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General Manager Ozzie Dominguez leading dynamic
Dadeland Mall through period of community growth
As more and more residential and commercial developments
fill the skyline in the Kendall area of southwest Miami-Dade, a
43-year-old shopping center is becoming the focal point of the new
downtown there. It is Dadeland Mall, one of the 245 retail properties
around the world owned or managed by Simon Property Group of
Indianapolis.
Heading the newly renovated mall's operations as general manager since
June 2003 has been Cuba native Osvaldo "Ozzie" Dominguez, the first
Hispanic to hold that position.
Mr. Dominguez detailed the mall's role in serving the growing local
community and visitors from overseas, totaling more than 15 million
shoppers a year, in an interview with Miami Today international editor
Michael Hayes.
Miami-Dade luxury new condominium home community in Kendall Florida by
Lennar-LDI/Garco Investment.
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Mission Bell Park
on Kendall. Mission Bell Park is the newest project by the
Codina Group. Mission Bell, located just West of
Baptist Hospital, its one of the most exclusive communities within the
Dadeland area.
The nationally recognized Canyon-Johnson Urban
Fund (CJUF) will be joining Gulfside Development's Stefan Johansson and
Jackson Ward in funding "Downtown Dadeland." Canyon-Johnson joins
Downtown Dadeland's chief construction lender, General Motors Commercial
Mortgage Corporation (GMAC). "We are very proud to be a part of the team
that is developing this landmark project in South Florida," said Marc
Yavinsky with GMAC. "It is exciting for us to have two nationally
recognized, and highly respected organizations involved with this
project," adds Mr. Ward. "We all share a vision for how urban
re-development is transforming many metropolitan areas throughout the
U.S." "Downtown Dadeland will set a new standard for 'smart growth' in
Miami-Dade, given its unique design and urban qualities," notes Mr.
Johansson. "We have looked at numerous opportunities in Florida over the
years" says Bobby Turner, co-managing partner of the Canyon-Johnson
Fund. "We are pleased to be involved with what we see as a jewel of a
project in South Florida".
Salient Points For Downtown Dadeland Demand
of project and area The 7.5 acre site is situated in what we call "the
golden triangle" because it is bordered by North Kendall Drive on the
north, the Palmetto Expressway to the west and U.S. 1 on the southeast
forming the hypotenuse. In addition, Dadeland Blvd. acts as a conduit
for much of the local office and Publix shopping traffic. This allows
for easy access to downtown Miami (10 miles), Miami International
Airport (20 minutes), and the affluent municipalities of Coral Gables,
South Miami and Pinecrest. It is also adjacent to the southernmost hub
of the increasingly popular Metro Rail transportation system. It is
within easy walking distance from major hotels, supermarkets,
specialized shopping and a host of new high rise office buildings
housing upwards of 16,000 daytime workers.
Downtown Kendall
Condos
-by Chamber South
The plan for Downtown Kendall was instigated by the
local chamber of commerce, property owners, and neighbors. In a public
in summer 1998, Dadeland Mall area business leaders and
citizens gathered together to chart a course for evolving the thriving
suburban mall and surrounding sprawl into a metropolitan center that
better leverages its unique place in the regional transportation system.
The Master Plan and Overlay Code for "Downtown Kendall" resulted from a
June 1998 study dealing with an emerging "edge city" urban center in
Miami-Dade County. The study area lies at the convergence of several
regional transit corridors (including two Metrorail stations) and the
intersections of four heavily-traveled arterial roadways that crisscross
an intense mixture of retailing, offices, hotels, and residential
neighborhoods. The study area also includes the famous Dadeland Mall.
While the area has experienced remarkably fast growth, the development
is extremely fragmented; poor pedestrian accessibility and visual blight
dominate this auto-oriented situation. Dover-Kohl and DPZ collaborated
to produce the plan and a graphic Code, under the direction of a
steering committee created by Chamber South, Miami-Dade County
government, and citizen organizations.
One of the county's first
malls, Dadeland features more than 175 specialty shops, anchored by four
large department stores: Burdines, JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, and Saks
Fifth Avenue. Sixteen restaurants serve from the adjacent Treats Food
Court. New retail stores are constantly springing up around this
centerpiece of South Miami suburbia. If you're not in the area, however,
the mall is not worth the trek. Additionally, many non-Spanish-speaking
people are put off by Dadeland because of the predominance of
Spanish-speaking store employees.
Downtown Kendall: The Renaissance Is Here
The Miami Herald November 24, 2002:
“The area around Dadeland Mall has become a magnet for
condo dwellers…These new high rises, close to shopping and transit, will
forever change the character of suburbia."
Downtown Kendall?
"That's right: a downtown Kendall. The phrase itself turns heads. The
suburban community of Kendall in south Miami-Dade Country has many of
the ingredients of the modern metropolis, but lacks a proud,
recognizable center. That is about to change. The area around Dadeland
Mall and Datran Center is ready to mature into a proper town center. It
is slated for a new generation of growth and change…it will emerge as a
cosmopolitan, urbane district and a lasting economic powerhouse. The
challenge is to grow in an orderly pattern that benefits everyone. The
area has long been poised for high intensity development. Since it
opened in the 1960's, Dadeland has gradually become a regional
destination and an international sensation…Expressways have provided
even greater access to the area. Miami-Dade Transit Authority focused
the Metrorail system at Dadeland because of the area's growing regional
importance. The Datran Center with its mix of office and hotel functions
is a result of public policies channeling growth to specific activity
centers.
The heart of Kendall.
A town center is the physical place where many basic needs of citizens
are intensely and tightly focused: shopping, trading, working,
governance, the arts and entertainment, and dwelling are all found
there. But it is also a symbol of the community, a reflection of its
values and aspirations. It can capture the city's imagination and
project an image of its bright future. If well designed it is a place
where fond memories form and the bonds of civil society are forged.
Back to the future.
In our generation the traditional town center form has been rediscovered
as smart for business. Unlike the sprawling " nonplace" developments
that were the norm a couple of decades ago, today's best town centers
display a great emphasis on the quality of the physical environment. In
response a rush to retool suburban " edge cities" into friendlier places
is underway all over the nation. Competition is the driving force: the
real estate industry is responding to lucrative "lifestyle" market
positions, leveraging the physical environments, to hold the best
tenants and customers. Local governments, too, are under constant
pressure from citizens to improve both efficiency and quality of life.
That's why the physical features of engaging downtown
neighborhoods, common in historic towns, are being re-introduced today.
These include Main Streets with wide sidewalks, elegant squares, a rich
mix of urban architecture, and tree-lined streets. Building these
features today takes a concerted effort by local government and
developers.
Given its crossroads location and its vacant parcels,
Downtown Kendall is well suited to lead Miami-Dade County in the forming
of a new urban center vital to the region's continuing growth and
prosperity."
"The vision of the Downtown
Kendall project is to create a thriving center of activity in Kendall
with a consistent and appealing urban identity. This community will
include a strong shopping presence as well as residential projects,
hotel and convention facilities, community activity features and green
space in a pedestrian-friendly environment. There should be a
comprehensive community-based plan for this which calls for an intense
use of space that serves as a model of urban infill development."
- Mission Statement adapted by the Kendall Council of
Chamber SOUTH
For more news about Dadeland Condos please click on the
articles below:
First ‘Downtown Kendall’ buildings rising skyward
GlobeSt.com UPDATE: Twin
Metropolis Towers Sold Out
By Marita Thomas
Last updated: December 20, 2004 08:14am
DADELAND, FL-Metropolis at Dadeland, a 25-story, twin-tower residential
condo complex under development by Miami-based Terra ADI International
Developments, is sold out, according to Lorraine Navarro, sales manager.
Tower I is ready for occupancy and ground is currently being broken on
its twin.
A deck on the eighth floor will connect the buildings, which together
contain 568 units. They include 675-sf studios, lofts with 13-foot
ceilings, one- and two-bedroom apartments with dens and 1,445-sf
penthouses. Condo prices range from the $150,000s to the $400,000s, and
Navarro says sales volume totaled $25 million. Tower II is scheduled for
completion next spring.
The Metropolis towers, the tallest buildings Downtown, are located on
approximately two acres at 9101 South Dadeland Blvd. within steps of
Dadeland Mall, a Publix supermarket and Metrorail. On completion,
Metropolis will contain such amenities as an outdoor pool, fitness
center, and a private clubhouse with a bar, kitchen and lounge. Services
include 24-hour valet, security and concierge.
The architect of the Art Moderne structures is Coral Gables-based
Nichols Brosch & Sandoval Associates. Pedro Martin founded Terra in
2001, and Nautica, a six-story, 33-unit building with a private marina
on the Intercoastal Waterway of Miami’s South Beach, is the company’s
first project. Two more, Quantum on the Bay and 900 Biscayne, are
currently under way.
THE DADELAND Condos SCENE
The Dadeland area is easily accessible by the
Metrorail, just 20 minutes from both downtown Miami and the Miami
International Airport. The Dadeland area is home to hundreds of
specialty shops, well over a hundred restaurants, at least a half-dozen
large grocery chains (including a Publix supermarket next door to
Toscano) and countless other assorted businesses supporting the
continuing influx of local residents. Dadeland Mall alone is home to more
than 185 specialty shops and restaurants, a veritable "who's who" of the
hottest brands on the retail scene today.With the number of new
residential homes in the Dadeland area increasing monthly, it is now one
of the fastest growing urban residential locations in South Florida. Dadeland is located at the intersection of US 1
and Kendall Drive and just minutes from the Palmetto Expressway.
Meet Your New Neighbors:
AMC Theatres
Barnes and Nobles Bed Bath & Beyond Best Buy
Borders
Cargokids Cheesecake Factory Chili's
CompUSA
Container Store Gameworks
JC Penney
LA Fitness Limited/Express Linens 'N Things Macy's
Michael's
Nike Town
Nordstrom
Pier 1 Imports
Publix
Romano's Macaroni Grill Saks Fifth Avenue Sports Authority Target
Virgin Megastore
Large Texas developer plans to hold onto Dadeland
condos project
By Marilyn Bowden
One of the nation's largest residential developers is building a condo
community in the bustling Dadeland Mall area.
Fairfield Development, headquartered in Texas, has 35 years of
development experience nationwide, but
Vice President Omar Del Rio said the company's focus in the Miami area
has been to sell projects under construction or rehabilitation, often to
condo converters.
Toscano, the company's Dadeland project, represents a departure from
that strategy. Mr. Del Rio said it's the first South Florida development
Fairfield will retain through completion.
"Fairfield loves markets with high barriers to entry such as Southern
California, the District of Columbia and Boston," Mr. Del Rio said.
"These are markets where it's tougher and more expensive to build and
where it takes more time to get a project entitled. This is where we
have our expertise."
Although Fairfield has been a major apartment developer, he said, "due
to years of low interest rates, the rental market throughout the country
lost a good deal of clientele, especially on the high end. Everyone is
buying, and with construction costs going through the roof, it's tough
to make a rental work."
Fairfield announced that sales have begun for Toscano, a 25-story,
396-unit community with ground-level retail that is under construction
at 7360 N. Kendall Dr., across the street from Dadeland Mall in one
direction and Publix in another.
The first phase will be completed early next summer, said Mr. Del Rio.
Ron Shuffield, president of Esslinger Wooten Maxwell Realtors, which is
marketing the condos, said 66 were sold in the first weekend on the
market. He said he anticipates a 50% sellout by the end of this month.
"We are dealing with a lot more users than most projects through the
contacts our salespeople have," he said. "Since the first phase of the
project is visibly under way and will be ready in a year, it's not like
buying during presales."
He said units range from 687 to 2,499 square feet and are priced from
the low $200,000s. Buyers tend to be younger people or empty-nesters, he
said, who want to be near rapid transit and be able to walk to
conveniences. The sales center is in Dadeland Mall next to Saks Fifth
Avenue.
Mr. Shuffield said the Multiple Listing Service shows an inventory of
only 60 existing condos for resale in the 11 square miles between
Kendall Drive, US 1, 136th Street and Florida's Turnpike. "We're selling
about 25 a month," he said, "so that's less than a three-month level of
inventory. It shows there's a real shortage of condo units in this
area."
The county's zoning department lists more than 3,000 condos planned for
the Dadeland area, but Mr. Shuffield said fewer than 1,000 are under
construction. "The buildout will be staggered," he said.
Toscano, designed by Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolf & Associates, will
consist of two main buildings with differing unit styles, Mr. Del Rio
said. The first phase, a five-story building fronting Kendall Drive,
will feature ground-floor retail topped by four levels of residential
units built around a courtyard. The second residential tower will be 25
stories high.
Because the county has mandated concealed parking facilities for
construction near Dadeland, Mr. Del Rio said, residential units will
wrap around the garage. A tri-level bridge connecting the two buildings
to facilitate access to parking will house a gymnasium, he said.
Amenities include a 25,000-square-foot recreational deck with heated
swimming pool and whirlpool spa, a fitness center with cardio and
free-weight equipment, an exercise studio, sauna rooms and a meditation
garden.
Among residential projects planned or under way in Dadeland are
the335-unit Towers of Dadeland at Dadeland North Metrorail station;
Downtown Dadeland Condos, 416 units at Southwest 88th Street and Dadeland
Boulevard; the Colonnade, 555 units at Southwest 82nd Street and
Southwest 72nd Avenue; and Renaissance at Dadeland, 245 units at 8100 SW
72nd Ave. Developer plans condo towers at
Dadeland Marriott site
By Sherri C. Ranta
Miami's Terra International Development has plans to buy 2 acres across
from the Dadeland Marriott Hotel for a 400,000-square-foot condominium.
Terra is to buy the site from MDM Hotel Group, owners of the Marriott,
9090 S Dadeland Blvd., within a few months, said Pedro A. Martin,
project principal and an attorney with Greenberg Traurig law firm. MDM
plans to begin building by early 2003 after meeting a 50% target of
pre-sales.
The MDM group also plans a Courtyard Marriott next to the site Terra
wants to buy, Mr. Martin said.
Preliminary plans for Terra call for two towers of about 400 units at
180,000-200,000 square feet each and ground-floor retail. Condo units
could cost from $350,000 to $400,000, officials said.
East Kendall is ripe for development. In November, Gulfside Development
announced plans for Downtown Dadeland, a 7-building project with more
than 300 condos and 150,000 square feet of retail and offices. Green
Construction Co. plans to build 218 apartments next to the Dadeland
North Metrorail Station.
Even though rentals in Kendall do very well, Mr. Martin said, he is
banking on turning them into unit owners. "Because of the way the
economy is and the lower interest rates, we believe people want to own
their own place."
Developers say West Kendall residents are looking to move east and the
project is also near US Highway 1, Metrorail stations, the Palmetto
Expressway and Kendall Drive.
"The county did a good job on the Kendall downtown master plan. Once it
is built-out, it will attract a lot of people," Mr. Martin said.
Terra International, a group of Miami and South American investors, is
also developer of the Nautilus luxury condominium under construction on
Miami Beach.
January 14, 2004
Fund plans 'Magic' in Downtown Dadeland
An urban-oriented real estate fund run in part by former NBA star Earvin
"Magic" Johnson said it will take an equity position in Downtown
Dadeland, the mixed-use project under construction across from Dadeland
Mall in Miami.
The fund, the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund, is a joint
venture between California-based Canyon Capital Realty Advisors and
Johnson's Johnson Development Corp. The group's local partner is
Miami-based Gulfside Development. Neither company gave financial
information as to their agreement. Unlike the fund's usual,
urban-repositioning projects, Downtown Dadeland Condos is on the site of
a former Cadillac dealership and is being built to become a downtown,
not a remodeled one. The project is to include 416 condominium
residences and 125,000 square feet of retail space in seven clustered,
low-rise buildings. Backers said the project is more than 80 percent
sold, with condos ranging in price from the mid-$100,000's to the low
$500,000's, including studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. "We at
Gulfside Development are extremely proud of our agreement with
Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund," said Jackson Ward and Stefan Johansson,
Gulfside co-principals. "We share in their vision of furthering the
development of urban markets and look forward to working with them in
urban redevelopment projects throughout other markets with which
Gulfside Development is involved." Bobby Turner, co-managing partner of
the Canyon-Johnson Fund, said Downtown Dadeland meets Canyon-Johnson's
goal to provide equity capital for urban redevelopment."We looked at
numerous opportunities throughout the state and are extremely confident
that Gulfside Development is the appropriate partner, and Downtown
Dadeland the appropriate project through which we will enter the Florida
market," Turner said. If you want to know
about Pinecrest, talk to its people. And what better place to find
Pinecrest residents and aficionados than with the new home consultants
for Colonnade. The Lennar community of Colonnade epitomizes urban living
and its sales staff personifies its demographic makeup. "The best way to
sell a property, we find, is to believe in our product," said Jack Paget,
director of sales for Colonnade four-tower condominium where the first
two towers are now 85 percent sold." Our sales staff is comprised of
people who have close ties to this neighborhood and who love what
Colonnade represents. They offer buyers an inside glimpse at life as it
would be for future residents." For one, Carolyn Ede is a lifelong
resident of Pinecrest and, partly by virtue of her children, is quite
active in the community. She is often networking, whether it's with the
local schools, sports association or YMCA, earning her remarkable
insight into the community's happenings. In fact, she went back to
working in real estate after being a stay-at-home mom precisely because
she loves her community so much. "Once buyers learn how rich and
dynamic Pinecrest is, their purchase decision is an easy one," she said.
Hilda Mendez Jacobson was born in Cuba and is now an integral part of
the real estate market in the Pinecrest area. A significant part of her
family lives in Pinecrest, so she deems herself knowledgeable in terms
of neighborhood hot spots. "I am certain downtown Kendall will become
the next Coral Gables," she said. "Actually, it will likely surpass what
it offers." As far as the community, she adds that Colonnade is a
paradigm for Lennar's family-friendly developments. "Colonnade will
allow people to raise their families in a safe setting, while being
surrounded by the best a thriving downtown has to offer," she said. Lisa
Silva believes so strongly in Colonnade that she sold a residence to
her mother-in-law. "I felt that this community is centrally located in
an area she is familiar with, an area where you can walk to the doctor,
restaurants, cafes and salons." said Silva, who grew up in a commercial
real estate business, but has focused her career over the past decade on
Miami's residential real estate market. Perhaps the best person to tout
the advantages of a neighborhood like Pinecrest is Jack Paget. He .leads
Colonnade's professional team of women working to attract new residents
and relies on his 20-plus years of experience in the field to provide
homebuyers with a comprehensive understanding of what they are buying
when it comes to Lennar. He passes along his passion for downtown
Kendall to those seeking an exciting city life; yet want the safety and
comfort of suburbia. "The master plan for downtown Kendall is absolutely
mind blowing," said Paget. "Miami is emerging as a real international
city and the location of Colonnade is in the heart of the action, as the
area is already experiencing a boom in growth of restaurants, shops,
cafes and professional offices."
By
Marissa Gart Shaq takes
on real estate market
Heat star Shaquille O'Neal has launched a real estate
and development company called The O'Neal Group.
BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN
mhaggman@MiamiHerald.com
Shaquille O'Neal is
taking his game to downtown Miami, but in the real
estate market rather than the hard court. The Miami Heat
star announced Tuesday the formation of The O'Neal
Group, a real estate company, to organize his property
holdings and invest in new projects. His first venture:
investing in a billion-dollar development called Met
Miami that encompasses three blocks in the heart of
downtown. ''People sometimes ask me who is my favorite
athlete. They expect me to say Chamberlain, Russell,
Kareem,'' said O'Neal, ticking off the names of former
basketball greats. ``But I say Dave Bing, because he did
great things after basketball.''
Bing, a prolific
scoring guard now enshrined in basketball's Hall of
Fame, runs a multimillion-dollar steel business in
Detroit and is a civic leader there. O'Neal said he
wants to make a similar mark in Miami and intends to
keep a home here after his basketball career. However,
O'Neal said his primary residence will remain in
Orlando, which he has called home since launching his
professional basketball career with the Orlando Magic.
FINANCE SILENCE
Neither The O'Neal
Group Vice President Christopher Handy nor Met Miami
developer Luis Pulenta would provide specifics about
financial arrangements. But each said they involved a
significant financial investment by the Heat center.
''This is not a fee arrangement, I am partners with the
gentleman to my right,'' said O'Neal, referring to
Pulenta, who is a principal at Miami-based MDM
Development. The O'Neal Group said it would also assist
in marketing the project. Plans for the Met Miami call
for two condominium towers, an office and Marriott
Marquis hotel, upscale shopping and a movie theater.
Retailers include the grocery store Whole Foods, and
O'Neal plans to bring in his 24-Hour Fitness/Shaq Ultra
Sport workout facility. The project is going on land
that once housed the historic Royal Palm Hotel built by
industrialist Henry Flagler. The condo tower Met One at
Biscayne Boulevard and Biscayne Way is under
construction, and preliminary work is underway for the
other buildings. O'Neal said he has invested in real
estate for more than a decade, including strip malls and
residential rental properties. The company is targeting
mixed-use projects that focus on what Handy called
''integrated living'' and is exploring several other
deals.
MAGIC'S FOOTSTEPS
O'Neal is not the
first NBA star to move into real estate. Earvin
''Magic'' Johnson, the former guard who led the Los
Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships, launched
Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds after his playing career
ended. That fund, with nearly $1 billion in capital, has
focused on urban renewal projects across the country.
Johnson's South Florida investments include the Downtown
Dadeland condo and retail project in Kendall. ''This
lovely thing we do, we can't do forever,'' O'Neal said,
who won his fourth NBA title this year after the Miami
Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks in six games. ``We've
scoured the country to find an appropriate venue through
which we could launch the O'Neal Group and ultimately
decided that the best place to start was in our own
backyard.'' A
tale of two city centers growing up in the suburbs By
ELAINE WALKER ewalker@MiamiHerald.com
When Dadeland Mall
opened in 1962, the area was known as ''Deadland,'' and
Kendall Drive was the road to nowhere. In Plantation,
cows grazed along University Drive when the Broward Mall
debuted in 1978. Back then, Kendall and Plantation were
typical bedroom communities filled with young families
fleeing urban congestion. But today, these first-ring
suburbs are becoming city centers of their own, full of
multi-level retail, offices and residences. ''Mixed-use
is what happens when an area starts to urbanize,'' said
Bob Breslau, president of Stiles Retail, which has such
projects underway in Plantation, Davie and Sunrise.
``It's a mind-set change. Where everybody is used to
seeing single-story buildings, now things are going
vertical.'' Dadeland is leading the way, with a condo
canyon taking shape across from Dadeland Mall, driven by
the arrival of Downtown Dadeland, Toscano,
Metropolis
and Colonnade. It's the fruition of an effort that began
with the adoption of a new Downtown Kendall zoning code
by Miami-Dade County in 1999. But the seeds of the
area's urban retail movement were planted even earlier.
Developer Jeff Berkowitz bucked tradition in 1996 when
he opened Dadeland Station, a five-story shopping center
that stacked traditional big-box tenants in a format
this market had never seen. The project took seven
acres, rather than the 35 acres needed if everything
were on ground level. ''The Dadeland market was
one of the strongest in the country; if it was going to
work anywhere it was going to work there,'' Berkowitz
said. ``We had some innovative retailers who were
willing to experiment with us. It was pioneering then,
but it has been proven now.'' The excitement that exists
in the Dadeland area today is why Allen and Stella Donelan are trading in their South Miami-Dade house
across from MetroZoo, where they have lived since 1995,
for a three-bedroom condominium in Downtown Dadeland.
Allen is tired of having a pool that needs cleaning,
trees that need trimming and a roof that needs fixing.
He also hates the
hourlong commute to his U.S. Post Office job -- he will
cut that by two-thirds. With the Metrorail virtually
next door, the Donelans plan to get rid of their second
car. These active senior citizens like that the
seven-building community features 130,000 square feet of
restaurants and shops like Bombay Furniture, Chili's,
West Elm, Children's Place and Men's Wearhouse facing on
pedestrian-friendly streets. Within walking distance,
there's Dadeland Mall, a Publix and numerous
restaurants. ''The city within a city concept is a great
idea,'' said Allen Donelan, 70, who hopes to move in
before the end of the year. ``It's going to be a nice
change for us. It's going to be a different lifestyle.''
While this project has
taken more than nine years, in some ways it has allowed
the market to catch up with the vision of an urban
village created by developers Stefan Johansson and
Jackson Ward. The original plan called for a retail
entertainment center. ''We've been extremely selective
because you need that mix to create the true urban
experience,'' said Johansson, who says he could have
leased it faster with big-box retailers. ``We've got
neighborhood restaurants, a shoe store, liquor store and
a pizzeria.'' But even today there are urban retailing
challenges. Take Rooms to Go, which is relocating its
store possibly as soon as next week into the ground
floor of Toscano, one of the new condos. The move allows
the furniture chain to more than double the size of its
existing Kendall store. The problem is the logistics.
While the store has dedicated parking spaces under the
building, store manager Rene Perez is worried his
customers won't find them. ''Maybe I'll get a clown
directing traffic for the first couple days,'' Perez
jokes, but he's considering neon signs inside the
storefront window. ``We're going to have to be creative.
This is a city store, and we have a lot to learn.'' |
