The Coral Gables Business Improvement District, a volunteer group working to enhance property and community value in Coral Gables, has benefitted greatly from the leadership of Mindy McIlroy, who served as President in 2015 and 2016, and Ari Bittel, who is a current board member and member of the retail and marketing committees. Their efforts are widely credited for supporting the advancement of commercial vitality in the city’s vibrant core. Their work has included supporting the ongoing recruitment of quality businesses, including strong restaurant and retail concepts, as well as forging unique partnerships with artists and key community groups, supporting community art installations and beautification projects, and providing general marketing and advocacy support for the city’s property owners and businesses.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
/in Giving BackStephen Bittel is a longtime advocate and board member of the 83-acre botanic garden with extensive collections of rare tropical plants. His work includes spearheading and funding the planting of 1,000 orchids within the trees along Miami Beach’s iconic Lincoln Road, which has served to beautify the area and engage the community in celebration of a key asset: native Florida plants. The orchids, which more than a century ago blanketed oak and mahogany trees throughout South Florida, were attached to existing trees along Lincoln Road as part of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s “The Million Orchid Project.”
Studios on the Mile
/in Giving BackIn partnership with the Coral Gables Business Improvement District, Terranova launched Studios on the Mile in 2020. Encompassing six different spaces for a total of 8,655 SF on the 200 block of Miracle Mile, the initiative enabled a variety of artists to convert the spaces to working studios and galleries. From highly regarded contemporary painter and sculptor, Carlos Luna, to high school graduates awarded the Isaiah Fund Scholarship, the artist studios and galleries have provided unique opportunities for the community to come together in celebration of its growing art scene.
Coral Gables Business Improvement District (BID)
/in Giving BackThe Coral Gables Business Improvement District, a volunteer group working to enhance property and community value in Coral Gables, has benefitted greatly from the leadership of Mindy McIlroy, who served as President in 2015 and 2016, and Ari Bittel, who is a current board member and member of the retail and marketing committees. Their efforts are widely credited for supporting the advancement of commercial vitality in the city’s vibrant core. Their work has included supporting the ongoing recruitment of quality businesses, including strong restaurant and retail concepts, as well as forging unique partnerships with artists and key community groups, supporting community art installations and beautification projects, and providing general marketing and advocacy support for the city’s property owners and businesses.