Tag: Miami

Staying True to the Virginia Key Master Plan

Posted on by Katherine Doble

Public Access, Recreation and Community (PARC) are our overarching principles and have informed every aspect of our project — and for good reason.

The 1000-acre barrier island of Virginia Key, just east of downtown Miami, has seen very little development in comparison to the rest of the City.

But as Miami’s urban core grows at a rapid pace, the community has identified the island as a natural setting for public amenities, waterfront access, recreation, and a portal to the Biscayne Bay habitat. All parties agreed that any development on Virginia Key should take place responsibly and sustainably, so a master plan was created in 2010.

Collaboration among the City, its residents, and local stakeholders guided the process and an Advisory Board was formed.

The master plan’s mission was simple: “Virginia Key has the opportunity to truly be the Central Park of Miami, or the ‘lungs’ of a city that would provide refuge and vitally needed open space in a burgeoning and crowded metropolis.”

As a longtime Virginia Key stakeholder, Marina PARC has embraced the Virginia Key Master Plan’s ‘less is more’ ethos. Following is an overview of how the Master Plan has informed every aspect of Marina PARC’s philosophy, design, programming:

Less environmental impact: The Virginia Key Master Plan dictates two primary objectives: to protect and enhance natural resources and employ sustainable building practices. Marina PARC has a 30-plus year history of environmental stewardship on Virginia Key and our redevelopment plans will continue that tradition. Central to our plan is the creation of a “living shoreline” including more than 1,000 linear feet of mangroves which are being planted in collaboration with Mangrove.org. Our buildings will strive for LEED Gold status by incorporating numerous conservation strategies, including solar power, water recapture for boat wash-downs, and rain collection for irrigation of our native plantings.

Less commercial density: Balancing environmental protection with financial viability is critical to the RFP criteria. Marina PARC has proposed developing 25,000 square feet of commercial space, less than half of our competitors’ plan to add 60,000 square feet to an already-cramped site. By resisting the temptation to overdevelop, we will create an inviting community asset that is commercially viable and remains a key piece of the Biscayne Bay ecosystem.

Less boat traffic: Let’s face it – more boats means more boat traffic, more fuel consumption, and the risk of more congestion and environmental impact in the Marine Stadium Basin and Biscayne Bay. Reducing the maximum allowable boat slip quantities to meet current market demand will allow us to reduce our overall environmental impact. Our competitors are proposing 912 boat slips, while we are limiting our total capacity to 756 vessels.

More community amenities and access: Creating a vibrant waterfront and an accessible place for recreation are two goals of the Virginia Key Master Plan that resonated with us. Marina PARC will include a water’s-edge baywalk promenade along the property’s waterfront, two restaurants, a public boat launch, sightseeing and eco tours, a watersports rental concession, a shaded pavilion with a café, and rest and staging areas for bikers and pedestrians.

Up Close: The Case for Marina PARC Miami

Posted on by Katherine Doble

Last month, a committee appointed by the City of Miami Manager ranked two teams – Marina PARC and Virginia Key LLC – within five points of one another in a competition to redevelop the Rickenbacker Marina. On the surface, both teams proposed similar plans including public bay walks, ‘living shorelines,’ and revamped retail and commercial offerings. But a closer look at the two plans reveals material differences that have raised concerns about the RFP and led our team to file a formal bid protest.

At the center of the debate is a piece of land adjacent to the marina which the City deemed off-limits when setting the boundaries for the RFP. Marina PARC followed the rules and excluded this land from its plans. Virginia Key LLC failed to heed the City’s directions and instead included the land in their site.

By incorporating the excluded property in their design, Virginia Key LLC was able to plan for more commercial space, more parking and more boat storage.

The result? Virginia Key LLC’s revenue projections are artificially inflated and the legitimacy of the team’s proposal has been challenged.

If the Virginia Key LLC proposal is found to be non-compliant with the City’s development parameters, then Marina PARC could be awarded the City bid by default.

Delving into the proposals in depth would take hours upon hours, but we’ve saved you the time by breaking down a comparison of the two proposals below.

Overall, the Marina PARC plan calls for less commercial development, fewer boats, and a more realistic financial picture:

Stacking Up: Inside Our Cutting Edge Storage Facility

Posted on by Katherine Doble

Marina PARC’s exclusive partnership with Tifon S.A., a global leader in automated boat storage, earns the distinction of being the only proposer in the Virginia Key Marina RFP that has a proven track record of designing, building, and operating automated boat storage facilities. Marina PARC’s boat storage building will be a fully-automated, LEED Gold certified structure housing 582 boats, totaling more than 20,000 linear feet of boat storage.

Automated cranes will be capable of retrieving and storing vessels of up to 40,000 pounds. Marina PARC is providing for fewer but larger slips in order to both lessen the project’s environmental impact as well as address the most under-served segment of the local marina market: increasingly larger vessels. In reducing the amount of slips, Marina PARC takes into account that other required uses such as a new public boat ramp and expanded transient dockage will draw an unprecedented amount of new vessels to the site – thus impacting the surrounding resources and adding to the permitting constraints associated with the marine development of the site.

Marina PARC has partnered with Tifon because the company is a proven leader in the automated storage space, with fully-operational facilities in Argentina already up and running – accounting for over 1500 automated dry slips. Boaters will have the option to make reservations 24-hours a day, either in person or by phone, tablet or computer. Tifon will interface with Rockwell Automation, a US publicly traded company and world leader in industrial automation that will breath life into our state of the art system.

Take a look at the future of Marina PARC’s boat slip system.

Made in Miami: Landscape Architect Raymond Jungles

Posted on by Katherine Doble

Raymond Jungles, a home-grown Miami entrepreneur, knows a thing or two about growing. Inspired by the lush beauty of Miami’s natural landscapes, Raymond has made a career out of following his passion. He is the founder of the Miami-based landscape architecture firm, Raymond Jungles, Inc. (RJI), recognized for excellence in the design and implementation of public and private sector projects. Raymond applied his lifelong passion for landscape architecture soon after graduating with a degree in landscape architecture from the University of Florida in 1981, founding the firm in 1982.

Lucky for us, he is bringing that passion to Marina PARC. He is working with us to embrace a moral responsibility for sound, sustainable environmental stewardship through the marina, by investing in the “living shoreline.” In Raymond’s vision, the entire marina will be pedestrian friendly, with open spaces and a lush native tree canopy with unfettered waterfront access.

Keep reading to learn more about what made this ‘Made in Miami’ entrepreneur the success he is today, and how Marina PARC will benefit from his passion.

Q: How did you get interested in landscape architecture?

A: I’ve always had an appreciation for natural and built environments, and landscape architecture molds both of them together. Early in my career, I was influenced by Yosemite National Park, the architecture of Luis Barragan and the gardens of Roberto Burle Marx.

Q: When you’re not at work, where can we find you?

A: My work is my passion, so what I do generally does not resemble what most would define as ‘work’. I love being onsite doing the layout, interacting with the participants, and seeing a vision come into being. I’m also very curious, so I love research, books, travel, a walk in the Grove or at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, riding my bike. I love spending time with my wife, Gina and people I enjoy. But mostly, I’m a creator. It is what I do for work and for pleasure. As Burle Marx said, you should always “do what you like.”

READ RELATED: Alex Yanes Draws Inspiration from the Magic City

Q: You could have picked anywhere in the world – so why did you choose Coconut Grove as the place to open your office?

A: I feel very comfortable in “the Grove”. It has that effect on people. Bjarke Ingels’ initial design intent was to re-Grove the Grove. It is a grove of mature canopy trees and palms. The adjacent bay, the high ground, and the public amenities. Tree covered paths and roadways, the Barnacle State Park, the Kampong, its parks, libraries, schools, churches, the parks, marinas, boat launches, Bayshore Drive, seeing my projects. The waterfront, restaurants, the sidewalk cafes, the stops, the movies. The Grove has it all.

Q: What makes South Florida’s landscape unique and how do you ensure that your projects speak to that?

A: We are at the flat end of a very large peninsula that juts into the ocean. We are surrounded by the majestic Florida Everglades, and Caribbean islands. Our sky is impressive and varied. We have a gentle climate with abounding greenery so it’s like a permanent vacation. We have clean air, for a major metropolitan area. Our gardens promote the use of native plants, creation of habitat, and conservation of the earth’s valuable resources. By using species that are encouraged to mature as nature intended, we eliminate the need for countless hours of pruning. We prefer softer, looser order of plant volumes; gardens that harmonize with local ecosystems; gardens that appear almost subversive. Built interventions are minimal and sculptural, complementing through contrast the soft plantings. Color and texture are generously applied.

Jungles Sketch
Marina PARC’s living shoreline designed by Raymond Jungles

Q: What is your inspiration for the design behind Marina PARC?

A: My inspiration came from the setting. The serene boat basin, marine stadium, surrounding vegetation and dramatic offsite views make this marina one of the most remarkable sites in South Florida. Bringing residents and visitors closer to nature, creating space that is inspirational, advancing curiosity, knowledge, and appreciation of the relationship between people, nature, and art – this has been my inspiration for all of my projects and this site makes the perfect canvas for the next.

READ RELATED: Key Biscayne Mayor Mayra Lindsay Shares the Secrets of Virginia Key

Q: How will the living shoreline incorporate into the bigger plan?

A: Planting native shoreline plant species, as well as mangroves, will enhance the habitat for indigenous flora and fauna. The new Marina PARC will be an urban laboratory for living.

Made in Miami: Alex Yanes Draws Inspiration from the Magic City

Posted on by Katherine Doble

Local artist Alex Yanes considers his ever-growing body of work to be his autobiography – a story largely influenced by the culture and colors of his hometown, Miami.

In tandem with his Cuban roots, Alex attributes his pop art style to his observations and experiences growing up in Miami’s street art community.

To learn more about what inspires this “Made in Miami’ artist, read on!

Tell us about your path to becoming an artist.

I draw a lot of my influence from my teenage years growing up in Kendall – skateboarding, listening to punk-rock and hip-hop, fascinated by tattoos and cartoons. I’ve always been creative. I remember winning my first art contest when I was 6 years old.

My dad and grandfather were big influences. My grandfather was a pilot in Cuba and my dad was a tool salesman – they both taught me how to build things by hand. I built my first treehouse when I was 10 years old and wood eventually became my medium of choice. From there I learned to paint.

Now I get to be a professional artist, which is like a dream. I’m so grateful that I get to create every day.

 

How has Miami’s arts scene evolved since you began your career in 2006?, and how does the City inspire your work?

Wynwood was nonexistent in 2006. Art Basel and the Arts District have given artists a platform to expose their work and our community has opened its eyes to the beauty and power of art. In many ways, art has brought even more color to an already vibrant city. My hometown provides great motivation and subject matter. From the pastel color palettes I use, to the recurring nautical themes and the tropical nature of my work, Miami is interwoven as part of who I am.

 

From Red Bull to Sony to Neiman Marcus, you’ve worked with some pretty big brands. What has been your favorite campaign? 

I’d definitely say my campaign with Red Bull was the best project I’ve worked on because of the meaning behind the piece. I created a floating mural on an abandoned boat in order to bring awareness to the importance of preserving Biscayne Bay’s natural habitat. The project hit very close to home and is something I believe in deeply. It’s one of the main reasons I’m supporting Aabad and his team at the Rickenbacker Marina. They see themselves as protectors of the environment, and everyone in Miami has a responsibility to do the same.

 

Are there any places in Miami that you’d like to conquer for your next large-scale work?

I love exploring the intersection of everyday life in Miami and the water, so doing something at Marina PARC would be exciting. Marinas represent access to nature, and we need to do more as a city to bring our community closer to the water. Public art can be a part of that.

 

When you’re not working on your art how do you like to pass the time?

You’ll find me outside, probably somewhere on or near the water, with my wife and three little girls.

Exploring Maritime History with HistoryMiami

Posted on by Katherine Doble

South Florida’s long and robust maritime history has placed Miami at the top of the recreational boating industry. That’s why we’re proud to announce our partnership with HistoryMiami Museum; a Smithsonian affiliate and the leading historical association in our community.

As part of Marina PARC, HistoryMiami will house and showcase an eclectic collection of nautical antiques, sailboats, watercrafts, and outboard motorboat engines to educate the public about South Florida’s significant and fascinating marine-industry past as well as its home-grown innovators and unique locations. The exhibits and items will be moved from museum’s current Downtown Miami location to Marina PARC in Virginia Key.

Exhibits will delve into the Magic City’s history as home to the The Miami International Boat Show, Stiltsville, the Cape Florida Lighthouse and Miami Marine Stadium.  HistoryMiami will also explore the 172,000 acres of water and more than a dozen islands that make up Biscayne Bay.

As Miami’s history continues to intertwine with the water, Marina PARC and HistoryMiami will share the story and encourage locals and visitors alike to understand the vital role our past will play in how we as a community will shape our future.

Visit the HistoryMiami.org website to learn more about the museum’s current exhibits and schedule a tour.

Marina PARC kicks off with SoundWaves Earth Day Jam

Posted on by Sara Rosenthal

Nearly 1,000 members of the community celebrated Earth Day at the Rickenbacker Marina’s first ever free concert: SoundWaves. The event transformed the marina into a 1970s Florida Keys beach town, complete with live music by Soulixer, Agape and Locos por Juana.

Tropical cocktails were flowing thanks to Mac’s Pub and local food vendors dished out tacos, ceviche and lobster rolls. Nearby, guests faced off over Jenga and corn hole as music enthusiasts scoured a treasure trove of vintage vinyl.

The event was also a chance for the community to preview Marina PARC’s plans for the Rickenbacker Marina, which will prioritize Public Access, Recreation and Community (PARC) by adding public event spaces, waterfront promenades, amenities for boaters, new restaurants, and more. Lean more details about Marina PARC’s plans here, and check out photos from SoundWaves in the below gallery.

Made in Miami: Nitin Motwani brings a taste of Manhattan to Miami

Posted on by Nick

Nitin Motwani is a man with vision. For nearly a decade, the Managing Principal of the $2 billion Miami Worldcenter development has been a driving force in Miami’s real estate landscape.

But for all the glitz in Miami’s real estate scene, Motwani attributes his entrepreneurial spirit and humble work ethic to his parents, who came to Florida in the 1980s and went on to reshape their adopted hometown for the better.

It seems entrepreneurship runs in your family DNA. Tell us about your South Florida roots.
My parents moved our family to Fort Lauderdale Beach from the St. Louis area in the mid-1980s. We operated a small hotel right on A1A called the Merrimac. I was seven and my brother was six. We basically lived on the beach and in the pool, and while we didn’t realize it at the time, we were learning the ropes of the hospitality and real estate business. My father passed away in 1994 and my mother took over the day to day workings of the family business. My mom and dad are my role models – in business and life. They have taught me so much over the years about entrepreneurship and humility.

Fort Lauderdale Beach has come a long way and today your family is helping to put the area on the map as a luxury destination. What prompted that evolution?
Everything changed when the City of Fort Lauderdale cracked down on the beach’s annual spring break festivities. It seemed like a crippling decision for local businesses at the time, but in hindsight it forced the community to rebrand itself as a family-friendly beach resort. For my family, that pivot meant thinking about our company as much more than a hotel business. We were now in the real estate development and investment business. Since then we’ve seen some of the best names in the hotel business open up resorts along the beach. Our family is currently involved in developing the Gale Fort Lauderdale and the new Four Seasons on A1A.

We hear so much about ‘brain drain,’ but you left South Florida for college, headed to New York and then ultimately returned. What drew you back?
I always enjoyed living down here as a kid, but I loved attending school at Duke and getting my feet wet in finance in New York. I was eventually able to convince my then-girlfriend (now wife) to join me in coming back. At first I focused on helping my mom run our family real estate business, and then I become involved in Miami Worldcenter in 2006. There’s something about South Florida that brings people back. It’s a gravitational pull – some combination of the quality of life that we have to offer and the entrepreneurial opportunity that exists here. I really felt like I could be a part of the transformation that had just begun in our community. Miami is a young city and there’s a sense that we keep improving the city through reinvention.

Tell us about Miami Worldcenter – what does that project mean for our community?
Miami Worldcenter is a 27-acre mixed-use development situated in the heart of downtown Miami. Our first phase alone is valued at $2 billion in private investment. This is a project that has been in planning for a decade, and we’re now under construction. The project will feature multiple residential towers, a high street retail promenade, a 1,700-room Marriott Marquis hotel, and an expo center to land that has sat undeveloped for decades. Our towers are going vertical now and the first phases will begin delivering in 2018. In the end, we’re going to be creating thousands of new jobs, improving the local streetscape with new public spaces, and bringing opportunity to an area of Miami that has been overlooked for too long.

We hear so much about Miami Worldcenter, but we don’t necessarily know where exactly you are situated. Give us some context about where your property lies.
Our property is in the Park West neighborhood of downtown, one block away from the Bayfront and within walking distance of Museum Park, the Arsht Center, American Airlines Arena, and the new Brightline train station. Much of our land was vacant before we began construction, so we are literally filling in the hole in the middle of the doughnut. We will be linking the Arts District with the Central Business District. We are where arts, culture, entertainment and transportation come together, and we’ll be providing great public spaces and amenities for pedestrians so that the community can enjoy all downtown has to offer.

If you could take on the role of mayor for one day with an unlimited budget, what would you do to change Miami for the better?
Fixing our transit infrastructure in one fell swoop would be a tough pill to swallow, but we need to tackle our traffic situation and adopt a pedestrian-first mindset. There have been some instances where private businesses and the public sector are making progress. We are widening sidewalks, improving Metromover stations and linking up with the Brightline rail service at Miami Worldcenter. The Marina PARC plan also prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists by creating new public spaces on Virginia Key.

These are good examples, but we can do more as a community. The proposed streetcar system running north from downtown is a great idea that would help alleviate congestion. I also think a direct connection between downtown and Miami Beach, through ether a light rail system or a ferry service, would be a welcome addition.

Made in Miami: Morgan Blittner makes a splash with TKS Watersports

Posted on by Nick

Local entrepreneurs Morgan Blittner and Juan Pavan have owned and operated the iconic TKS shop for nearly 13 years. The two met through the Miami watersports scene and together recognized the large need for a kitesurf shop in Miami.

They opened their first TKS – The Kite Shop – in Key Biscayne in 2004 and have been growing their local empire gradually ever since. Today, TKS operates watersports concessions across South Florida and retail locations in Miami Beach and Coconut Grove. Step into a store and you’ll find everything from surf gear and paddle boards, to swimwear and kite surfing equipment.

Co-owner Morgan Blittner attributes the store’s success to the fact that he and Juan surf the same breaks and paddle the same waters that their clients do. We caught up with Morgan to discuss his business journey and inspirations.

How did you get into watersports growing up in New York?
Everyone is surprised to learn that there’s surfing just 40 minutes outside Manhattan. In fact, there are tons of opportunities to get involved in watersports in New York. Growing up in Rockaway Beach, I was raised near the water. Since then, I’ve lifeguarded, surfed up and down the coast of Long Island, and even paddle boarded around Manhattan four times to raise awareness for autism.

How did you get into the surf shop business?
I met my business partner Juan after moving to Miami through the local surf scene. I had been kitesurfing and paddle boarding since the two sports were invented, just as Juan had been, so it was a natural fit and we quickly hit it off.

We both saw a big need for a kitesurfing store, so we combined forces and opened up our first location in Key Biscayne.

What’s the industry like down here?
At both our Miami Beach and Coconut Grove retail locations, the majority of our clients are locals, but people come in from all over the world. Surfing is of course a big draw, but stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking are also popular. We’re seeing more and more people become active through watersports each day, and it’s a great thing for the community.

When not surfing what do you do in spare time?
Glass art has been a passion of mine for a long time. I had been doing pottery since I was 12 years old, and got into glass art when I was studying at the University of Miami. The glass art facility was in the same building as one of my psychology classes and it really caught my interest – it’s actually the reason I stayed in Miami. I went all over the world to study, and for a while I even had a storefront in Wynwood before it was ‘Wynwood.’

What’s next for the water sports business?
Non-motorized water activities have been gaining popularity. Right now TKS operates the only non-motorized concession on Miami Beach and we’ve seen more and more people gravitate towards kitesurfing and paddle boarding over motorized activities like jet skiing. There’s growing demand for activities that get people out on the water and promote wellness, so it’s a matter of finding locations where we can connect with customers.

For example, we’re teaming up with the Marina PARC group with the goal of opening a non-motorized watersports concession at the new Rickenbacker Marina. This would be a huge win for the community, as it will grant the public expanded access to Biscayne Bay and Virginia Key.