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Home , Little Havana, Shenandoah (Miami), The Roads, Wynwood Art District

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015 A Singular Voice in an Evolving City WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00

HEALTH UPDATE Jackson team reviews spending GE’s CT scanner at forefront plan above $100 million, pg. 13 in broad clinical range, pg. 15

FP&L SELLS RIVER LAND: Ytech Interna- tional, a -based development and real estate investment firm, and Carlos Mattos, an investor/developer, paid Power & Light THE ACHIEVER $21 million for 2.24 acres just north of the and east of Southeast Second Avenue. hotel OK’d Asked where FP&L will re-locate its equipment on the site and how long it will take, a spokes- man could not provide information Tuesday to check in evening. The land, in Miami’s central business district, is almost a full city block with entitlements to build 2.15 million BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS square feet, according to Colliers International spokespeople. Brokers Larry Stockton of Colliers International and Michael Fay, Jay Ziv and New York developer Sonny Xavier Cossard of Avison Young teamed up on the transaction. Mr. Bazbaz wants to build a hotel in Stockton, who was not available Tuesday evening, said in a written Wynwood. Miami’s Urban De- release the property was essentially an off-market transaction. Colliers spokespeople report Ytech International, led by Yamal Yidios Char, has velopment Review Board last redeveloped more than 3,000 multi-family units in and week recommended approval of currently owns a $300 million real estate portfolio in Florida and Texas; his mixed-use project at 2110 N and Mr. Mattos has assembled a number of high-profile Miami proper- Miami Ave. ties. The two Colombian investors are partnering for the first time. His attorney, Iris Escarra, told the board it will be a “gateway” to ALL ABOARD: Plans for a nearly 7-acre train station to rise downtown got final administrative approval last week. All Aboard Florida, a subsid- the booming Wynwood Arts Dis- iary of Coral Gables-based Florida East Coast Industries, plans passen- trict. A rezoning and alley closure ger rail to link Orlando and Miami with stops in Fort Lauderdale and West last year allow this “signature” Palm Beach. Downtown Miami’s stop, known as Miami Central, is to project to rise, she said. stretch along Northeast First Avenue near Hall and is to feature A 3-to-2 board vote recom- a viaduct through which trains will enter the station. The county mended approval, with Neil Hall commission approved the station’s overall look months ago. But All and Anthony Tzamtzis against. Aboard Florida still faced administrative scrutiny from county and City The project is to have 163 stu- of Miami staffers on details of the site plan – from what materials are to dio and 1-bedroom apartments, be used for the viaduct to where to build an overpass connecting the 79 hotel rooms, 12,407 square station to nearby developments. On Thursday, the staff committee gave feet of retail and parking for 315 final approval to the site plan. Service linking Miami and West Palm Beach cars in an L-shape building of is expected to start in 2016. eight and 12 stories. BOTTOM PRICE: The City of Miami is renewing its lease of submerged Both interior and exterior are lands near Monty’s, on the waterfront in . The city owns Photo by Marlene Quaroni described as industrial, made of the uplands at 2550 S Bayshore Drive. The state leases the submerged concrete, untreated wood and lands adjacent to the city-owned uplands. Commissioners authorized the Carlos Fausto Miranda exposed infrastructure. Said ar- city manager to renew the lease of the bottomlands for 10 years at Pushing Little business improvement district chitect Jonathan Cardello of de- $2,487.17 a year, subject to annual increases according to the Florida sign firm ADD Inc., now with Administrative Code and a $619 state lease processing fee. The profile is on Page 4 Stantec, “It’s industrial in nature. Clean and simple.” “I am not feeling it – at all,” said Marlins, county to arbitrate final ballpark costs Mr. Hall. Wynwood has become unique, he said, and “I’m not BY LIDIA DINKOVA and the Marlins for about $126.2 million. from the expenses the Marlins say should sure you reinforce [that] with That’s excluding the issuance of $35 mil- be counted toward their share of the cost. sameness.” Wynwood generates The Miami Marlins have given the county lion in additional bonds as well as about Among these disputed costs: excitement because street art has their final expense claims for building the $4.5 million designated for making the sta- About $207,300 the Marlins paid to made a hip space from old ware- baseball team’s home – after dium a ‘green’ structure built and operated Levy Restaurants, a Chicago-based com- houses, he said, calling the three full seasons in the stadium. according to environmentally sustainable pany that serves food at Marlins Park. project’s design “stark.” The Marlins say $110.9 million should be standards set by the US Green Building About $221,400 in expenses the Mar- Mr. Tzamtzis agreed, noting counted toward their share of the stadium’s Council, a private non-profit organization lins list for retail technology experts. “this is a very special area of the total construction cost, said Jose Galan, that advocates for sustainability in building. About $92,500 the Marlins paid to city, it’s an artistic neighbor- director of the Real Estate Development Also not included are interest payments on The Parker Co., a Miami-based company hood.” Division at the county’s Internal Services county-issued stadium bonds that will cost for global hospitality procurement and Renderings show greenery Department. about $2.4 billion in all to repay. consulting. wrapping the first floor. Mr. But the county’s auditors say that part of At the close of the final bid package, About $386,700 the Marlins paid to Cardello said the trellis will create that amount doesn’t qualify as stadium about $504 million from the budgeted $519.5 Atlas Sign Industries, a West Palm Beach- a canopy and shade, with plants spending and shouldn’t be counted as part million was spent on stadium-related costs. based sign manufacturing, design and in- attached to wire and screen in of the Marlins’ share of construction. The remaining $15 million falls within the stallation company. front of the retail, making the Specifically, the auditors are disputing Marlins’ share of the cost. About $36,380 in legal fees the Mar- building as green as possible at 3.8%, or $4.2 million, from the $110.9 Since the final bid package has closed, lins paid to law firm Holland & Knight. the ground level. million the Marlins say should be counted. that remaining $15 million is to go into a tri- Aside from the $4.2 million the county Mr. Bazbaz said they looked at The heavily scrutinized deal to finance the party reserve account that is to later fund is contesting, the Marlins have already Wynwood’s “sea of 25-foot-high building of a baseball stadium with features stadium capital improvements, such as fix- agreed to remove from their claim concrete boxes” and designed such as a retractable roof is a tri-party ing the retractable roof. $812,000 the team previously listed as the green curtains as a buffer for agreement among the City of Miami, Miami- In addition, any expenses the Marlins part of its construction costs. pedestrians. Dade County and the Miami Marlins. have claimed but the county successfully As for the $4.2 million the county’s “I will remain skeptical,” said About $519.5 million was budgeted for disputes in the future are to also go into that auditors are contesting, that issue is to be board member Gerald C. Marston. the stadium, with the city responsible for capital improvements account. resolved in arbitration. Mr. Galan said “It will require a high degree of $13.5 million, the county for $341.3 million So far the county disputes $4.2 million arbitration hasn’t yet been scheduled. maintenance to keep it growing.”

BIG-BOX BAYVIEW MARKET SITE FETCHES $64 MILLION ... 2 MIAMI’S GLOBAL TRADE SEEN ON THE ROAD TO GAINS ... 10

MONESTIME REVAMPS COUNTY’S COMMITTEE SYSTEM ... 3 LOCAL FIRMS TAP MIDDLE EAST AT ARAB HEALTH 2015 ... 13 AGENDA VIEWPOINT: A SPATE OF UNHERALDED ACHIEVEMENTS ... 6 OBAMACARE COULD END PRIMARY CARE SHORTAGES ... 14 836 EXPRESS BUS SERVICE NOW DUE TO START IN 2019 ... 8 INDUSTRIAL MARKET IS AMONG NATION’S STRONGEST ... 18 4 MIAMI TODAY PROFILE WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015 Commercial realtor Carlos Fausto Miranda envisions net... Carlos Fausto Miranda does not dis- posed to allowing a situation of stagna- tinguish between his commercial real tion to occur. estate brokerage and civic involvement. We suffer from a lack of high-quality He considers his business a platform for middle- and lower-income housing in social change. this neighborhood and this amendment Mr. Miranda is on a quest to build for will increase the economic incentive in Miami what he describes as an interest- order to allow entrepreneurs and small ing patchwork of socially and culturally property owners to develop high-qual- vibrant, sustainable, unique signature ity housing stock for those populations. neighborhoods that can assert interna- Public transportation is all about rider- tional recognition. ship. Increasing the density in this area In that pursuit, he has helped organize will increase ridership and the need for grassroots efforts to support amending public transportation and reduce the per the city parking requirement for small capita cost of that public transportation, new buildings within walking distance which in turn will lead us to a situation of corridors like Calle Ocho that are where we are incentivizing the use of the near public transit, push for the upzon- public transport and at the same time ing of East Little Havana along with a working towards the possibility of being designation of historical preservation, able to live a completely non-automobile- launch a Little Havana Business Im- dependent urban lifestyle. provement District, and a number of We have large stocks of historical initiatives to bring attention and pride buildings in the area built in the 1920s, to the neighborhood’s architectural Photo by Marlene Quaroni which add so much to the urban land- charms. Carlos Fausto Miranda has launched an effort to build a Little Havana Business scape, but often they suffer dramati- Improvement District and an initiative to focus on the area’s key architectural assets. Real estate affects every aspect of our cally from lack of repair. lives, Mr. Miranda firmly believes. He use, mixed-income, medium-density This bill would create a mechanism has studied, and visited, a number of neighborhood that invites the interplay whereby it allows for the sale of the magnificent cities around the world and The Achiever between historic and modern architec- development rights, which would then says Miami is one of them. It’s destined ture in a walkable urban environment. need to be plowed right back into the to be the next global metropolis, Mr. Carlos Fausto Miranda Q: Is this social change only of a rehabilitation of those properties. In turn, Miranda said, but it’s up to us to guide President and Broker commercial nature? that will give the economic incentive to it in the right direction. Fausto Commercial Realty and Fausto A: Absolutely not. There’s the cul- start restoring all these beautiful build- Miami Today reporter Susan Danseyar Capital tural, the social and the economic as- ings and bringing them to their proud interviewed Mr. Miranda in the garden pect, and all three are essential. Some- states which they once were when they 1180 NW Eighth St. of a Little Havana pub. time the economy gets vilified, but how were build. Q: How did you become interested in Miami 33138 do you improve people’s standards of This is very much about creating a commercial real estate? (305) 961-1179 living? You do it through economic en- signature neighborhood. The great cit- A: It’s always been something that [email protected] deavors. ies, neighborhoods of the world that not has inspired me. If you think about the Age: 31 I’ll give you an example: affordable only evoke certain things and call us but most wonderful and most devastating Born: Miami housing. It’s an issue that I have been they all have a certain scale to them: moments in your life, they all happen in Education: High school, Belen Jesuit; working on and continue to push for it. Paris, London, the west village in New the context of a place, of real estate. So University of Florida, business and Little Havana, because of its unique York, , Cartagena in Co- I think that real estate is something that finance degree; FIU, master’s in economic situation being in the middle lombia, Venice. has such a powerful effect on our lives, international real estate; business of these major economic centers yet It’s a very human scale and that scale and we know that real estate is some- program at Bocconi University, Milan. being affordable, is a great place for then is combined with an authenticity of place. thing that we can tangibly have an influ- Personal Philosophy: At a very macro medium- and lower-income families but, ence on. because of many other factors, it often We don’t want West . We scale, I believe in living passionately Q: Before starting your business, did suffers from very low-quality housing want to protect Little Havana’s very you work for anyone else? and aggressively. stocks. A lot of the inventory, the hous- unique identity and to allow it to develop A: When I was much younger, I had ing, that you find here is old or poorly in a way where it can assert its own all sorts of jobs, working in warehouses, rent, deliver art or works of some sort. maintained. personality. working in delivery, working in every- The intention there is creating a certain Right now we’re pushing forward Q: In addition to the painting and thing really, but after graduating from cultural ferment while at the same time with an up zoning of the area to medium zoning changes, what are your other college, I started Fausto Commercial. introducing a certain population that density, a reduction in parking require- grassroots efforts and how do you or- We do commercial real estate broker- influences others around it. ments that will open up the field to allow ganize people to achieve those ends? age, focusing in certain neighborhoods. I’m also working on a project for a smaller property owners and entrepre- A: It really all comes down to inspir- Fausto Capital is the investment side of city block here in Little Havana that is neurs to be able to produce high-quality ing people to act, and a lot of that is my business. architecturally beautiful, but it’s one of medium- and low-income housing that based on just showing people that there Q: How do you get clients? the most dangerous blocks in the neigh- are truly new, pristine beautiful build- is concern. A: Knocking on doors, calling people borhood. My idea is to get that neigh- ings that fit well into this cultural, social Every minute that I spend in my busi- up, relentless perseverance and pros- borhood and paint every building in it a and economic context. ness to me is a social endeavor because pecting. vibrant, unique, enthusiastic color and Q: What have you done to help bring one is the platform for the other, but my Q: Why do you say your company is use beauty as a guardsman, guardian of land use changes for Little Havana to entirely non-revenue-producing activi- socially conscious? the local people and to restore hope in the City Commission’s attention? ties are the campaign for the zoning A: I believe business can be a plat- themselves and in their own commu- A: For up zoning of East Little Ha- change, the campaign for the parking form for social good. Capitalism, phi- nity. We’re calling it “Color outside the vana, we launched a campaign to sup- amendment for small businesses, this lanthropy and civic responsibility are lines.” port the measure. I also believe in just new color outside the lines. not mutually exclusive. I need to make Q: What kind of social change are informing people about the measure. We’ve organized trash pickup in the money and want to make the world a you looking for in Little Havana? We’re all in this together. We’re all in neighborhood. We did a community fair better place. Creativity allows you to do A: My vision for Little Havana is a one ship, and that’s a metaphor that I about a month and half ago, which was both better. Real estate is the medium place that maintains its cultural dyna- like to use very much. a wonderful event. I’ve chosen to do this, specifically in the mism, authenticity and sense of place I believe the zoning change stands on This area in particular is filled with context of neighborhoods. while at the same time allowing itself to four pillar principles: affordable hous- wonderful people and wonderful orga- Q: Can you give me an example of a evolve in such a fashion that the eco- ing, public transportation, historical per- nizations that want to help, but there recent project fitting that description? nomic under fittings support develop- spective, and creating a signature neigh- lacks a centralization of vision, message A: There is an apartment building I ment at a very human, medium-density borhood. and purpose. So we had about 20 local purchased recently and I’m currently scale and that it supports a sort of fertile That is our ultimate goal in this neigh- organizations with wonderful people who playing with creating an art residency environment for homegrown, locally borhood, and an amendment like this is are doing these amazing things in the program whereby some of the units are dynamic and unique boutique businesses. something that will get us there, will neighborhood, but many have never even offered to artists who, rather than pay Ultimately, the vision is for a mixed- guide the way to get us there, as op- met each other.

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Call Miami Today’s Circulation Department at 305-358-2663 or email [email protected] WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015 PROFILE MIAMI TODAY 5 ...of Miami neighborhoods coming out of grassroots effort We brought them under one roof, in it away and it would create an interac- So there are multiple neighborhoods Cubans have a spark of ingenuity. one setting, and gave them the opportu- tive piece, an interactive art amongst we operate in and I see this almost as a They have creativity and an innate en- nity by creating a sort of speed dating already more established murals. domino effect. trepreneurship, which, the second that format that allowed them to go one by Once we cleaned it up and made it The efforts we’re doing in Little Ha- the chains are released from that island, one and get to know each other, share nice, we started hosting events where vana we are trying to organize in other will be released to create and to imagine each other’s vision, ideas, contact in- we had street performers come in and areas as well. There’s a very big zoning amazing things and build a paradise. formation, see how there are areas where just perform, a casual get together and change coming up in . I’m Q: Do you have plans to go? one can help the other. to give some attention to those artists. working very hard to bring together a lot A: It’s an internal struggle but I’m Q: You’re interested in launching a The wonderful thing was when we of people who were involved in getting closer. My heart wants to go and business improvement district for Little did those events, we were having people Wynwood and are showing strong in- I feel that we’re arriving at the time Havana. What steps go into that? from completely different socio-eco- terest in the Allapattah area. were I might actually have an influence A: There are many legal steps. There nomic levels, groups from different geo- We’re trying to bring better tenants, in what happens. But I also cannot are many political steps, but I would say graphic areas come together and ex- more interesting uses there as well. I forgive what was done to my family and that the biggest step, biggest challenge change ideas, converse, have interac- also have progress in that area as well to these wonderful people on the other. is creating the momentum. It’s creating tion that normally they would never and we’re cleaning them up, we’re fix- Q: What languages do you speak? the will and the understanding and the have, and it was a wonderful thing. ing them, we’re making them nicer. A: English, Spanish, Italian and Rus- people to move in that direction. Q: How does having a BID benefit We’re making great housing for the sian, but it’s a little rusty. I recently launched the Little Havana the residents? people that live there but certainly the Q: Any reason why you’re learning Culture District (LHCD) and I’m using A: It’s far more than that. The busi- benefits to one area move on. Russian? Wynwood as a case study. There they ness improvement district is the purest So the work that we’re doing in Little A: I think it’s beautiful and I think the used the Asso- manifestation of direct democracy that Havana and the improvement of Little culture, although tragically flawed, is ciation to transition into creating a BID. we have in our current municipal struc- Havana ultimately we’ll have strong af- beautiful. Our intention to use LHCD as a center ture. fecting areas like Civic Center and Q: When you’re away from work and of gravity to start bringing all these Why? It’s self imposed. It’s self- Allapattah. advocating, what do you do to relax? district groups that again have this voted and the funds that are collected It goes without saying that everything A: It’s good that you said away from wonderful enthusiasm, this wonderful there are directed by the people that that’s happening in downtown and work because my first hobby is my heart, this wonderful energy towards voted it into action. The main issues Wynwood has a strong effect on work and such chosen endeavors creating positive changes in the com- would be cleanup, lighting, safety, hav- . We cannot look at one area thereon. I am an avid reader. I’m infi- munity but haven’t gotten the equation ing more police patrols, making sure or at our city in isolation. There are all nitely curious and love information. right. there’s a watchful eye over buildings these moving parts. There’s a patch- Recently, I’ve gotten very much into It’s about bringing all those groups where the owners are maybe not main- work of fascinating neighborhoods and motorcycle racing which I thoroughly together and creating a center for dis- taining them or allowing those buildings we need to be working in all of them to enjoy. I crew on racing sail boats. semination of information, for organi- to “slumify” within a larger urban con- create something pretty significant. I used to box and wrestle competi- zations of efforts, and we have a lot of text. Q: How do you feel about being able tively so I try to stay physically active. projects within that that we’re organiz- There are implications of a BID, or as to go to some day? I love to travel to cities because of my ing, whether it’s trash cleanup, whether far as the creativity that the individuals A: My father is Cuban but my whole obsession with the urban environment, it’s sort of being a little bit more, having have created, because it is a local mini- family left after the Castro revolution. but I also like to get lost in the jungle for more enforcement of issues in our com- government that then has a certain iner- Although I’ve never been to Cuba, a few days and go on poetic adventures. munity such as maybe illegal bars or tia, power, momentum to influence its I’ve been raised with the nostalgia, the Q: Do you have any upcoming trips derelict buildings. own community. feeling, the sense of that island. I feel planned? I created a small park right next to my Q: Do you have similar plans for deep nostalgia for this place I’ve never A: I’m going to Napoli at the end of office. It was a piece of land which was other neighborhoods? physically touched. February for just about a week. I want completely unused and it was full of A: Fausto Commercial and Fausto I am virulently anti-communist and to participate in the running of the bulls junk cars and we got it cleaned out. We Capital are very active in a couple of anti-Castro but, at the same time, I feel in San Fermin this year in July, so I’m invited some artists to paint. There was different neighborhoods. We’re very strong moral obligation to my ancestors looking into that and planning a trek to a wall behind it and we invited some active in Little Havana but also do a lot to be involved in the reconstruction of Iceland at some point in the summer. artists to paint murals on it. of work for in . Cuba. I don’t know how that would Q: Tell me about your family. One of the walls we left as a chalk We’re extremely active in Allapattah, in happen, but it’s something that’s been A: My parents are the center of my board so that anyone can walk by and the civic center. We’re building a strong in my mind and heart for some time. universe. They are my absolute inspira- express themselves – a message or presence now in Overtown. We’re build- It’s clearly a magical place. It has tion and, if ever I have a moment of whatever someone was feeling at that ing a strong presence now in North some of the most amazing art deco doubt in life, I just think about them and moment. The rain eventually would take Beach. architecture and Spanish revival. I have infinite strength to continue.