University Park is a census-designated place (CDP) in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,995 at the 2010 census. University Park was the name of the main campus of Florida International University (now called the Modesto A. Maidique Campus), located in the area. The campus encompasses 344 acres (1.39km2). Florida International University was built from around 1965 onwards, with the destruction of Tamiami Airport. At the time, very little was located around FIU, and the campus was referred to as University Park. As Miami grew west, the area came to be known as University Park after the university's campus name.[citation needed]