2024 Year in Review
It was a pivotal year in many respects, especially with the national elections. Here in the Gables, we had our own ups and downs, also in the political realm. But of course, this being the Gables, the glass is always half full, not half empty. What follows are a few of the more memorable events of 2024 in the City Beautiful.
January
The Mice Have Landed
The New Year begins with the arrival of two gigantic mice in the courtyard of the Plaza Coral Gables. The $2 million cast bronze sculpture, created by American artist Brian Donnelly, was purchased by the Agave Group, developers of the Plaza, as Art in Public Places.
Beaux Arts Festival
For the 73rd time, the Beaux Arts Festival returned to the University of Miami campus. Some 25,000 visitors looked at art for sale by 200 local and national artists. The event, along with the Beaux Arts Ball, has raised $8 million so far to support the Lowe Art Museum.
A Former Mayor’ Royal Order
Raul Valdės-Fauli, mayor of Coral Gables 1993-2001 and 2017-2019, receives the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic, a Spanish order of chivalry granted those who have given Spain extraordinary global service. Among other things, Valdés-Fauli founded the Spanish-U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1980.
La Palma Restoration Completed
The restoration of historic La Palma Hotel is completed by its latest owners, the Maven Real Estate Group. The hotel, which opened in 1924, was designed by H. George Fink, cousin of Coral Gables Founder George Merrick. The landmark was renovated by the Torre Group.
February
Fritz & Franz Prevails
After a public outcry and a petition signed by 5,000 residents, the city backed down on its attempt to evict Fritz & Franz Bierhaus from its location on Merrick Way where it had been located for 25 years. Owner Harald Neuweg agreed to pay a higher rent for a new lease.
Burgerlicious
The annual Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce street-meat festival returns, drawing more than 1,200 people to Alhambra Circle just west of Ponce de Leon Boulevard. A panel of judges voted Fogo de Chāo’s entry Best in Bun. The people’s choice: a PINCHO burger.
Tour of Kitchens
The Community Foundation of Coral Gables’s annual Tour of Kitchens sells 900 tickets to citizens who then toured 10 homes to ogle at their magnificent kitchens. The funds are used to support scholarships for underprivileged students at Coral Gables High School.
City Manager Fired
In a stunning 3-2 vote, Commissioners Ariel Fernandez, Melissa Castro and Kirk Menendez fire long time City Manager Peter Iglesias, who had successfully completed the Public Safety Building and the Miracle Mile/Giralda Plaza street project. Fernandez had vowed to terminate Iglesias when he was elected; Menendez joined the vote despite pleas from dozens of leading citizens, including former Mayor Dorothy Thompson.
New City Manager Hired
Two weeks after the firing of Peter Iglesias, the same three commissioners – Fernandez, Castro and Menendez – voted 3-2 to hire U.S. Marshal Amos Rojas, Jr., with no prior vetting or search procedure. Rojas was retired at the time, and had no experience in running any municipal government, no experience in engineering, and no financial experience. Nominated by Fernandez, Castro and Menendez met Rojas only minutes before the vote.
March
Public Parks Renamed
To honor community leaders, the city renames a series of parks. William A Cooper Park becomes William and Leona Cooper Park, Sunrise Harbor Park becomes The James and Sallye Jude Park, and Trizian Pakr becomes Staff Sgt. Carl Enis Veterans Memorial Park. A new park at Toledo St. and Alava Ave. becomes Mayor Dorothy H. Thomson Park.
The Girl Scouts Hammock is dedicated
Thanks to a combined $90,000 in cash and $60,000 in donated services, the original hardwood hammock of the entrance to Camp Hahachee is restored with native plantings and dedicated. The camp has been home for the Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida since 1948.
Ken Griffith Digs Deep
Billionaire Ken Griffin, who moved his Citadel corporation from Chicago to Miami last year, continues his local philanthropy with a “transformational gift” of $50 million to the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. This follows $50 million donated to Gables-based Baptist Health.
Firehouse 4 Breaks Ground
After a nearly decade-long effort to build a new firehouse to provide quicker response times to the southern half of Coral Gables, construction begins on Fire House 4, located next to the Riviera Presbyterian Church on Sunset Drive.
April
Audit Fails to Find Any Wrongdoing
An audit requested by Commissioner Ariel Fernandez to prove that city employees were spending money on personal items discovered no misuse of city funds. Fernandez refuses to accept the findings, asks City Manager Amos Rojas, Jr. to curb employee spending on things like coffee.
The Recall Fails
An effort to recall Mayor Vince Lago, launched by activist Maria Cruz, fails to gather enough legitimate signatures from registered voters to move forward. The “End the Corruption” campaign is then investigated for breaking state laws in the use of paid vote collectors.
The Apple Lands
Tech giant Apple catches the Gables bug, announcing its lease of 42,000 square feet in The Plaza Coral Gables. It is the biggest office lease of the year in Miami-Dade County, and follows similar corporate moves to the Gables by Ryder Systems and FIFA.
FPL Begins the Re-Grid
In a deal negotiated by Mayor Vince Lago, Florida Power & Light begins a $240 million project (paid by them) to underground about 40 percent of power lines in the city, thereby rendering them safe from disruption by hurricanes and other severe storms.
May
Scavenger Hunt
Coral Gables Magazine resumes its annual Scavenger Hunt, attracting more than 350 citizens who happily spend a Saturday afternoon to solve the clues and re-assemble at the Loew’s Hotel to see who got them right – and receive their prizes!
The Eyes Have It
The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute on Ponce de Leon Boulevard scores big in the ophthalmology world by earning recognition that 15 of its physicians are ranked among the top 100 most influential people shaping the future of eye care.
Historic Restoration
The city agrees to sell the development rights of the Coral Gables Museum and to use the $500,000 windfall to repair walls, replace flooring, renovate bathrooms and kitchen, and purchase an emergency generator for the historic building. It also creates an annual $50,000 historic building maintenance fund.
Alcohol Sales on Sunday
The City Commission votes to rescind the antiquated laws that limited the sale of alcohol on Sundays. Henceforth, vendors and retailers are permitted to sell alcohol from 7 am to 1 am, like other days in the week.
June
Community Foundation Grants 230k
The Coral Gables Community Foundation awards a record $230,000 to 51 cultural groups that contribute to the quality of life in Coral Gables (the Art Cinema, Actor’s Playhouse, etc.) New this year were awards to 11 artists from the Corral & Cathers Professional Artist Fund.
Jeannett is Honored
The city names the thoroughfare where the Gables Family Literacy Festival is held (located parallel to University Drive within the Youth Center) in honor of former Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick, to recognize her dedication to literacy for all. Slesnick passed away last year.
Castro Cited for Ethics Violations
After a year-long investigation, the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust reprimands City Commissioner Melisa Castro for using her public office to push through permits handled by her company M.E.D. Expeditors.
UM President Leaves
After nine years as president of the University of Miami, Julio Frenk steps down to be become the next chancellor of UCLA. Frenk, the first Hispanic president of UM and the former minister of health of Mexico. Under Frenk, UM became a major research university.
July
Votes Against the Inspector General
Despite allegations of corruption by City Commissioners Ariel Fernandez, Melissa Castro and Kirk Menendez, the three vote 3-2 against a proposal by Mayor Vince Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson to ask voters whether the city should hire an Inspector General to confirm – or refute – the allegations
Freebee Grows Wings
Coral Gables’s Freebee free-ride program drops its old golf-cart like vehicles and replaces them with gull-wing Tesla Model X’s. One big advantage: they are entirely enclosed and air conditioned. Hours are also extended to midnight on weekends and 9 pm on weekdays.
Sergio Pino Kills Himself
National headlines are made when Gables developer Sergio Pino kills himself in his Cocoplum mansion, just as FBI agents are set to arrest him for hiring killers to murder his wife Tatiana. Pino had been engaged in a bitter divorce fight with her.
Record Grants for Local Arts
The city increases its annual grants for local arts groups from $191,228 to $223,335, helping some 45 applicants. Cultural arts programs and events in the Gables have an economic impact estimated at more than $27 million each year.
August
Residents Vote Against Annexation
In a non-binding “straw” vote, the residents of Coral Gables – at least those who voted – made it clear they do not want the city to annex “Little Gables,” a residential enclave of Miami-Dade County surrounded by Coral Gables on three sides and by the City of Miami on the fourth.
Troika Votes Against Reducing Taxes
One bonus form rising property values is an increase in tax revenues, estimated at $10 million. But that means higher taxes to homeowners. To mitigate this impact Mayor Lago and Vice Mayor Anderson suggested lower the property tax rate by 2 percent. Commissioners Fernandez, Castro and Menendez vote 3-2 to not lower taxes, saying the real motivation for the tax cut was to protect businesses.
September
City Holiday on Patriot Day
The City Commission votes 5-0 to designate Patriot Day (Sept. 11) as an official city holiday and urges the U.S. Congress to recognize the day as a federal holiday.
Cernuda’s Surrealism Show
The art show of the year is put on by Ramon Cernuda, whose art galleries (of principally Cuban art) have now expanded to three buildings south of Plaza Coral Gables on Ponce de Leon Blvd. His Surrealism show, open to the public, turns Cernuda’s Galleries into a defacto art museum.
Clock Time
In commemoration of the city’s 100th Anniversary, Swiss luxury watch maker E.P.Journe donates a $100,000 clock, installed on Miracle Mile in front of Hillstone restaurant. Mayor Vince Lago, an avid watch collector himself, unveils the donation on behalf of the city.
Trees to Shade Gables High
Some 60 volunteers help plants scores of gumbo limbo and mahogany saplings around Coral Gables High School, one of the few areas of the city not covered with a tree canopy. Volunteers included CGHS students, and members of the Coral Gables Garden Club, Cub Scout Troop Seven, and the Coral Gables Rotary Club, along with city firefighters and police officers.
October
Poop Dumpers Beware
The city decides to crack down on dog owners who dump their dog’s waste into neighbor’s trash pits. New code enforcers will first warn, then fine $100, then fine $500.
High Hopes
For the first time in decades the University of Miami Hurricanes football team bursts forward with an undefeated team, going 9-0 and reaching No. 4 in the national rankings. Hope remain high until November when it loses its shot at the national tile by falling to Duke.
Centennial Commission
As Coral Gables gets ready to celebrate its 100th year anniversary, the Frost Symphony Orchestra performs the first of six new works by American composer Dorothy Hindman, commissioned by the University of Miami to celebrate the city’s founding. Hindman’s works have seen 400 performances in 35 states and 21 countries.
November
Venetian Pool Closed For Repairs
The beloved Venetian Pool is closed for renovations until May of 2025. Among the repairs will be $96,477 spent to make emergency structural repairs to the East Tower.
Rita Takes Over Burger Bob’s
Burger Bob’s, the old-fashioned diner on the Granada Golf Course that served low-cost American food for decades, re-opens as Birdie’s Bistro. It had been closed since the start of 2022, and will now be operated by Rita Tennyson, the chef at Bob’s for 26 years.
The Garden Club’s Centennial Tour
The Coral Gables Garden Club, which was started the same year as the city was founded (1926), celebrates their centennial with a tour of private gardens, with the public invited to smell the roses. And gardenias, lavender, jasmine, gloxinia, etc.
December
Let The Celebrations Begin
The city begins a year-long celebration of its centennial (founded in 1926 by George Merrick) with the ceremonial lighting of the Holiday Tree at City Hall.
The Annual Parade
The Junior Orange Bowl Parade returns for its fourth live appearance since the Pandemic shut it down, with marching bands and floats attracting thousands along Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Miracle Mile.
Return of the Mayor’s Ball
The third anniversary of the Mayor’s Ball takes place at the Loew’s Hotel, raising an estimated $150,000 to support the League Against Cancer charity and the Coral Gables Community Foundation.