and Country Club.[5][1][2][3] Amenities include six tennis courts, a swimming pool and fitness center, and an 18-hole course redesigned by famed golfer Jack Nicklaus in 1988.[5][1][2][3]

PGA pros are on staff for private golf lessons.[5][1][2] Avila was constructed with two entrances, one on Lake Magdalene Boulevard and another on North Florida Avenue.[2] The neighborhood is guarded 24 hours a day and patrolled by security guards who use radar guns to monitor the speeds of vehicles.[2] The security committee was once led by Tony Muniz, chairman of the Tampa Sports Authority.[1][2]

Avila's boundaries are roughly Highway 41 to the west, Crenshaw Lake Road to the north, and Lake Magdalene Boulevard to the south.[6] The community contains a dozen lakes, a conservation area, and oak, cypress, and pine trees.[5][1] The only street exceeding a mile in length is Guisando de Avila, measuring 1.17 miles in length.[4]

As of 2010, Avila had a population of 2,626 with a median age of 53.6 years.[4] Among the residents, 83.7% were born in America but only 39.3% were Florida natives.[4] Nearly 83% of married-couple families contained two working parents and 13% of all households contained a single-mother.[4]

The 900-acre community contains 395 residences where homes typically sell for $600,000 to $5 million.[2][7] As of 2015, the median household income was $72,594.[4] The average household contained 2.6 people with 42% of residences containing a minimum of nine rooms.[4]

The neighborhood is zoned for the public institutions of Maniscalco Elementary School, Buchanan Middle School, and Gaither High School, but 47.6% of school-aged children attend private schools.[4][8][9]

This is a list of people who have lived in the Avila neighborhood at some time.

• Bruce Allen, NFL president of the Washington Redskins[14]
• Adam Bilzerian, poker player[15][16]
• Dan Bilzerian, poker player[15][16]
• Paul Bilzerian, former corporate takeover specialist[2]
• Quincy Black, former NFL player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers[17]
• Eddie DeBartolo Jr., former NFL owner of the San Francisco 49ers[1]
• Tony Dungy, former NFL coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Indianapolis Colts[1]
• Jon Gruden, former NFL coach of the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers[14]
• Derek Jeter, former professional baseball player with the New York Yankees[1]
• Joe Magrane, analyst for the MLB Network[14]
• Vince Naimoli, businessman and founder of the Tampa Bay Rays[1] (d. 2019)
• Lou Piniella, former professional baseball manager predominantly with the Seattle Mariners.[2]
• Jorge Posada, former professional baseball player with the New York Yankees[1]
• Mariano Rivera, former professional baseball player with the New York Yankees[1]
• Warren Sapp, former NFL player predominantly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers[2]
• Nick Swisher, former professional baseball player with four different teams[18]

• Demographic information on City-Data.com