Interview with Stephen Bittel, Founder of Terranova Corporation
BILLION SUCCESS — APRIL 13, 2021 Stephen Bittel has worked in the commercial real estate sector for over 40 years. He is founder and chairman of Terranova Corporation, one of the top firms in South Florida that has served as the exclusive agent for more than $5 billion worth of commercial projects and represented notable clients such as Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and New York Life. Bittel was born and raised in Miami and attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine for his undergraduate degree. After graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics he spent a year studying abroad under the Watson Foundation and then returned to Miami where he began to attend law school at the University of Miami.
Bittel started Terranova Corporation while still attending law school, working out of his home office to grow the company from the ground up. Although he eventually did complete law school and pass the bar exam he kept his burgeoning company as his top priority. Starting with the operation of a commercial property for a local partnership, Terranova soon grew to a property base of over 8 million square feet and worked on over 100 different open air shopping centers, in addition to numerous office buildings, industrial parks, multi-family and self storage assets.
The company has grown and remained relevant by maintaining an agile strategy, shifting its focus to urban retail center in areas that were part of a walkable downtown core when the markets indicated a change in living scenarios. With properties in popular areas such as Miracle Mile in Coral Gables and Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, since the coronavirus pandemic Bittel and Terranova Corporation have been working to reinvigorate the retail areas, while remaining vigilant to new opportunities that may present themselves.
