Writer: Jerrica DuBois
3 min read October 2023 — Greater collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors as Miami-Dade looks towards future growth was a focal point during the final panel discussion at the Invest: Miami 2022-2023 leadership summit.
Mayor Howard Weinberg of the city of Aventura served as the moderator for the panel, titled ‘Innovation & Sustainability: Understanding what will be the keys for sustained economic success in an uncertain future.’ Jonathan Hage, founder, president and CEO of Charter Schools USA, Daniel Salas, vice president and general counsel for SoLé Mia and Reinaldo Borges, principal and CEO of Borges & Associates served as panelists, providing their insights on the defining characteristics of South Florida that will foster and sustain growth.
“Our partnership with the city of Aventura represents the type of innovation we are talking about today,” said Hage when asked about the importance of innovation in economic development strategies. “The first charter school in the state was in Liberty City. The concept was to create an environment where public education was run more like a private school, but available to all families, no matter their zip code. To change society to create more innovation and long term prosperity, you have to invest in education. It’s not just an investment in money, it’s an investment in what works. Florida was 46th in the country on the National Needs Assessments when I started Charter Schools USA 25 years ago. Today the state is 4th. We also have the No. 1 ranked public university in the country with the University of Florida. That’s a testament to having creative nonprofit, private and public partnerships that have elevated the quality of life, especially here in Miami-Dade.”
The panel then went on to discuss what it is that makes South Florida unique and an attractive landing spot for relocations. According to Miami Realtors, 39,170 people moved to Miami-Dade County in 2022. That surpassed the 38,203 residents that moved out of the county during the period, leaving Miami-Dade with a net population increase. However, while the weather, beaches and quality of life are attractive to newcomers, the county and its residents continue to face challenges.
“People are attracted to a beautiful place with a great environment,” said Borges. “Miami will continue to be that focus, and now we’re attracting technology companies. The greatest concern is the rise in densification. We are a community that thrives on densification and reinvention of itself in the real estate sector. We have two drivers, which is tourism and development. We will continue to attract and have people join us in this community. The concerns with schooling, transportation, and affordability are major challenges, and that requires collaboration. Political leadership has to be on board, and we need to support that leadership.”
The panel then moved into more pointed discussions, with Hage discussing creative partnerships for education and Borges sharing his thoughts on sustainable design and the future of residential development. Salas also took the opportunity to share what makes SoLé Mia a good model for mixed-use development and the importance of being forward thinking in giving residents what they want.
“When we started development, we knew we needed a good school nearby and access to good healthcare,” said Salas. “That’s what residents are looking for. With master planning, the biggest thing you can plan for is flexibility. Five years ago, no one could have predicted Covid, that residents would want to work from home and want workspaces in their buildings. No one knew we would need so much open space, and the need for trails and walkways and active paths throughout the community. We’re making sure we have space for all of that. We have to make sure we are flexible and can adapt with what our residents want and need. That’s the master plan for us.”
As the panel began to wind down, the conversation turned to the future of Miami-Dade County. Borges stressed the importance of planning better because the region is going to continue to grow. Salas then added that we have to stay affordable in order to remain on that growth trajectory. The final thought came from Hage, who put the focus on human capital as the key to the future of the region.
“Our future is our students, and you can tell the health and future of a community by how you treat them,” Hage stated. “If the young people don’t feel welcome and can’t afford to be here, we will end up with the same problems as places like Manhattan, San Francisco and Chicago. Or, we can do what we’re doing here today. The solutions take place on a micro level. The community is the time and effort we give to it.”
For more information, visit:
https://www.charterschoolsusa.com/
https://www.solemiarentals.com/
https://www.borgesarchitects.com/
