| Avila | |
| Settlement Type: | Neighborhood |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Florida |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Florida |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Florida |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Hillsborough |
| Subdivision Type3: | City |
| Subdivision Name3: | Tampa |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Km2: | 2.98 |
| Population As Of: | 2010 |
| Population Total: | 2,626 |
| Population Density Km2: | 879 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Coordinates: | 28.109°N -82.461°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Postal Code: | 33613 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
Avila is an affluent neighborhood in North Tampa, considered to be one of the most exclusive communities in Tampa, Florida.[1] The gated community is occupied by star athletes, socialites, and professionals.[1]
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]
On January 9, 2012, retired doctor Hector Rivera (76) and his wife Debra (55) were murdered at their Avila residence shortly before 8:00 p.m.[2] [7] Hector's body was found in his driveway at 814 Taray De Avila while Debra's body was located in a bathroom within the 11000square feet mansion.[7] [10] The following day, Debra's personal assistant and driver Julian Ospina-Florez (31) was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with theft noted as the motive.[7] Ospina-Florez was found guilty on September 1, 2015, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole three days later.[11]
On the morning of May 7, 2014, Darrin Campbell (49) killed his wife Kimberly (51), his son Colin (18), and his daughter Megan (15), fatally shooting each in the head.[12] [13] The former executive at Pabst Brewing Company then attempted to cover up the crime by setting the $1 million mansion at 16223 Sierra De Avila on fire using gasoline and fireworks as an accelerant.[12] He committed suicide as the house burned down, a home being leased by the Campbell family from former tennis professional James Blake.[13]
This is a list of people who have lived in the Avila neighborhood at some time.