2023 Year in Review
As we come to the close of 2023, it’s time to look back on the city’s mixed bag of accomplishments and controversies. It was a big year for Art in Public Places, for big new projects at UM, and for the start of important undertakings, like undergrounding power lines in the city and breaking ground on the Underline. There was also new tumult at City Hall, as two outsiders got elected to the Commission. Here’s a quick look at our 2023 Year in Review.
January
In Memory of Nino
The City of Coral Gables designates the 300 block of Aragon Avenue as Nino Pernetti Way. Pernetti owned and operated Caffe Abbracci for more than 30 years. Guests at Abbracci, long the city’s leading “power” dining spot, included Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, and Antonio Banderas, among many others. Read more in Talk of the Town.
Funding Football Fever
The University of Miami files plans to build a $100 million football operations center on Dickinson Drive. The 150,000 square foot building, designed by Arquitectonica, will house athletic facilities for training, recovery, nutrition, and academics when finished in 2024. Read more.
The Return Of A Former Mayor
Former Mayor Jim Cason takes over the seat vacated by Commissioner Jorge Fors, Jr. who resigned in order to make an ill-fated run for Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners. Cason would serve until the April elections. Read more.
Tilting Towards The Arts
The Coral Gables Museum pulls in more than $125,000 at its annual fundraiser, dollars that will support the museum’s new exhibitions and programming, now moving in the direction of the visual arts under the new leadership of executive director Elvis Fuentes.
February
Burgerlicious Block Party
The mouth-watering block party for the best burgers in the city (and some outliers, too) once again unfolds on Alhambra Circle. The annual event is put on by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and shuts down two blocks for vendors and live music.
A Pop-Up Dog Park
After creating its first off-leash dog run in 2022 (for small dogs at Catalonia Park), the city accepts the use of 3,000 square feet at 1505 Ponce for a dog run for large canines. The space is offered as a pop-up park by Location Ventures, which intends to eventually build a condo mid-rise on that spot. Read more in Talk of the Town.
Pedestrians Only
The city commission unanimously votes to keep bicycles, motorized scooters and skateboards off “unauthorized” sidewalks — mostly Miracle Mile and Ponce de Leon Boulevard near Miracle Mile. Fines will start at $35, then rise to $100 and $200 for repeat violations. Read more from City Hall.
The Once And Future Mayor
Mayor Vince Lago wins re-election automatically when Jackson “Rip” Holmes withdraws his opposition candidacy. According to the city charter, when a city official runs without opposition, he or she is automatically granted the office prior to the April elections. Read more.
Wheel Of Fortune
As part of his commitment to art in public places, Ugo Colombo, owner of The Collection (seller of high-end automobiles), installs a 17-foot, six-ton Carrara marble carving of a wheel outside his Jaguar Land Rover dealership on US1 at Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Read more.
March
The 33rd Film Festival
The Coral Gables Art Cinema joins the 10-day Miami International Film Festival with an opening party for director Alex de la Iglesia’s “My Big Night.” Among the numerous films shown at the cinema is “Weiner” the Sundance Documentary Grand Jury prize winner.
A Full Moon Rises
For three weekends, a brightly lit, 28-foot moon with detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface is hoisted aloft in Ponce Circle Park. “Moon Over the Gables,” a public art exhibit by the city and the Coral Gables Community Foundation, attracts more than 28,000 visitors for an estimated $10 million economic impact. Read more in Talk of the Town and check out our Instagram reel recap.
Going Underground
FPL begins its 10-year, $240 million program to underground power lines in Coral Gables. The deal was negotiated with FPL by Mayor Vince Lago to protect the city from power outages that occur during hurricanes and tropical storms. Read more.
Annexation Ho
The City Commission votes unanimously to pursue the annexations of Little Gables and the High Pines/Ponce Davis areas. Both neighborhoods are surrounded on three sides by the city. Pro-annexation advocates tout the increased tax base, and the city’s ability to improve public safety.
April
UM Finale
The Frost School of Music ends its season with a sold-out concert of the legendary 1937 mini-opera Camina Burana by Carl Orff. For its finale, some 95 musicians and 100 singers fill the stage, for a once-in-a-lifetime performance.
Election Upset
In a stunning upset, two outsiders are elected to the City Commission. Ariel Fernandez, a long-time political gadfly whose Gables Insider attacked city officials, was elected, along with Melissa Castro, a permit expediter with no-previous political experience (had never even voted). The upset victories were attributed to anti-development sentiment among the small number of voters who turned out. Read more.
First Anniversary
The Sanctuary of the Arts celebrates its one-year anniversary at the historic First Church of Christ, Scientist across from City Hall. To date, 40 concerts have been held (including by the world-renowned Academy of St. Martin’s in the Fields), with 25,000 concert goers in attendance. Read more about the vision behind the Sanctuary in “The Eidson Factor.”
Bonnie Bolton’s Challenge
Bonnie Bolton, daughter of legendary Gables civic activist Roxcy Bolton, files a legal petition to block the demolition of the Garden of Our Lord adjacent to the St. James Evangelical Church on Phoenetia Avenue. Developer Sergio Pino wishes to build a multi-story apartment complex there. Read more.
May
Alternatives To Modern
The city commission asks architecture firm Gensler to submit new design concepts for the so-called Mobility Hub to be built in place of the parking garage behind the Miracle Theatre. Cost for the building has risen to $62 million from $42 million, when it was first proposed as a controversial futuristic white cube. Read more from City Hall.
The Saving Of Mahachee
The Coral Gables Garden Club announces the completion of the project they spearheaded to plant a small forest of 1,400 native trees to replace several acres of invasive species, dead wood and trash at the entrance of Girl Scouts’ Camp Mahachee, next to Matheson Hammock County Park. Read more in “Bringing Camp Mahachee Back to Life.”
Books Please
After nearly two years and more than $3 million in upgrades, the Coral Gables library reopens. The iconic stone structure on Segovia Street reopens after the annual Family Literary Festival at nearby Memorial Youth Center. Check out the renovations in our Instagram reel.
Burger Bob’s On The Burner
Commissioner Ariel Fernandez accuses the city of dragging its feet on the reconstruction of Burger Bob’s, the beloved diner on Granada Golf Course. After much wrangling, the city commission unanimously votes to create a portal for the public to monitor progress. Read more.
June
Anderson’s Vines
Miami Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson launches a campaign to rid the Gables of the invasive air potato vines that are beginning to cover local trees. Anderson used her Commission expense funds to pay $10 per pound for uprooted vines. Read more in Summer Talk of the Town.
Celebrating Trees
The Gables-based Tropical Flowering Tree Society launches the 86th annual Royal Poinciana Festival with cocktail parties, music, tours, plantings, etc. The Society took over the Miami event in 1999, with Coral Gables as a co-sponsor since 2018. Read more.
Ryder Moves To Town
In a move that will bring 800 employees to the city, global supply chain leader Ryder announced that it would relocate to the Colonnade building in the downtown. The move will finish in early 2024. BAC bank, previously located there, will move to Plaza Coral Gables. Read more.
Underline Plans Underway
Friends of The Underline and the county’s Department of Transportation & Public Works reveal their designs for parks in Coral Gables that will be built as part of The Underline project to activate land under the Metrorail. Read more about the amenities coming to the Gables in Phase 3 of The Underline.
July
Sharper Oppenheimer
Joining the national summer movie craze for “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” the Coral Gables Art Cinema shows the latter film using 70 mm projectors. Old-fashioned and rare (not-digital!) format increases clarity of both sight and sound, like vinyl vs CD players. Learn more about this unique screening of one of this summer’s top blockbusters on our Instagram.
The Passing Of Jeannett
Beloved former City Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick passes at the age of 76 from cancer. The city mourns the loss of the past president of the Junior Orange Bowl Committee, chairperson of the Coral Gables Community Foundation, president of the Gables Good Government Committee, vice chair of the Historic Preservation Board, and so much more. Learn about Jeannett’s life and legacy.
In Pursuit Of Sewers
The city commission votes to pursue federal funding to help convert city septic tanks to the sewer system. Rising sea levels could raise ground water into septic tanks, causing waterway pollution. Read more about the city’s “Problem Beneath the Surface.”
Taste Us
Each year in August and September, Miami Spice lures new patrons to the tables of restaurants with less expensive menus. This year restaurant-mad Coral Gables launches their own version, Taste the Gables, with more than 40 restaurants offering pre-fixe three course lunches ($30 or $35) and dinners ($40 or $65). Plus, read this year’s Miami Spice experience in “Taste of Gables Spice.”
August
Amerant Ascendant
The largest bank based in Coral Gables ($4 billion+ in assets), Amerant’s stock begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Earlier in the summer, Amerant is again certified as a “Most Loved Workplace” by the Best Practice Institute. Read more in Talk of the Town.
Fallen From Grace
Two prominent Gables business leaders come under investigation. Rishi Kapoor, whose company built Villa Valencia, is investigated by the FBI and the SEC for misuse of investor funds, while John Ruiz, the billionaire who launched LifeWallet, is investigated by the SEC and U.S. Attorney’s Office for creating a “Ponzi scheme.” Read more.
Soccer Comes To Town
Coral Gables becomes one of the U.S. headquarters for FIFA, the international organization behind the World Cup. FIFA takes 60,000 square feet in the 396 Alhambra Building, where it will relocate hundreds of employees. Read more.
10 Year Mark
The founders of The Palace, Coral Gables’ first high-end and most opulent adult living facility (the lobby is a replica of the George V in Paris), celebrate the 10th anniversary of their urban, walkable facility for seniors (on Andalusia Avenue). Read more about The Palace in “The Art of Aging Well.”
September
Tree Protection
In line with the city’s love of its canopy, the City Commission unanimously votes to increase fines for anyone who defaces or removes trees. Fees will range anywhere from $1,000 to $15,000, with a fee of $2,500 for every 500 square feet of canopy removed. Read more.
No To Moving The Elections
After much debate, the city decides not to move its elections from April to November to coincide with those of national elections. Those against the move felt that local elections would get lost in the national noise. Those in favor said it would improve democracy by increasing voter turnout from 20 percent to 80 percent. Read more about the city’s Elections Brouhaha.
The Underline Breaks Ground
The long-anticipated Underline project finally breaks ground. The city will contribute $7 million toward the creation of parks, sports, and entertainment venues under a program instituted by Mayor Vince Lago to levy funds from developers within 1,000 feet of the Metrorail.
A Monument Saved
The city decides to spend $250,000 to restore Alhambra Water Tower. The crumbling lighthouse-inspired building was designed by Denman Fink and originally constructed in 1923.
A Big Dog Park
The city opens its first permanent dog run for large canines at Salvador Park, the result of several years of work by Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, herself the owner of two rescued greyhounds. Dog lovers throughout the city celebrate. Read more on our Dog Talk of the Town.
October
A Split On Annexation
The city decides to abandon its quest to annex the High Pines/Ponce Davis area after residents fail to return sufficient petitions in favor but decides to continue with its efforts to annex Little Gables, after citizens there provide enough petitions in favor of annexation. Read more.
Parks For Heights
The city votes in favor of allowing new buildings in the Design & Innovation District to increase their heights to 137.5 feet if they provide park space on the street level, as a way to retain green space in dense areas.
Banned Books Protest
Hundreds of Gables residents join a march from the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ to the Books & Books store on Aragon Avenue to protest the banning of books in public school libraries permitted by a new Florida law. Read more in Talk of the Town.
Civility Please
After increasingly acrimonious city commission meetings, commissioners vote to adopt a Civility Code for members of the commission and city staff at all public meetings and in all public interactions and communications. Read more.
November
Recycling Day Recycled
The city’s annual recycling day at City Hall returns, with citizens permitted to discard electronics, hazardous waste, and “gently used” clothing. This year’s event collected a record 9,091 pounds of electronic waste and 1,300 pounds of used clothing. Learn about the local community activist that spearheaded the creation of the drive-thru recycling events.
The End of a Historic Property
Demolition of a famous and historically significant residence designed by Alfred Parker Browning takes place in Gables Estate, under a new Florida law that prevents cities from protecting historic structures if they are in a flood zone.
Let There Be Light
The 20th annual tree lighting ceremony takes place in the Shops at Merrick Park, with the arrival of Santa on a Coral Gables Fire Department truck, with a little help from the mayor, the Miami Royal Ballet, and singers from Coral Gables Senior High School.
UM’s New Music Center
The University of Miami inaugurates its new Knight Center for Music Innovation, a $36.5 million, 25,000-square-foot cutting-edge performance and technology innovation hub. The new building will feature a 200-seat performance theater with superior acoustics, and a versatile innovation space equipped with advanced recording, lighting, and broadcast technology. Read more in Talk of the Town.
December
The Mayor’s Ball Is Back
On Dec. 9, the second anniversary of the Mayor’s Ball takes place at the Loews Hotel, raising an estimated $150,000 to support the League Against Cancer charity and the Coral Gables Community Foundation.
The Annual Parade
The Junior Orange Bowl Parade returns for its third live appearance since the pandemic shut it down, with marching bands and floats attracting thousands along Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Miracle Mile. Check out our parade recap reel on Instagram.