Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation Reaffirms its Commitment to the Community with Added Leadership

The Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (“TSNDC”) – a nonprofit organization created to foster development of Miami’s emerging Town Square neighborhood in downtown Miami – announced the election of a new slate of executive officers and two new directors.

They are as follows: Armando Codina, Founding Chair; Manny Diaz, Chair; and Jessica Goldman, Vice Chair. This election recognizes the leaders’ continued dedication to transforming Miami’s cultural corridor in downtown Miami, with the Town Square neighborhood near the Arsht Center at its core, into an essential hub for the community. TSNDC is also expanding its expertise with the election of two new, distinguished directors – Cesar L. Alvarez and Richard L. Kohan – who will help usher in exciting plans throughout 2017 and beyond.

“Working together as an expanded Board will allow us to implement our shared goals for the community as we continue to drive exciting changes in this thriving urban core,” said TSNDC Chair Manny Diaz. “Heading into the new year, TSNDC is looking forward to the design selection for the I-395 signature bridge project and other enhancements to the area.”

As an incoming director, Cesar L. Alvarez brings essential skills in corporate and international law as well as experience serving on boards of directors for several publicly traded corporations and charitable organizations. Mr. Alvarez is Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science. His professional, business and charitable leadership has earned him local and national recognition. Mr. Alvarez is currently a Senior Chairman at the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, having previously served as the firm’s Executive Chairman and CEO over the past 16 years. Mr. Alvarez has a proven track record at driving growth. As CEO, he directed Greenberg Traurig growth from 325 lawyers in eight offices to approximately 1,850 attorneys and government professionals in more than 36 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

The tax and fiscal expertise of new board member Richard L. Kohan also makes him a valuable addition to the TSNDC Board. His community involvement includes serving as Chair of the Board of Directors for the YoungArts Foundation. Mr. Kohan is currently President of AFO, LLC. He brings years of experience as a consultant on investment strategies, special asset purchases and management, risk management, family office structures, strategy and management consulting. Previously, Mr. Kohan provided comprehensive consulting and compliance services to high net worth business owners and families, as well as family offices, in his role as the National Leader of their Personal Financial Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in New York. He also served as a Tax Partner at PwC. Kohan is also a member of the Board of Directors for the New World Symphony and for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Foundation of Miami.

Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation Unveils Aspirational Design Plan for Town Square Plaza

Today, the Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (“TSNDC”) – the nonprofit organization created to foster development of Miami’s Town Square neighborhood – unveiled an aspirational vision for Town Square Plaza, a multifunctional space that will promote community gathering in the thriving urban core. The design encompasses the area south of The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and underneath the proposed I-395 “signature bridge”.

“In advance of the I-395 Reconstruction RFP advertisement, we wanted to share our vision of what the street-level experience could be,” said TSNDC Chair Armando Codina. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to design the signature structural bridge and the area under the highway in a way that historically changes the downtown Miami landscape for the better.”
TSNDC commissioned PlusUrbia Design to develop the plaza concept in partnership with the Arsht Center. The end result is a public plaza that offers a multi-use space that will provide art, green spaces, valet parking and interactive play areas.

According to Alan Fein, chair of the Performing Arts Center Trust board of directors, now is the time to advocate for the importance of open and flexible space.

“Town Square Plaza presents a new opportunity to not only recreate the vista at the Arsht Center’s front door, but to improve the connectivity between our community and the arts and cultural institutions in the vicinity of the signature bridge,” said Fein.

Michael Spring, senior advisor, Miami-Dade County Office of the Mayor and director, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs echoed Fein’s comments, “FDOT already has demonstrated a strong commitment to achieving a sophisticated solution for I-395. Now, the vision that TSNDC has shared with us has the potential to extend these high standards for quality urban design to create a civic commons that will benefit the people and image of our community.”

“The plaza creates a public lobby for the Arsht Center and a multifunctional space for Downtown. The design turns a challenging space into a vibrant gateway,” PlusUrbia director Juan Mullerat added. “We are excited to be part of this legacy in creating new urban places that embrace the multicultural heritage of Miami and break down longstanding barriers that stood between communities that can now come together as one.”

“The vision was clear, create a picturesque space that not only complements the signature bridge above but also redefines the experience for residents and visitors”.

The TSNDC master plan was originally presented in 2012 by Cesar Pelli, senior principal at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, the original architect for the Arsht Center.

Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation Welcomes Three New Distinguished Board Members

Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (“TSNDC”), a nonprofit organization created to foster development of Miami’s emerging Arsht Center neighborhood, is proud to announce three new members to its board of directors: Debra Scholl, Jessica Goldman Srebnick and Eric Woolworth.

“Mrs. Scholl, Mrs. Goldman Srebnick and Mr. Woolworth offer a wealth of expertise in urban revitalization, a commitment to the neighborhood and a passion for culture that make them valuable additions to the board of Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation,” said Armando Codina, chair of TSNDC. “Their connections to our community are deep and we are confident that their contributions, together with the rest of the highly experienced board, will help to advance our mission to create a vibrant and attractive urban setting in and around the Arsht Center neighborhood.”

Debra Scholl is currently the president of Morada Ventures, a real estate company which has preserved and restored historic properties in South Beach and the Art Deco Historic District. A community activist with a keen interest in the arts, Scholl was an early investor in the Wynwood Arts District and aided in redeveloping the area into a cultural hub. Scholl also founded World Class Boxing (a public exhibition space), is an avid art collector and has been heavily involved with the Perez Art Museum, Guggenheim and Tate Modern. Her philanthropic endeavors include work as chair of Locust Projects and chair of the advisory board of the Funding Arts Network. She is a mentor to high school students at Miami Edison and Miami Lakes Educational Center through Women of Tomorrow. Scholl was awarded the 2011 Red Cross Spectrum Award for her contributions to the cultural community.

Succeeding the grand legacy of her late father Tony Goldman, Jessica Goldman Srebnick is CEO of Goldman Properties, the organization behind incredibly successful urban revitalization efforts in Miami Beach and the Wynwood Arts District, among other areas. For more than 40 years, Goldman Properties has identified the potential of depressed urban areas and transformed these areas into burgeoning one-of-a-kind global destinations. Goldman Srebnick has been an intricate component to these revitalization efforts, with her key focus on the aesthetic and artistic factors of Goldman Properties projects. She coproduced a docuseries, “Here comes the Neighborhood,” about the creation of the Wynwood Walls and the transformation of the Wynwood Arts District. Goldman Srebnick is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the prestigious Key to Miami-Dade County for her role in the Young Presidents Organization and the “Woman of Style and Substance” Award from the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. She was named one of the “50 Most Prominent Women Who Lead Business” in South Florida by the Florida International University Center for Leadership, one of the “20 Business People Under 50 with Staying Power” by Aventura magazine and one of the “Most Influential People in Miami” by Haute Living magazine.

As President of Business Operations for The HEAT Group—comprised of the three-time NBA champion Miami HEAT and the award-winning AmericanAirlines Arena—Eric S. Woolworth is a long-time luminary in the sports and entertainment industry. Woolworth has been at the helm of several major capital improvement projects to the AmericanAirlines Arena and oversees all non-basketball aspects of The HEAT Group. Under his leadership, the organization has become a respected leader in customer service, entertainment, marketing, sales and operations. Woolworth has been credited with compiling one of the richest direct marketing databases in the NBA; designing an innovative, fan-friendly and flexible renewal program; and creating unparalleled experiences and events at the Arena. Woolworth has 2 also contributed immensely to the community by donating his time to several charitable organizations including serving on the boards of Big Brothers and Big Sisters, as well as the Children’s Craniofacial Association at Miami Children’s hospital.

Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation Welcomes Two New Distinguished Board Members

The Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (“TSNDC”) – a nonprofit organization created to foster development of Miami’s emerging Arsht Center neighborhood – is proud to announce two new members to its board of directors: Aaron Podhurst and Nelson L. Adams, M.D.

“Dr. Adams and Mr. Podhurst offer their expertise as long-standing advocates for thoughtful, attractive development in the area. Together with the other community leaders on the Board, they will help to create an even stronger synergy with stakeholders as we collectively continue to work toward the development of a vibrant neighborhood supportive of what has become Miami’s cultural entertainment heart,” said Armando Codina, chair of TSNDC.

A renowned trial lawyer for more than 40 years, Aaron Podhurst chairs the Miami Art Museum Board of Directors and has been an instrumental force in the continued development of the Museum’s new home and the area surrounding. His career has brought him many honors, including presidencies of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and The Florida Justice Association, fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers, and membership in the Board of Governors of American Association for Justice. Podhurst devotes countless hours to community service, including the presidency of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and membership in many other civic organizations. He is the recipient of the National Conference for Community and Justice Award, the 1999 Jurisprudence Award from the Anti-Defamation League, and the 2010 recipient of the “Legal Legends” award presented by the 111th Judicial Circuit Historical Society and the Historical Museum of South Florida.

Dr. Nelson L. Adams is the chairman of the board of the St. John Community Development Corporation, which focuses on the revitalization of the Overtown Community. Adams is a native of Miami and has practiced Obstetrics-Gynecology in our community for nearly 30 years. He is the chairman of the department of Ob-Gyn at Jackson North Medical Center and clinical professor at the College of Medicine at FIU. Dr. Adams is a past president of both the Dade County Medical Association and of the National Medical Association and is the founder and president of Access Health Solutions. Additionally, he is the chairman of the board of the Sunshine State Health Plan, chairman of the advisory board of the center for Leadership at FIU and vice-chair of the FIU foundation board. He is the recipient of many awards and honors including an honorary doctor of laws, the lifetime achievement award from the J.W. Bridges Medical Society and earlier this year the Claude Pepper community builders award and the Boy Scouts of America, Whitney Young Service award, to name a few.

Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation Unveils Aspirational Design Plan for Miami’s Arsht Center Neighborhood

 

Today, the Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (“TSNDC”) — the nonprofit organization created to foster development of Miami’s emerging Arsht Center neighborhood — unveiled an aspirational vision for developing the area into a vibrant, thriving urban destination.  The presentation was made by TSNDC Chair Armando Codina, CEO and chairman of Codina Partners, principal advisors from Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and traffic consulting firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., at the Town Square Community Stakeholders’ Meeting.

“This aspirational master plan is the first step of a dream that will become a living document and it is the Town Square Neighborhood Development’s vision for a livable community, with a mix of education, cultural, housing, entertainment, recreation, civic and retail centers with sufficient public transportation and parking,” said Codina. “In designing the plan, we were respectful of Miami 21 and worked closely with elected officials. We hope that Miami’s elected officials along with the area’s neighbors and property owners are inspired by our plan.”

The TSNDC master plan was presented by Cesar Pelli, senior principal and Mitchell Hirsch, principal, at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. Pelli, the original architect for the Arsht Center, presented his vision for the neighborhood.  The aspirations are grounded on specific planning principles which will be developed into a master plan for the area.  “There are critical precepts necessary to allow the Arsht Center neighborhood to evolve and flourish into a great community: These planning principles include creating an organized system of public open spaces, augmenting connectivity at all scales, balancing building density, and ensuring a dynamic mix of urban uses surrounded by supporting landmarks,” said Pelli.  During the presentation, the Pelli team outlined details about how each of these principles shaped their vision for Town Square neighborhood.

As part of the plan, traffic consultant John J. Kennedy, co-founder of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. provided traffic and transportation suggestions. “As the plan evolves, we must maintain an open dialogue with the Florida Department of Transportation, local officials, developers and design teams for other area developments in order to meet transportation infrastructure requirements,” said Kennedy.

In today’s presentation, Kennedy noted that the development of the area should be done in concert with a robust public transit system that could include an extension of the Metrorail system, a looping of the Metromover system and a type of on-street trolley system in the 14th Street corridor extending from Biscayne Boulevard to the existing Metrorail system.

John Richard, CEO of the Arsht Center noted that TSNDC’s work is a natural extension of the Center’s mission, “The Arsht Center was created to serve as a catalyst from the very seed of its planting as a cultural destination in the Omni district. Billions of new development investments in the area over the past decade signal the fulfillment of the Center’s mission as the economic engine in the district. Like a timeless ballet choreographed for future generations, great neighborhoods are formed with vision, anticipation and collaboration toward creating a place where people choose to live and visit routinely.”

 Media Contact:
Lilyvania Mikulski, rbb Public Relations
Lilyvania.Mikulski@rbbpr.com / 305-448-3425

Letter to Legislators

January 16, 2012

Dear Miami‐Dade Mayor, Miami‐Dade Commissioners, City of Miami Mayor, City of Miami Commissioners, Miami‐Dade County Legislative Delegation, Co‐Sponsors of the Destination Gaming Bill, Florida Senate President and Florida House of Representatives Speaker,

Early in 2011, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami‐Dade County created a (separate/independent) non‐profit neighborhood planning and development entity, called the Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation. The purpose of the entity is to provide leadership and focus for a critical aspect of Arsht Center’s mission: to help create and sustain a vibrant and attractive urban setting to secure both the Arsht Center’s future and that of the surrounding community.

With a small group of colleagues, Mike Eidson (current Arsht Center chair), former City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Parker Thomson (former Arsht Center chair) and Dan Bell, (current chair of the Miami Science Museum), we engaged world‐class architects/planners (Pelli Clarke Pelli, original Arsht Center architect) and transportation engineers (VHB/MillerSellen of Boston, globally experienced urban transportation experts) whose charge was to craft the possibilities for long‐term neighborhood development.

After several months of work, we began to articulate principles that would guide our long‐term actions. This past summer, our focus on the long‐term was drawn to Resorts World Miami destination resort casino proposal. In order to react intelligently, we concluded that it was important, first, to gather all of the available information necessary to help guide our planning process.

First, Arsht Center is part of a larger neighborhood. Neighborhoods are about connectivity and don’t exist as islands in the city. They are attractive, unique places connected to the rest of the city via bicycle and pedestrian paths, parks and open space, public transit systems and well‐functioning street networks.

Second, as a vital component of a thriving neighborhood, Arsht Center and its needs (for parking, safe and active streets, expansion space) must be accommodated. To us, the best place to do this is in the largely vacant land west of the center, what we call Miami’s “Town Square”. As we focus on this area, Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation is committed to work with private property owners, community groups and government in a collaborative way so that the most far‐reaching benefits for Arsht Center and the broader community can be achieved.

Finally, we must codify a plan for Town Square that presents, in detail, how private and public investment could be directed so as to create a neighborhood, and not a loose collection of islands. The “Special Area Plan” concept of the new Miami 21 zoning code is an essential tool to help achieve these broad neighborhood development goals.

Grounded in these principles, our design and engineering team dug into the original Resorts World Miami proposal, in particular, and the destination resort casino concept, in general. While we look forward to ongoing planning and development dialogue with any and all neighborhood stakeholders, we think it is very important for Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, at this point, to communicate the preliminary findings of our analysis. After all, far‐reaching legislation is making its way through the Florida Legislature as we speak, and we need to express our views in a timely fashion to have an impact on the legislative process.

We know (from industry‐accepted statistical models employed by our transportation consultants to predict traffic generation based on casino floor size) that destination resort casinos generate significant vehicular traffic. While the Resorts World Miami casino floor size is not yet finalized, Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation has a keen eye focused on the incremental demands that such a casino will place on our regional and local transportation system.

Prior to the Resorts World Miami proposal, our regional transportation system (the I‐395/SR‐836/I‐95 area) had been scheduled for a reconstruction of roughly $750 million or more (a 2009 Florida Department of Transportation estimate of construction and right‐of‐way costs) within the next decade. But we now know that this reconstruction plan may already be obsolete for the needs of just one large destination resort casino in addition to the growth we want to see in Town Square neighborhood. Further, there will also be material costs associated with upgrading the local street network (Bayshore Boulevard, for instance).

Parking needs for car‐based destination resort casinos are also significant. While parking is a critical element of Town Square’s future, we have a serious concern that casino resort parking demand could overwhelm the neighborhood. To prevent this, the neighborhood needs a detailed, forward‐looking mass transit and car‐ demand management strategy. Like roadways, these initiatives also require significant amounts of capital.

In our opinion, destination resort casino proposals cannot be considered without a clear understanding of how the attendant transportation and transit needs will be funded and implemented. Government has also recognized this in their recent appeals to Tallahassee for a more considered and detailed evaluation of legislative proposals. Miami, a world‐class city, deserves a world‐class planning effort.

In the coming months, Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation looks forward to a dialogue with our neighbors—landowners, public sector agencies, and community groups—as to their specific plans and how, working together, the Miami community can achieve something larger than the sum of our individual aspirations.

Sincerely,

Armando Codina
Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation Chair

Four Community Leaders Join Together to Master Plan Miami’s Arsht Center District

Four influential community leaders have announced the founding of the Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (“TSNDC”) — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and independent entity that will oversee the development of Miami’s emerging Arsht Center District.   The decision to form the TSNDC occurred in 2010 and is being formalized now that funding has been secured.  TSNDC will be chaired by Armando Codina, chairman of Codina Partners.

“We came together a year ago with the goal of ensuring that the landscape of the Arsht Center District neighborhood evolves into a vibrant neighborhood supportive of what has become Miami’s cultural entertainment heart,” said Codina.  Joining Codina on the TSNDC are vice chair Manny Diaz, former City of Miami mayor; treasurer Michael Eidson, chairman of the Performing Arts Center Trust Board of Directors and partner of the South Florida law firm Colson Hicks Eidson; and secretary Parker Thomson, founding chair of the Performing Arts Center Trust Board of Directors.

“Because the Arsht Center [Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County] is the cultural and economic backbone of this dynamic neighborhood, it is naturally suited to take on a leadership role so that the district continues to thrive,” said Eidson. “The future of this area has yet to be determined, and we want to have a strong imprint on what shape it takes.”

The TSNDC took its first action by selecting Cesar Pelli, the world-renowned architect behind the Arsht Center design, to handle the master planning for the development of the Arsht Center District.  The appointment was made possible through the awarding of $300,000 in grant funding from ArtPlace — a federal initiative in concert with private foundations, including the Knight Foundation, aimed at revitalizing America’s cities by making the arts the center of economic development.

Citing the Lincoln Center, Los Angeles Music Center and Southbank Centre districts as examples, Pelli expressed his excitement at achieving a similar outcome for cultural and economic excellence that would radiate from this project.   “The ability to master plan the surrounding environs and raise the profile of this great cultural center is critical,” said Pelli.  “I am delighted to be back and have the opportunity to plan the evolution of the district around the Arsht Center and help shape its future.” 

“The TSNDC’s plan will create an urban fabric that makes the neighborhood more desirable to live in, and one that will stand the test of time,” said Manny Diaz vice chair and former City of Miami mayor.

Last week during the grant award announcement, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez commented on the Center’s economic importance to the community, saying that “with private and public development flourishing around the Center, it is crucial that the arts scene that first ignited this community remain a driver of future development.”

Working in partnership with neighboring communities, the TSNDC plans to have an active role in overseeing the development and redevelopment of the district by advocating for best solutions as infrastructure is developed; addressing future Arsht Center expansion needs; and supporting the Arsht Center itself as a catalyst to improve the livability of the surrounding urban neighborhoods through cultural programming and entrepreneurial business ventures.

“The Arsht Center looks forward to working hand-in-hand with the TSNDC team to engage the community and oversee a new master plan for this neighborhood,” said John Richard, CEO of the Arsht Center. “We are grateful for their service and determination to build a new Town Square for Miami with our world-class performing arts center as the centerpiece.”

 Media Contact:
Mary Sudasassi, rbb Public Relations
Mary.Sudasassi@rbbpr.com / d: 305-448-6163

Pelli to handle Arsht Center District master planning

South Florida Business Journal

Date: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 9:37am EDT

Citing New York City’s Lincoln Center as a model, a group of leaders has chosen Cesar Pelli, the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts architect, to handle the master planning for the development of the Arsht Center District, the same neighborhood where the $3 billion Resorts World Miami is to be built.

Choosing Pelli is one of the first major actions of the Town Square Neighborhood Development Corp., a nonprofit commercial developer Armando Codina chairs with vice chair Manny Diaz, Miami’s former mayor.

The decision to form the TSNDC occurred in 2010 and is being formalized now that funding has been secured, according to a statement the group released Wednesday.

The Pelli appointment was made possible by $300,000 in grant funding from ArtPlace, a federal initiative in concert with private foundations including the Knight Foundation aimed at revitalizing America’s cities by making the arts the center of economic development.

“We came together a year ago with the goal of ensuring that the landscape of the Arsht Center District neighborhood evolves into a vibrant neighborhood supportive of what has become Miami’s cultural entertainment heart,” said Codina, who was recently award the ULI Lifetime Achievement Award, in a statement.

Joining Codina and Diaz are Michael Eidson, chairman of the Performing Arts Center Trust Board of Directors and partner with law firm Colson Hicks Eidson, and Parker Thomson, founding chair of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

“Because the Arsht Center is the cultural and economic backbone of this dynamic neighborhood, it is naturally suited to take on a leadership role so that the district continues to thrive,” Eidson said in a statement. “The future of this area has yet to be determined, and we want to have a strong imprint on what shape it takes.”

Pelli expressed his excitement about taking on the project.

“The ability to master plan the surrounding environs and raise the profile of this great cultural center is critical,” he said in a statement. “I am delighted to be back and have the opportunity to plan the evolution of the district around the Arsht Center and help shape its future.”

Working in partnership with neighboring communities, the TSNDC plans to have an active role in overseeing the development and redevelopment of the district by advocating for best solutions as infrastructure is developed, addressing future Arsht Center expansion needs and supporting the Arsht Center as a catalyst to improve the livability of the surrounding urban neighborhoods through cultural programming and entrepreneurial business ventures, according to the group’s statement.

“The TSNDC’s plan will create an urban fabric that makes the neighborhood more desirable to live in, and one that will stand the test of time,” Diaz said in a statement.