Miami Today: Week of Thursday, September 22, 2016 by Miami Today

WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00

ARTS & CULTURE

Expanded, brighter Calendar gears you for week, pg. 18-22

Spotlight on culture helps to plan your season, pg. 14, 15 COCONUTS ARE ALLOWED: In a city peppered with all sorts of palm trees, city leaders have give the official OK to planting Coconut Palms. City commissioners approved a resolution directing the city manager to allow the planting of Coconut Palm Trees (Cocos Nucifera) and Royal Palm Trees (Roystonea Regia) in the public rightof-way on the same or similar basis as other tree species found in the Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual. The legislation notes that the city administration had been discouraging the planting of Coconut Palms and Royal Palms due to a perceived safety hazard to both people and property. Miami-Dade County does not prohibit the planting of Coconut Palms or Royal Palms, it says. The city commission deems the trees not to be “detrimental to native plants, native wildlife, ecosystems, and human health, safety or welfare.”

THE ACHIEVER

BY SUSAN D ANSEYAR

CONSUMER PRICES FLAT: As consumer prices nationally rose 0.2% from July, the Miami area’s prices remained flat for the two-month period of July and August, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Energy prices in the area fell 3.4% in the two months and the price of food remained unchanged, the bureau reports. The largest South Florida increases in the two months were rent of primary residence, up 1.3%, and medical care, up 1.1%. Nationally, the cost of medical care rose 1% in just August, the largest one-month jump in medical care since February 1984. STATE OF DOWNTOWN: Roughly 90,000 residents call downtown Miami home and another 20,000 are expected to move to downtown in the next five years, according to the Miami Downtown Development Authority. Additionally the median downtown income is $66,498, roughly 162,000 daytime workers are employed downtown and a 1.4-million-square-foot increase in leasable space is expected over the next three years. VOICES FOR WOMEN: The Miami-Dade County Commission for Women will meet with a public forum from 6 to 7:45 p.m. Sept. 28 in the Community Room of the North Miami Public Library, 835 NE 132nd St. The Commission for Women, under the purview of Miami-Dade’s Office of Community Advocacy, was created in 1971 as an advisory board to the county commission, administration and the public about issues pertaining to the status of women. The commission also advocates for women in the community to improve their quality of life. All meetings are public. Attendees can comment at the start of the meeting. Details: (305) 3754967, CFW@miamidade.gov; or www.miamidade.gov/advocacy/womenboard-home.asp

Frank Steslow

Photo by Marlene Quaroni

Restoring credibility as Frost Museum of Science rises The profile is on Page 4

Restaurant complex proposal meets river’s grit BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS

Site plans facing special use process, pg. 23 downriver.

Champions of the Miami River appreciate that the city has a working river, with vibrant marine-industrial uses up and down both banks. A working river means imports and exports, jobs, tax base and more – including noise and smells. As the building boom continues and the river becomes more attractive to developers, a balance has to be reached, say the men and women guiding the river’s future. The Miami River Commission is considering a plan from developer Shahab Karmely to transform a trio of old warehouses into a dining and event space called River Arts Complex. The property is less than half an acre at 125, 129 and 131 NW South River Drive. It’s a key location as it faces a redeveloped Lummus Park on the river’s north side, just northwest of the West Flagler Street Bridge. While the property is zoned for marineindustrial uses, a restaurant would be allowed with special permission. But next door at Biscayne Towing & Salvage, owner Cory Offutt has serious concerns about a restaurant operating beside his busi-

ness. The River Arts Complex proposal was reviewed Sept. 14 by the river commission’s Urban Infill and Greenways Subcommittee. Mr. Offutt said his business is loud, smelly and operates around the clock. He said a restaurant next door is incompatible with his shipyard and he’s worried he will be regulated out of business. His emergency marine towing business deals in heavy towing and launch work. It services ships in distress and tows them into the shipyard for work. Mr. Offutt also has a contract with the county to collect and dispose of derelict vessels on the river and Biscayne Bay. “My belief is that a restaurant is incompatible with my business … we’d be unable to exit in harmony,” he said. “I want to stay in business,” he said. “I don’t want to move.” “We have to acknowledge it’s a working river,” said Iris Escarra, an attorney representing Mr. Karmely. The developer sees the river as the “jewel of the city,” she said, noting that he’s also the developer of a major mixed-use project

AGENDA

400 job OK quizzed on local hiring

Mr. Karmely, CEO of KAR Properties, is the man behind One River Point, planned dual 60-story condo towers connected at the top with a private club and at the bottom with a giant waterfall. “He likes the edginess of a working river,” Ms. Escarra told the committee. “We always consider the neighbors,” said Committee Co-Chair Jim Murley, “but our job is to find a balance.” Phil Everingham, a commission member, asked why Mr. Offutt was worried about being displaced or forced to move. “I’m a small fish in a big pond,” said Mr. Offutt, and he’s afraid so many complaints would be lodged against his business for noise and disruption that he’d be “regulated” out of business. “We want to co-exist with the working river,” said Ms. Escarra. The committee gave Mr. Karmely’s team a month to meet with neighboring property owners, tweak the plan to create a wider public riverwalk and better access from the street, and design a sound buffer abutting the shipyard. The plan is expected to reach the full river commission in November.

County commissioners Tuesday unanimously OK’d $610,000 in job incentives over six years for an aviation supplier already operating in Northwest Miami-Dade that seeks to expand into a new 472,849square-foot site and add 400 jobs. While companies awarded Targeted Jobs Incentive Funds (TJIF) aren’t required to hire locally, Commission Vice Chair Esteban Bovo Jr. asked if there is a policy that such projects select workers from the county. He said the application on behalf of the company by the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade’s economic development organization, “speaks of efforts to hire residents in local areas but there doesn’t seem to be a plan.” A summary lists “unknown” for efforts to hire local residents. Mr. Bovo said he didn’t oppose the incentives but raised the topic given how much money the county seems to be contributing to TJIF projects. Jose “Pepe” Diaz, the award’s prime sponsor, said he agrees with Mr. Bovo 100% and will work on an amendment with Leland Salomon, Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources director of real estate development, to suggest the company consider local hiring. Daniella Levine Cava, liaison to the Beacon Council, agreed that it’s an important topic she’ll raise at a future meeting.”We’re obviously attracting businesses,” she said, “but local hiring should be a consideration.” The company, code named “Project 007,” is an aviation supplier in transportation equipment and sales, with 581 fulltime equivalent jobs that it will retain, the application said. Project 007 wants to expand its aerospace division and its corporate headquarters in MiamiDade but is also considering Memphis and Phoenix instead. Project 007 agrees that the 400 jobs added over five years will pay an average of $59,548 plus benefits.

BAYSIDE DETAILS GROWTH, HANDS CITY $10 MILLION ...

TRANSPORTATION TRUST MIGHT RESTORE $40 MILLION ...

DOWNTOWN POPULATION A THIRD LARGER SINCE 2010 ...

VAST DEVELOPMENT OK HITS INFORMATION BARRIER ...

VIEWPOINT: GIVE CREATIVE TRANSIT SOLUTION A TRY ...

BUSES REVERSE COURSE, GAIN 4.9% IN ON-TIME TRIPS ...

NARROWED RIVERWALK ‘STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS’ ...

AMATEUR GOLF GROUP TEES UP LATIN PGA TOURNEY ...

MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

THE INSIDER WAIVING MAYOR ABOARD: County commissioners unanimously approved waiving term limits and reappointing City of Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado to the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust Board. Sponsored by Xavier Suarez, the resolution states that Mr. Regalado’s dedication, service and government experience have significantly contributed to the county; and with data showing that a large concentration of homelessness in MiamiDade is within the City of Miami limits, his continued membership on the board ensures representation of the city and effective operation of its homeless pro- Tomás Regalado grams. TIGHTER GABLES MARKET: The 444 office buildings in the Coral Gables market had a combined 8.9% vacancy at the end of June as the market tightened, Kerdyk Real Estate reported. While the largest category, the 30 Class A buildings, had a vacancy of 12.5% at quoted leasing rates of $40.42 per square foot, the 116 Class B buildings had only 6.7% vacancy at quoted rates averaging $34.24, and the 298 far smaller Class C buildings had vacancies of just 5.7% at quoted rates averaging $31.66 per square foot, Kerdyk reported. The Gables retail market of 383 buildings, meanwhile, showed a tiny 1.4% vacancy at quoted leasing rates of Construction of an enlarged Bayside Marketplace downtown on Biscayne Bay was to begin this month. $36.14 per square foot.

Bayside details larger retail, garage, hands city $10 million in new lease

TURKISH CONSULATE INAUGURATION: The Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in Miami, currently headed by Consul General Özgür Kývanç Altan, will be officially inaugurated by Mevlüt Çavuþoðlu, minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Turkey, on Sept. 24. Originally scheduled for July 23, Mr. Çavuþoðlu’s official visit to the US and the inauguration of the consulate were postponed following an attempted coup in BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS Turkey. WATER-SEWER LINES: The Miami-Dade Water Özgür Kývanç Altan and Sewer Department is installing new water and sewer lines on Watson Island, and received an easement from the City of Miami. City commissioners granted a perpetual, nonexclusive easement of approximately 21,257 square feet at 1020 MacArthur Causeway. The easement is necessary in order to bring water and sewer service to the city-owned land, says the legislation. The easement will be used to construct, operate and maintain underground water and sewer utility facilities to be installed to service exclusively city-owned property. This latest easement is adjacent to an area being developed as a heliport. IMPROVED CITY PARK: Miami city officials celebrated the opening of a new playground at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Park, 2901 SW 22nd Ave., on Sept. 16. “Even as the City of Miami is investing in big parks citywide, it is equally important that we provide access to the small neighborhood parks where families can spend time within walking distance from their homes,” said Commissioner Ken Russell. The new playground is from Landscape Structures. Improvements include a handicap accessible swing area, and a rubberized mulch surface with picnic tables. Sidewalks were reconstructed to meet ADA standards and additional aesthetics improvements included new sod and trash receptacles. Total costs were $216,558 for design and construction. IMMIGRATION REFORM: Hosted by the University of Miami, the Kemp Forum on the Future of Immigrants and America on Sept. 27 will serve as a public discussion for reforms to the nation’s immigration system. The event is set for 9 a.m. to noon at the Newman Alumni Center – University of Miami, 6200 San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables. Among participants is Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami. The forum is a partnership of the National Immigration Forum and the Jack Kemp Foundation. EMERGENCY BILLING: The Miami City Commission has accepted a proposal from PST Services Inc., a McKesson company, to provide emergency medical transport billing and collection services for the city Fire Department for an initial three years with the option to renew for two additional two-year periods. Six proposals were received in response to a request for proposals. After evaluation of all six, staff recommended an agreement with PST Services. The total estimated annual cost is $635,255, with a cumulative value of $4,446,784 over the seven-year period. POWERED STRETCHERS: The city’s Department of Fire-Rescue will use state grant dollars for a key equipment purchase. Miami city commissioners accepted an $80,000 grant from the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services. The competitive grant requires the city’s matching fund of up to $26,667, for a total of $106,667. The purpose of the grant is to assist the department in buying five batterypowered hydraulic stretchers, accessories, and related items. The money comes from a state program that provides grants to local agencies to improve and expand pre-hospital emergency medical services. DOLLARS TO MIAMI BRIDGE: Miami city commissioners approved the allocation of $10,000 in grants from the District 4 share of the city’s Anti-Poverty Initiative Program to Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services Inc. to help run its emergency shelters. District 4 Commissioner Francis Suarez sponsored the legislation. The nonprofit organization provides 24-hour emergency shelter for abused, neglected and abandoned youth ages 10-17. The services include structured daily living programs employing positive behavior modification techniques; mental health counseling; formal on-site Francis Suarez education programs; life skills groups; family reunification services; activities such as arts and crafts and music; and health care coordination services to insure access to medical treatment. TROPHIES AND PLAQUES: The City of Miami, which awards trophies and plaques in various departments and programs, has entered into a contract for the items. Commissioners accepted a bid from Starlap Trophies LLC, d/b/a Michelson’s Trophies Inc., to buy trophies and plaques as needed for about $15,000 a year for three years, with the option to renew for two more one-year periods. The company was the only bidder.

The new Bayside Marketplace downtown will be extraordinary, said Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, who was invited to the open air market on Biscayne Bay on Sept. 14 to celebrate the start of a major renovation for the shopping, restaurant and entertainment venue. “It’s a very exciting day in downtown Miami,” said Pamela Weller, senior general manager, Bayside Marketplace LLC, as she announced details of the makeover. “In two weeks, they will begin construction of a new Bayside,” said Mayor Regalado. The mayor said voters mandated a new and improved Bayside Marketplace, and on top of that the shopping center executives were ready to hand over a $10 million check to the city. “That’s good, right … for us it’s a win-win,” Mayor Regalado said, for the big check and an improved marketplace that he said will attract tens of millions of visitors to the city for years to come. Built in 1987, the nearly 30year-old complex is north of Bayfront Park on about 17 acres of city-owned waterfront leased to Bayside Marketplace LLC. In 2014, new agreements were approved by city commissioners and OK’d by voters that extend the leases to 99 years and require the company to make at least $27 million in renovations to the dual-level market. The deal includes adding about 17,000 square feet for retail and expanding the garages, and allows for construction of a 1,000-foot observation tower near the water’s edge called SkyRise Miami. Ms. Weller said the indooroutdoor festival marketplace is about to get a facelift designed by Zyscovich Architects one year shy of its 30th birthday. The first phase includes renovation of the 140,850-squarefoot outdoor common areas, she said. The outdoor renovation includes a new paint scheme for the buildings’ exteriors, piers,

bulkheads and exposed structure, new flooring for the upper level, new stairs and railings, new restrooms, new tenant signage, lighting, landscaping, and graphics and way-finding. They also presented renderings of what the finished product will look like. “Bayside Marketplace is the waterfront retail anchor for downtown Miami. We are thrilled to be at the ground floor of this transformational improvement project,” said Zyscovich Architects founder and CEO Bernard Zyscovich. “For me, Bayside holds a very special place in my heart,” said Commissioner Francis Suarez. He said his father Xavier Suarez, now a county commissioner, was the mayor when Bayside was built and he remembers his father taking him to the marketplace as a youngster. Construction of the shopping center marked “the beginning of the renaissance of downtown,” he told the crowd. Mr. Suarez said the addition of Bayside enhanced downtown and has proven to be a good deal for city residents. In regard to the long-term lease of the city’s property to the company, Mr. Suarez said he was glad to see the city partner with Bayside. Mayor Regalado accepted an oversized check from Bayside for $10 million from Ms. Weller, who said the monetary contribution, in addition to the physical improvements that will be coming in future phases, are her company’s commitment to investing now in Bayside’s future. Bayside Marketplace consists of more than 180 businesses, which include about 140 inline spaces and several kiosks, flower carts, fishing charters and tour boats. Improvement plans include adding retail space facing west onto Biscayne Boulevard. Much of the current marketplace is oriented toward the water. The goal is to create a complete sidewalk-pedestrian atmosphere, affording more connectivity between Biscayne Boule-

vard and the waterfront. “As the Number 1 tourist destination in Miami, we will continue to strive to bring new relevant commercial uses and create interactive public gathering spaces for locals as well as tourists, creating the sense of belonging, even more so than today,” Ms. Weller said. Part of the lease is a minority participation agreement that required creation of a foundation to administer guarantee programs for venture capital loans to minority business enterprises, creation of a scholarship fund for minorities and provision of technical assistance and resources to local community development corporations engaged in economic development of minority business enterprises. The Miami Bayside Foundation Inc. was created as a result of that agreement in the early 1980s and called on Bayside to contribute the greater of 10% of its net income available for distribution or $100,000 a year. The new lease and agreement did away with the original calculation and now requires Bayside to annually pay the foundation $350,000, increasing 2% each year.

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

Downtown’s population has grown by a third since 2010 BY CATHERINE LACKNER

Young professionals are increasingly making their homes in the central business district, says a new report by Miami’s Downtown Development Authority: the population has increased 33% since 2010 “and the majority of the population within downtown Miami are highly educated, young working professionals.” Fully 45% are aged 25-44, and more than 50% hold a college degree, the report says. For study purposes, the authority defined downtown as a 3.8-square-mile area between Biscayne Bay and I-95 on the east and west, and between the Rickenbacker and Julia Tuttle causeways on the south and north. It includes the central business district, Brickell, the Arts & Entertainment district, Overtown, Wynwood, Midtown and Edgewater. “Population continues to increase in greater downtown,” the report said. “We estimate the current population at 88,540 and project it will surpass 100,000 in 2021. Greater downtown has added nearly 22,000 people since 2010. The urban core neighborhoods… continue to see remarkable growth and now make up 75% of the greater

Greater Downtown Miami Population Growth 2000-2021

Source: Miami Downtown Development Authority

downtown population. Brickell added the most new residents, increasing from 26,472 to 34,975.” Throughout the downtown study area, some resident characteristics remain constant, said

Nicholas Martinez, who heads the authority’s applied research and analytics department. They tend to be more affluent than other Miami residents, with a median household income of $66,498, as compared to Mi-

ami-Dade County’s median of $48,102. They are more educated: 29% of downtown residents have an undergraduate degree, and another 22% hold graduate degrees. Those figures are 17%

and 10% respectively for other Miami-Dade County residents. The average downtown resident spends $1,600 per month for a one-bedroom apartment and spends as much on technology as on clothing and services ($200 per month for each), Mr. Martinez said, speaking to a Friday meeting of downtown authority directors. They exercise more: 70% say they exercise weekly, and 26% say they spend more than seven hours a week on exercise. “Adults in downtown enjoy attending a fitness club more often than residents in the City of Miami or Miami-Dade County generally,” the report noted. They love their pets: 60% of downtown residents have a dog, while a smaller percentage own a cat or a bird. And they don’t mind living close together in a true urban style, the report noted. “Three themes are emerging in greater downtown Miami,” it said. “First, large-scale, multi-acre projects continue to evolve the downtown Miami landscape. Second, a renewed emphasis on transitoriented development will better connect downtown Miami to regional neighborhoods. Third, marquee luxury towers are taking advantage of the last available waterfront sites.”

As construction goes on, ‘Nightmare on Flagler Street’ is real BY CATHERINE LACKNER

“Who’s handling the clean- Metro Beauty Center and “and it’s always been our phiyear, with more next year as the losophy to return it better than it event becomes better-known, up?” asked board member Jose Churchill’s Barbershop. “We are,” Mr. Abelo said, was before.” Goyanes, who is the owner of Planners of a free Halloween- Mr. Albelo said. themed block party are hoping it won’t live up to its name. Nightmare on Flagler Street, set for Oct. 29-30 from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., is meant to show off “historic east Flagler Street” according to promotional materials shown to directors of Miami’s Downtown Development Authority on Friday. “We know there will be jokes about the construction,” because the street is undergoing massive renovations, said Tony Albelo, CEO of SWARM, a Wynwood-based event company that is putting on the block party. “But we’re hoping it will make people want to live here.” A stretch of Flagler Street will be closed to traffic so that local vendors, including downtown restaurants, can showcase their products, he explained. A picnic area, “pupup” dog park and two stages will be set up, and entertainment personalities such as local disc jockey DJ Laz will perform, Mr. Albelo said. There will be a clinic with seamstresses to repair torn costumes, he said, as well as a canine costume contest, entertainment for children (including a broadcast of Radio Lollypop from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital), magic shows, carnival rides and various other attractions, all topped off by an outdoor showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at midnight, he added. The company expects 10,000-20,000 attendees this

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Buses on new route, with 4.9% on-time gain in three months BY SUSAN DANSEYAR

Miami-Dade’s bus on-time performance wavered a bit at the start of the year and then improved progressively from May to July by 4.9%, a trend the county’s transportation chief says she expects to keep rolling as the department adjusts routes and upgrades traffic signal synchronization. Transportation and Public Works Director Alice Bravo said the biggest factor for on-time bus performance is traffic. Thus, as transit officials work on better synchronization of signals, she said, the vehicle flow, including the county’s buses, becomes more efficient. “Data shows that the US 1 corridor from 152nd Street to downtown northbound during rush hour is 15 minutes less than it was before synchronization of traffic signals,” she told Miami Today last week. The traffic signal upgrade involves the installation of an adaptive “controller,” which is a computer at each signal. These controllers will be able to give signal priority as a bus approaches, Ms. Bravo said, either by keeping the signal green a few seconds longer or shortening a red light. Technicians are installing more adaptive controllers along Northwest 36th Street between

71st and 97th avenues and managing traffic congestion from the county’s newly upgraded Traffic Control Center. Over the next year or year and a half, Ms. Bravo said, staff workers will install the new adaptive controllers along the 12 corridors throughout the county. The adaptive controllers will be able to eventually control the signals and change their timing based on information that now flows to the traffic engineer in charge of a zone. In addition to the advanced technology, Ms. Bravo said, the department last December took the 13 routes with the highest ridership, which serve 50 % of bus users, tweaked them, and

then made 25 more adjustments in June. There will be more route changes in November, she said. The department evaluates bus routes every few months, Ms. Bravo said. So far, she said, minor adjustments made to reconfigure areas in some of the routes that run east to west to and from downtown that got snarled up have improved ontime bus performance, as have the adjustments the department made to some segments moving north to south. Additionally, Ms. Bravo said, the department added equipment for all buses to be tracked. “The equipment is tied in to the bus operations center, where there’s software telling us where buses

P Baptist Medical adds physician Baptist Health Medical Group has added primary care physician Jennifer Young. Dr. Young had been a staff physician at One Medical Group. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, a medical degree from Georgetown University and completed an internship and residency at Stanford University Hospitals and Clinics. MDM Hotel Group names VP MDM Hotel Group has named Florencia Tabeni vice president of operations and development. Ms. Tabeni had been general manager at JW Marriott Marquis Miami & Hotel Beaux Arts. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. BankUnited appoints CIO BankUnited has appointed Julio Jogaib chief information officer. Mr. Jogaib had been director of Latin America technology production services at Citigroup. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Rio de Janeiro State University. City National Bank appoints VP City National Bank has appointed Richard Garcia vice president and home association

Jennifer Young

E O P L E

Florencia Tabeni

team leader. Mr. Garcia had been vice president of private banking at BankUnited. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University.

are piling up or falling behind schedule,” she said. “We can use real-time data to get in touch with the driver and better manage, facilitate on-time performance.” While bus performance steadily improves, however, the number of riders is falling. According to the June 2016 Transportation and Public Works ridership technical report, preliminary data indicate total monthly Metrobus ridership was 5,141,601, down 7.8% from June 2015. On Saturdays in June, there was a 6% drop and an 8% fall on Sundays for the same period. Ms. Bravo said ridership is always changing, as is the economy. “We know it’s some-

thing that’s continuously in flux, like any service,” she said last week. Metrobus total monthly ridership comparisons between fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2016 support Ms. Bravo’s statement, with up-and-down fluctuations. They show variances of down 8.2% for May; down 9.4% for April; down 13.6% for March; down 4.8% for February; down 14.1% for January; down 10.4% for December; down 8% for November and down 10% for October. “People want modes of transit to be reliable and comfortable,” Ms Bravo said. The department wants to increase awareness of how to use the system, she said, and encourages people to use Trip Planner, which provides real-time information on bus arrivals and departures via Apple smart phones. This month, she said, the app will be available for Android phones as well. Moreover, Ms. Bravo said, in time the fleet will greatly improve. “We’ve added articulated buses that have higher capacity [by an additional 50%] on highly-used routes; and at the tail end of procurement that will help us replace 300 buses with new CNG [compressed natural gas] buses, which we hope to have free WiFi on in the near future.”

Julio Jogaib

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BrightStar Credit adds in marketing BrightStar Credit Union has added Greg Cassamajor as marketing manager. Mr. Cassamajor had been assistant vice president and a branch manager at TD Bank. He holds Foundation has named Jewel a bachelor’s degree from Ber- Malone chief operating ofkeley College. ficer. Ms. Malone had been a deputy commissioner at the Kozyak Tropin City of Chicago Department partner wins honor of Cultural Affairs and Special Adam Moskowitz, a part- Events. She holds a bachelor’s n e r a t K o z y a k T r o p i n & degree from the University of Throckmorton, has received Illinois and a master’s degree t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M i a m i from the University of ChiSchool of Law’s 2016 Law cago. Alumni Association Achievement Award. Mr. Moskowitz Atlantic Broadband holds a bachelor’s degree appoints VP from Syracuse University and Atlantic Broadband has apa JD from the University of pointed Elizabeth Michelsen Miami. vice president and general manager in South Florida. Ms. Michelsen had been the vice YoungArts president and general manager names COO The National YoungArts for Atlantic Broadband’s Mary-

Richard Garcia

Greg Cassamajor

Adam Moskowitz

land and Delaware region. She of its executive committee. Mr. holds a bachelor’s degree from Raia is a shareholder at Bates College. Gunster’s Miami office. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a Florida Grand Opera JD from the University of Miami. adds three to team Florida Grand Opera has added Kal Gajraj as director of Berkadia marketing, Anne Martinez as adds director executive assistant to the genBerkadia has added Charles eral director and CEO and Tom Foschini as senior managing Patane as investor services di- director. Mr. Foschini had been rector. a vice chairman at CBRE. He Mr. Gajraj had been director holds a bachelor’s degree, of marketing at Charter Schools master’s degree and a JD from USA. He holds a bachelor’s de- the University of Miami. gree and a master’s degree from DeVry University. Ms. Martinez had been an McDermott Will executive assistant at the Epi- elects chairman lepsy Foundation of Florida. Chicago-based McDermott She holds a bachelor’s degree Will & Emery LLP has elected from Florida International Uni- Ira Coleman as chairman of versity. the firm. Mr. Coleman is the Mr. Patane had been a volun- global head of the firm’s corteer at Florida Grand Opera. porate & transactional practice and is a managing partner in its Miami office. He holds a American Bar adds to bachelor’s degree from the executive committee State University of New York, The American Bar a JD from Nova Southeastern Association’s Section of Inter- University and a master of law national Law has added Joseph degree from the University of Raia as an officer and member Miami.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

MIAMI TODAY

Arts & Culture 81% of businesses see arts as major economic contributors BY CAMILA CEPERO

Three-quarters of over 500 companies that responded support MiamiDade’s arts community, with most of them revealing that they see it as an investment, an Arts & Business Survey conducted by the Beacon Council in conjunction with the Arts & Business Council of Miami and the MiamiDade Department of Cultural Affairs found. The survey, conducted through online survey development website SurveyMonkey, received the responses from a cross section of industry sectors including finance, manufacturing, construction, hospitality and retail. The intent was to “survey the impact and involvement of the private sector on the arts,” said Pamela Fuertes, vice president of International Economic Development at the Beacon Council. Responses came from companies of

all sizes, ranging from major corporations to small businesses. Results showed that 75% of businesses surveyed supported the arts, with 48% of them supporting one to three groups, 35% supporting four to nine groups and 13% supporting 10 or more groups. Roughly 77% of businesses surveyed said they support the arts for business development and networking, 44% said their support of arts increases brand awareness and visibility to new clients, 70% do it because it provides a valuable tool for community relations and 44% do it for employee engagement and volunteer opportunities. Though there are many ways to support the arts, 77% of businesses surveyed do it by offering money or sponsorship, 44% do in-kind donations, 41% have professionals serving on arts boards, 40% buy tickets for clients or employees and 31% have employees

volunteer in the arts. Of those 25% of businesses surveyed that do not support the arts, 35% said they don’t because they have never been asked, 21% said senior management is not interested in the arts and 13% said the arts do not align with their strategic objectives. “For us at the Beacon Council, it’s all about promoting Miami-Dade County as an international business community with a cultural hub,” said Ms. Fuentes, who is staff liaison for the council’s Creative Design Initiative. “We know now that in the corporate community, arts play a critical role in developing their work force.” Roughly 81% of businesses surveyed agreed that the arts are a major contributor to the economy and quality of life and 61% agreed that arts are an important economic engine. Additionally, 81% said that arts contribute to the quality of life in the county, while 54%

said it enhances diversity and 44% said it fosters connectivity between communities. Finally, 74% of businesses surveyed said that being involved in the arts helps to recruit and retain executives and employees, 68% said it stimulates creative thinking, 52% said it fosters professional development and leadership skill building and 48% said it offers unique and innovative employee benefits. “I think that [businesses] do absolutely use [the survey] as a recruitment tool,” Ms. Fuertes said. “And I really think that when companies relocate or expand, they are taking a look at every facet – not just economic, not just international connectivity. Companies care about where their employees are going to live.” “Companies invest in art because they see the value,” she said. “They know that the arts attract business.”

Pérez Art Museum sees attendance, memberships soaring BY CAMILA CEPERO

Officials at the Pérez Art Museum Miami have been working all year, acquiring hundreds of new pieces for the carefully crafted and sometimes endearingly local permanent collection, showcasing art exhibitions that transcend visitors’ ideas of what it means to spend a day at a museum, and have seen their hard work pay off by way of what they say are soaring visitor numbers. Higher visitor numbers has translated into higher membership numbers, too, said Franklin Sirmans, director of the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). “They have been up, up, up, which is awesome, we’re really happy about that,” Mr. Sirmans said. “All numbers have been increasing, which is fantastic.” Though the museum did not reveal exact figures, at least some of the success, Mr. Sirmans said, can be attributed to the museum’s visitor services team, who have been very involved with collecting and listening to visitor feedback. An exhibit titled “Basquiat: The Unknown Notebooks” has called the museum home since Aug. 12. According to the museum, the exhibition showcases JeanMichel Basquiat’s rarely seen notebooks, filled with poetry fragments, wordplay, sketches and personal observations. It features 160 notebook pages, related objects, works on paper and large-scale paintings. But, Mr. Sirmans said, the museum didn’t stop there. Complementing the exhibition, PAMM has added works from Miami including collaborative paintings made by Basquiat and Andy Warhol.

The bayfront Pérez Art Museum Miami has been adding to its collection with a number of permanent gifts, said Director Franklin Sirmans.

“It was one thing to see [the notebook pages] show,” Mr. Sirmans said, “but we added work from collectors here in Miami, some other great paintings in there from board members, then drawings from as far away as Los Angeles.” “In addition to those works, we also created a big room with benches and tables for people to come down and make their own sketchbooks and listen to playlists,” he said. “We turned it into a big space.” The museum hopes to be able to follow the success of the visitor engagement it’s accomplished during the Basquiat show, which sees its last visitor Oct. 16, though not always on such a large-scale. Museums of the 21st century are drastically different than those of the past, Mr. Sirmans said.

‘All numbers have been increasing, which is fantastic.’ Franklin Sirmans “You can’t just go and look at museums and look at paintings and stand there,” he said. “We want people to have an experience. PAMM is about galleries,

exhibitions, the education department, having an experience while looking out at the bay, shops that feature beautiful works of art... it’s the whole thing.” In May, the museum announced more than 100 new acquisitions including works by artists including Carmen Herrera, Mark Bradford, Taryn Simon, Stan Douglas, Yto Barrada, Nari Ward and Theaster Gates. The pieces joining the museum’s permanent installation include 100 works from PAMM trustee Craig Robins, a film installation by Stan Douglas, sculptures by Ernesto Neto and Pablo Atchugarry, 14 prints by Mark Bradford, an installation by Hew Locke and several works from PAMM’s temporary exhibitions. One of the most exciting acquisitions, Mr. Sirmans said, is

that of works by Cuban-born Carmen Herrera, purchased by the PAMM Collectors Council. “Carmen Herrera is an amazing woman whose work people didn’t begin to look at until the last decade,” he said. “We need to be able to show the best of artists from Latin America and the Caribbean.” Already in the permanent collection for some time are works by Miami-born artist Teresita Fernández. “We want people to see how we are sharing their story,” Mr. Sirmans said. “We’re a people’s museum.” Mr. Sirmans said he’s excited about upcoming events at the museum such as the ninth annual Corporate Luncheon on Sept. 28 and the April 2017 Art of the Party gala, but especially the convening of the Collectors Council this October.

MIAMI TODAY

ARTS & CULTURE

WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Spotlight on fall cultural season: Highlights to plan for BY KATYA MARURI

As summer transitions into fall, South Florida begins to come alive with an array of plays, concerts, ballets, exhibits, symphony performances, operas and contemporary dances from all over the world. With the upcoming season just around the corner, audiences of all ages can view exciting and captivating cultural events filled with music, dance, art, theater performances and more as the city transforms into a cultural destination like no other. With the event season right around the corner, here are a few exciting events that you definitely don’t want to miss:

GISELLE The Miami City Ballet presents “Giselle” in two acts. In act one, the ballerina portrays a naïve, loving peasant girl who is betrayed by Albrecht, her aristocratic lover, causing her to face a harrowing mad scene before her death. In act two, she is raised from her tomb to join her spectral sisters in driving inconstant men to their death. But to everyone’s surprise, she uses the power of her love to save Albrecht from his doom. Oct. 23. 2 p.m. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Ziff Ballet Opera House, Miami. Details: (305) 9496722 or www.arshtcenter.org.

The Miami City Ballet will present “Giselle” on Oct. 23 in the Ziff Ballet Opera House of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

cert featuring Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli as he performs songs from his various albums including “Cinema,” “Passione,” “Incanto,” “Amore,” “Andrea” and more. Feb. 12. AmericanAirlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Details: (786) 777-1000 or http:// www.aaarena.com/.

MIAMI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Miami Symphony OrchesANDREA BOCELLI The AmericanAirlines Arena tra presents its grand season presents its Valentine’s Day con- opening featuring conductor Eduardo Marturet, pianist Ciro Fodere and the Miami Symphony Orchestra as they perform “Bolero” by Ravel, Di Concilio’s concerto for piano and orchestra and “Scheherazade” by Rimsky-Korsakov. Oct. 23. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Knight Concert Hall, Miami. Details: (305) 949-6722 or www.arshtcenter.org.

Florida Grand Opera presents “Carmen” Nov. 12-19 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

presents “Carmen,” which tells the story of a fiery gypsy cigarette girl who gets any man she wants and then gets rid of him when a better one comes along. When she sets her sights on Corporal Don José, he doesn’t stand a chance. He’s GIL SHAHAM PLAYS smitten and gives up everyBARBER thing, including his career, his The Cleveland Orchestra premother and the girl he is supTenor Andrea Bocelli will perform sents violinist Gil Shaham as he CARMEN The Florida Grand Opera posed to marry to be with at AmericanAirlines Arena Feb. 12. performs “Roman Carnival Overture” by Berlioz, “Violin Concerto” by Barber and “Fifth Symphony” by Shostakovich. Nov. 11-12. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Knight Concert Hall, Miami. Details: (305) 9496722 or www.arshtcenter.org.

Carmen. For a while, they revel in passion. But when Carmen meets a famous matador, she dumps Don José in a heartbeat and pushes him too far. Nov. 12-19. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Ziff Ballet Opera House, Miami. Details: (305) 949-6722 or www.arshtcenter.org.

Eduardo Marturet will conduct pianist Ciro Fodere and the Miami Symphony Orchestra in season opener. Cleveland Orchestra will present violinist Gil Shaham Nov. 11 and 12.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE

MIAMI TODAY

Spectacular musicals to dance, drawings to symphony AN AMERICAN IN PARIS The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts presents “An American in Paris.” The Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of an American soldier, a mysterious French girl and an indomitable European city, as they each yearn for a new beginning in the aftermath of war. Dec. 27- Jan. 1. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Ziff Ballet Opera House, Miami. Details: (305) 949-6722 or www.arshtcenter.org. PIERCE, MARK, MORPH The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum presents its exhibit “Pierce, Mark, Morph,” which explores the piercings, markings and cranial modification in pre-Columbian sculpture drawn “An American in Paris” tells a tale of an American soldier, a mysterious French girl and an indomitable European City after World War II. from the Jay Kislak Foundation role working on paper plays Open,” featuring percussionist Collection juxtaposed with work for sculptors in the creative Colin Currie and conductor HK by contemporary artists who process and how it help with Gruber. The program will inutilize the body as a canvas. translating ideas into three-di- clude performances of “Into the Oct. 22-Feb. 12. The Patricia & mensional forms. Oct. 22-Jan. open…” by Gruber, “Mad Dog” Phillip Frost Art Museum, 15. The Patricia & Phillip Frost by Deutsch and “Nachtmusiken” Florida International University, Art Museum, Florida Interna- by Schwertsik. Dec. 3. New 10975 SW 17th St., Tamiami. tional University, 10975 SW World Center, 500 17th St., Details: https://thefrost.fiu.edu/ 17th St., Tamiami. Details: Miami Beach. Details: (305) 673exhibitions/2016/pierce-markhttps://thefrost.fiu.edu/exhibi- 3330 or https://www.nws.edu/. morph.html. tions/2016/drawing-line-intoThere’s plenty more – this is form.html. MALPASO DANCE only a small sampling of what’s COMPANY in store. So get ready, South SOUNDS OF THE The Adrienne Arsht Center Florida, be sure to purchase TIMES for the Performing Arts preThe New World Symphony your tickets, RSVP and not miss sents the Malpaso Dance Compresents its orchestra concert out on this year’s incredible uppany as they perform Cuban “Sounds of the Times: Into the coming season. contemporary dances such as “24 Hours and a Dog” by Delgado, set to music by the Grammy award-winning Cuban-American composer Arturo O’Farrill. The dancers will also perform other original commissions including “Why You Follow” by Ronald K. Brown and “Bad Winter” by Trey McInytre, among other works. Jan. 6. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Knight Concert Hall, Miami. Details: (305) 949-6722 or Artist Ulla von Brandenburg’s “It Has a Golden Sun and an Elderly www.arshtcenter.org. Grey Moon” 2016 will be in Pérez Art Museum Miami’s project gallery. ULLA VON BRANDENBURG The Pérez Art Museum Miami presents its project gallery featuring works by Ulla von Brandenburg. The exhibit will “Drawing Line into Form” shows works on paper by sculptors from the BNY Mellon Collection at the Frost Art Museum on FIU’s campus. display drawings, paintings and installations focused on creating a multilayered narrative. Nov. 4-June 25. Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Details: (305) 375-3000 or http://pamm.org/exhibitions/ project-gallery-ulla-vonbrandenburg. DRAWING LINE INTO FORM The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum presents its exhibit “Drawing Line Into Form,” which features 60 works by contemporary artists including Anish Kapoor, Sol Lewitt, Maya Lin, Kiki Smith and more. From 6-foot-long gouache tableaus to charcoal preparatory drawings to rough pencil sketches, each work Malpaso Dance Company will perform Cuban contemporary dances. aims to illustrate the important Percussionist Colin Currie will perform with the New World Symphony.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE

MIAMI TODAY

New World Symphony helps fellows master entrepreneurship B Y C ATHERINE L ACKNER

Students who enter the New World Symphony’s fellowship program based in Miami Beach already have demonstrated a mastery of music. By the time they leave, they will also have a solid foundation in community engagement and entrepreneurship. A fellowship is typically a three-year program, said Tom Hadley, the symphony’s dean for admissions, alumni and fellow services, “but some leave after a few weeks, because they’re ready to take the next step in their careers, and that’s fine.” As students leave the fellowship and move on to jobs, creating 25 to 30 openings each year, about 1,200 young musicians apply to fill take their places, he said. On the symphony’s website, they complete a biographical form, post a resume, and attach a videotape of a solo orchestral performance. Deadlines are in early December, late December and early January. “Once we get the application, we look at the video to determine who should be offered a live audition,” Mr. Hadley said. Auditions are held in Boston, New York City, Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston and Miami. About 700-800 applicants (with an average age of 26) are invited to a live audition each year, he said. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite. In addition to the performance, the applicant must answer three essay questions. “We like to get a sense of who they are both inside and outside of the world of music,” Mr. Hadley said. “We want unique people who will advance classical music and community engagement. I like to talk to them, ask them questions and hear their answers. Then, we go about trying to figure out whom we should accept. There’s a fair amount of gut feeling and intuition that goes into the process.” The symphony’s curriculum comprises three components: musicianship performance, community and audience engagement and entrepreneurship, said John Kieser, symphony executive vice president and provost. “Our fellows form an orchestra here, but what the audience sees is only the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “We don’t have a resident faculty; instead, we bring in about 120 faculty members from all over the world, who

New World Symphony Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas works with cellist Meredith McCook on upgrading traditional artistic skills.

usually spend a week here.” he said. “We’re able to finetune the focus of instruction each year by bringing in these faculty members, because we know where the experts are.” Instructors have come from the London Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic and The Ensemble intercontemporain in Paris, among others. “Fellows can learn first-hand from any living composer who either comes here or whom we bring via the internet. They’re able to comment, coach and offer advice to make sure the fellows have a clear understanding of this music.” An important part of this component is teaching students to hone their auditioning skills, Mr. Kieser said. Auditions are typically performed “blind,” with the performer silent behind a screen. “You have three minutes to prove your skills in a very high-pressure environment,” he said. Each year, students audition before the deans and orchestra manager, and fellows also stage mock auditions for each other, he said. Via the internet, students can audition for music faculty around the country and world. “We connect with the highest global audience,” Mr. Kieser said, including faculty from the Royal College of Music in London, Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, the Cleveland Institute of Music and Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra. “In terms of audition training, we work with Noa Kageyama, a performance psy-

Said John Kieser, “We connect with the highest global audience.”

chiatrist who is a former violinist,” he said. “In a performance or audition, certain very common things happen,” he explained. “The performers’ brains go into overdrive, and these thoughts are distracting. Dr. Kageyama’s training helps them focus and get rid of the mental chatter.” The symphony works with hypnotherapists, meditation coaches and yoga teachers, some of whom are musicians. “We want fellows to develop healthy habits,” Mr. Kieser said. “This is a very stressful world they’re entering into, and we offer counseling in any number of other areas including sexual harassment, because it’s important to know where the boundaries are.” As comfortable as the stu-

dents are with music, “When you ask them to talk, it’s a different matter,” he said. “We want them to be comfortable in the community and be able to connect with third-graders, people in a cancer ward or in a home for the elderly. We’re always looking for ways they can be teachers, mentors, and invest themselves in the community. “We help them with eight separate community engagement programs, which is an unusually high number for any performing arts institution,” he said. “We want them knit into the fabric of the community, and we want them to be as comfortable sitting down to lunch with a potential funder as they are in the orchestra.” The symphony has partnered with the Kellogg School of Management in Coral Gables, part of Northwestern University, to develop a six-session course for professional development, including entrepreneurship. “It takes a lot of work to take innovative ideas and make them real,” Mr. Kieser said. “The fellows form teams and have pitch sessions.” Last year, alt Default, a team of fellows, won a $9,000 Knight Foundation Challenge Grant to start an after-school song-writing residency with the rock ensemble from Feinberg-Fisher K-8 School. They soon had matching funds from 82 donors. “They competed nationally and did very well,” Mr. Kieser said. “We like to push them out into the world. This is the kind of start-up mentality

we’re hoping to create.” In the 2015-16 session, about 25 fellows won jobs directly after their stint at the symphony, Mr. Hadley said. “They don’t necessarily win their dream job in a year or two, but 90% of our 1,025 alumni are working in the field of classical music. We’re very lucky to have that rate.” Most alumni stay in the US, but two former fellows have been hired to orchestras in Auckland, New Zealand, he said. Not all remain as performers; some are arts administrators, teachers or have musicrelated businesses. “Some set up chamber music festivals,” Mr. Hadley said. “That’s one reason we stress entrepreneurship. We teach them how to build their careers but also how to find their niche.” Among graduates are Katie Wyatt, founder of Kidznotes (a music training program for children), and executive director of El Sistema USA; Teddy Abrams, a conductor, composer, pianist and clarinetist who is music director of the Louisville Orchestra and the Britt Festival; and Jacob Nissly, principal percussionist at the San Francisco Symphony. “We’re at the crossroads of academia and the professional world,” Mr. Kieser said. “We’ve been around for 29 years, and every year the program changes. We’re constantly taking a scan and trying new things. Miamians are open to new experiences. We think we contribute to that, and we are thriving in that environment.”

MIAMI TODAY

WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

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