People Behind the Scenes: Miami’s Top Innovators

Haute Living Talks to Miami’s five innovators that are helping sell units for the developers. These are the people behind the scenes that make it all happen

Photography By Reynaldo Ales

Kashia Orlando
CMC Group
“Superwoman”

Working for famed developer Ugo Columbo’s CMC Group in Brickell, Kashia Orlando has learned the ropes of the real estate world from the very best. CMC Group is known for their ability to take older buildings and replace them with money-earning luxury condos on the prestigious Miami waterfronts. Here Kashia dishes about sales, Art Basel and how the little things make all the difference.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
KO Truthfully, Ugo hired me right out of college. I graduated with a degree in psychology and health science and never intended to be in the “business world”. Nevertheless, from the day I started my job at CMC as the assistant to the assistant of the director of marketing – I loved it and have never looked back.

HL What does your position entail?
KO Branding, marketing collateral, advertising, press, community affairs, events, sales center operations and liaison between sales director and CMC Group.

HL Who is your favorite artist?
KO I just purchased a Raymond Saá. I’ve liked his work for a long time. It is strong, uplifting and organic– all things I tend to like.

HL What has been your favorite use of art in real estate development?
KO Not to be biased, but I love the Julian Snable pieces that Ugo has at 4000 Ponce (his office building connected to The Collection).

HL What has Art Basel’s impact been on the Miami community?
KO Art Basel has moved and inspired this city in such amazing ways, from appreciation in design, style and architecture to growth in the hotel, shopping, dining and high-rise residential industries. Also, the awakening of cultural art shows has been an interesting evolution that I think the city is very proud of. This reflects upon the growth Miami has had on a whole, which is in part influenced by Art Basel.

HL What are you doing to help promote the arts in our community?
KO Supporting the galleries in the city as well as the museums is so important. Also, we are looking forward to hosting some traveling art shows at EPIC Residences and Hotel.

HL Most important role you play for the developer?
KO It’s all about the bottom line: SALES! Everything I do is with the success of sales in my mind as the driving force. I give attention to the flowers in the office, the Champagne we serve, the candles we light, all of which seem so minor, but I strongly believe that “it’s all in the details,” especially when it come down to Ugo’s projects, since his buildings have precise style and the most luxurious finishes on the market. Of course, the obvious all has to be in place, such as the high-tech presentation touch screens we use, a building model with a touch screen control pad and in the gorgeous waterfront sales center with a model kitchen and bathroom. Everyone loves the sales center and ends up staying for hours. It’s really comfortable and homey.

HL Outlook for 2007 Luxury Market?
KO There is always a market for those who want the best, those who tend to be end-users. These are the types Ugo specializes in and gears his vision towards.

[highlight_text] The city has now become the gateway to the art worlds of North America, Latin America and Europe, and a vibrant winter meeting place for art connoisseurs. [/highlight_text]

Senanda Adzem
Bay Rock Group
“The Apprentice”

Senada Adzem hailed from Croatia to help lead Bayrock Group, LLC, an international real estate investment and developing firm that boasts being behind more than $2.5 billion of the most successful new hotel and condominium projects in the US and Europe.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
SA I love the process of creating as it relates to real estate: every step from an innovative marketing strategy to an actual development. What’s also exciting about real estate is the concept of positively impacting people’s lives on both a rudimentary level and a self-expression level: Be it a first or second home, a condo, house or “condotel” – people have a need to own real estate and also to express themselves through unique exterior and interior design.
I have a strong personal interest in seeing positive developments in real estate and urban development. From 1991 to 1996, I witnessed the devastation and mass loss of life in Croatia and Bosnia. At the time, dwelling in the remains of buildings and landmarks seemed self-indulgent, despite the fact that a city like Sarajevo was world-renowned as one of the most architecturally and culturally significant destinations in Europe.
The experience has had a profound impact on me as it strengthened me a person, and has also provided me with a deep appreciation for life, renewal and witnessing how urban development revitalizes an entire culture.

HL What does your position entail?
SA As Vice President of Bayrock, I’m in charge of the marketing and sales strategy for the company’s portfolio of luxury hotel condominiums. Currently, the portfolio includes about $1.25 billion of The Trump International Hotel Condominium product that Bayrock is co-developing with The Trump Organization. I also am working on the early stage of the development process, including acquisition and product positioning, which are crucial to the end-result and overall success of the project. My latest project is the Trump Soho Hotel Condominium New York, where I serve as the Director of Marketing. As such, I’m directing the branding and positioning, which will reinterpret the uptown luxury for a downtown setting through the design by Handel Architects and Rockwell Group. We’ve just completed the advertising campaign, which draws inspiration from the art, fashion and style Soho is synonymous with. Ivanka Trump will be the face of the project as she embodies the fusion of Trump elegance and Soho style.

HL Who is your favorite artist?
SA David Salle is one of my favorites, although I have an eclectic taste and enjoy quite a few postmodern and contemporary artists. Postmodern art and architecture are exciting, as they are continually engaging and affect the boundaries of perception. They are very dynamic and combine a vocabulary of media, genre and style.

HL What has been your favorite use of art in real estate?
SA Hotel Puerta America Madrid is my favorite, as it incorporates the worlds of architecture, design and art in such an avant-garde way. It also works brilliantly from a marketing perspective, as it was not a gimmick, but an authentic way for designers and artists to exercise the freedom of creativity and development.

HL What has Art Basel’s impact been on the Miami community?
SA Art Basel Miami Beach has significantly raised South Florida’s profile in terms of contemporary art and culture, and has provided a forum for Miami’s local art scene. The city has now become the gateway to the art worlds of North America, Latin America and Europe, and a vibrant winter meeting place for art connoisseurs.

HL Outlook for the 2007 Luxury Market?
SA Ecological architecture, with its sophisticated and technologically advanced design is the next step in both the real estate development and hospitality industries. Design and architecture as an art form have become increasingly important to discerning buyers and leisure travelers. However, we now must add a layer of environmentally responsible design. All of this allows for a return to nature: projects that are visually dynamic, self-sustainable and allow for a return to environment – be it nature or urban cityscape.
Luxury rental and branded hotel developments will dominate in 2007. I think the demand in the high-rise luxury condominium segment will continue at a slower pace, and will be fueled by the international and Gen X markets. The importance of “green” design is strong in this market segment and will impact both real estate and hospitality industries.

Edward De Valle
Americas Media Group (AMG)
“The Dealmaker”

President and CEO of the Miami-based Americas Media Group (AMG), whose catchy slogan is “Any Moment, Any Market, Any Media,” Edward de Valle takes time away from his busy life of buying and selling to answer a few of our questions about Miami’s current real estate market.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
EV I was attracted to real estate because my father was a developer himself, so I grew up learning the ins and the outs of the business. When I left my former employer (Conde Nast International), I decided to mix media with what I grew up learning, which was Real Estate. This fit together beautifully, and none of my local competitors had neither the excellent media experiences I had from working at the best publisher in the world nor the development background that I grew up with. I know this business inside and out, from planning a sales strategy to what construction costs are likely to be at time of building. I love real estate and my career would not be complete without it.

HL What does your position entail?
EV AMG was created and built to last. What I mean by this is that we are currently the largest fully outsource-able marketing and planning agency for developers around the world. It does not matter which market we are in, we service developers from around the globe, and that allows us to constantly benchmark buyer patterns from Miami to Hong Kong. We first meet with clients to define the basic planning tools he or she will need, then we work hand in hand with their other team members, which can include the brokers, creative agencies, architects, and designers. Our job is to help the developer put their message out there and reach the correct demographics. In other words, everyone on our team is working to build a package to offer, which we then promote with correct placements and bridge programs to help the project sell out.

HL Who is your favorite Artist?
EV Mark Rothko! He was born Marcus Rothkowitz in Dvinsk, Russia (today Daugavpils, Latvia). Rothko attended Yale University in 1921, where he studied English, French, European history, elementary mathematics, physics, biology, and economics, the history of philosophy, and general psychology. His initial intention was to become an engineer or an attorney. Rothko gave up his studies in the fall of 1923 and moved to New York City.

HL What has been your favorite use of art in real estate development?
EV I love the use of different materials to complete the exterior look of buildings or homes. My favorite work of architecture to date is the combination of wood, rock, steel, and cement at Los Altos in Casa De Camp in the Dominican Republic. This is a project by Willy Bermello.

HL What has Art Basel’s impact been on the Miami Community?
EV Art Basel brings a lot of people together, fits in perfectly with the holiday season, and overall adds a lot of life to a district that is designed to entertain. I think it has helped Miami connect with many of the important artists from around the globe.

HL Most important role you play for the developer?
EV We are the developer’s decision maker in reference to media. In other words, we lay out the best media strategies for the developer based on the many offers they get for media placement. We are the people who help the developers keep their marketing budgets in line and in place. It is easy to get out of control spending and spending. We make sure that every dollar and/or Euro they spend is accompanied with added value and real discounts.

HL Your firm is the developer’s choice, because?
EV We make media planning/buying and public relations easy. We offer the best rates in the market bundled with our added values: We offer credit, we go to bat for our clients when they run into financial issues, and we truly take care of everything from A to Z for developers who have no time to deal with an international marketing team. We have relationships that are unmatchable with Conde Nast, Forbes, Business Week, Citibank, etc. Finally, a lot of developers are left jaded after working with small local planning firms that worry about their numbers and not the developer’s business and best interest. We often have clients come to us to help them fix all the media issues they have from working with what they thought was a small and inexpensive firm.

HL Outlook for 2007 Luxury Market?
EV Amazing. I know today many people are speaking of the down market, but I have to say that there are so many developments around the world and in Miami/NYC that are just fantastic. People with real money (not speculative monies) do see the value in these properties. There are many ways to find buyers, and if people just gave it a real shot at working hard to find the real buyers, they would. All of our projects sell well– Some may be slower than others but they all sell. I have to say, the teams I have been working with during the last two years are getting better every day, so for 2007, I say let’s rock and roll!

Amy Zakarin
Zakarin Public Relations
“The Power Broker”

As the president of Zakarin Public Relations (a boutique firm with a strong focus on all things luxurious), Amy Zakarin is a staple in Miami’s world of real estate PR. Here she tells us about how PR and the Real Estate market blend into one hot illustrious industry.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
AZ While any lifestyle-oriented business has its affects and influences, the real estate industry shapes how we live and defines cities. Working with developers, architects and designers, we get the opportunity to interact directly with the visionaries who are essentially creating our future, and with them, we are helping to define a city’s character and style. It’s exciting to be a part of that process.

HL What does your position entail?
AZ My firm’s sole purpose is to define and effectively reach target consumer audiences. We work closely with our clients to understand their business goals, and then develop editorial and creative marketing strategies to generate industry attention and build their brand.

HL Who is your favorite artist?
AZ I’m by no means a sophisticated collector, but I love supporting local artists. There’s a gallery on Lincoln Road that always displays amazing new artists. One of my favorites is Robert Flynn. I have his palm tree series in my office that shows palms against a blue-sky background that makes you feel like you’re looking out the perfect window to Miami – predictably gorgeous, but also different from every angle, and full of movement.

HL What has been your favorite use of art in real estate development?
AZ There are several outstanding artists responsible for elaborate artful environments. The most notable to me might be Jose Bedia at Apogee, commissioned by Jorge Perez. Bringing in an artist of that level for the lobby automatically raises the standard for the entire property. However, I feel the interior designs for some developments are the grandest expressions – some feel more like art installations than domestic settings. For example, David Rockwell created a palette for Canyon Ranch Living that evokes a soothing, contemporary response, while Kelly Wearstler is bringing playful chic designs to Viceroy South Beach. The latest coup is the #1 international designer, Marcel Wanders, who was engaged for Mondrian South Beach.

HL What has Art Basel’s impact been on the Miami Community?
AZ One of Art Basel’s greatest effects on this city is that it recognized us internationally as a source of vibrant creativity and gave us a new level of credibility. It challenged us to live up to that expectation, and drives culture to thrive here year round. It also gives Miami the opportunity to welcome some of the world’s most influential and dynamic people.

HL What are you doing to help promote the arts in our community?
AZ With the anticipation of Art Basel and desire for us to be an art-minded community – not to mention the increased excitement that comes with Basel events – we are finding synergy between the arts and our clients. Sometimes that means hosting private parties and exhibitions, other times it’s more media focused by working with select writers in the industry to ensure they fully understand how Miami is evolving and adapting more of a sophisticated approach to design.

HL Most important role you play for the developer?
AZ Putting the emphasis on lifestyle rather than location. It helps shift the focus from square footage to who’s buying.

HL Your firm is the developers choice, because?
AZ This business is all about speaking to the affluent and marketing a promise before a shovel even goes in the ground. There’s a growing demand for properties that reflect and nurture buyer profiles. It takes experience to do that effectively without losing momentum. Our campaigns span the life of a project, which can be 3-5 years, from pre-sales to completion.

HL Outlook for 2007 Luxury Market?
AZ In many cases, the luxury market initiates trends and motivates behavior. The affluent customer does more than spend money – they drive and position a way of life that ultimately is emulated by the mass market in some form. When you look at the spectrum of lifestyles developers conceive, you see a national standard emerging and realize that most style trends move in cycles, but it is the luxury sector that always brings them back to the forefront.

Gigi Ganatra
Harrison & Shriftman
“PR Princess”

A local celebrity in her own right, Gigi Ganatra has taken on the role of Director at the Miami office for Harrison & Shriftman, a publicity, special events and marketing company with offices in Miami, New York City, and LA. This month, Gigi has taken the time to give us a little glimpse into her haute world of real estate, art and marketing.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
GG I was first attracted to the real estate market when I moved to Miami from New York and saw the enormous change in the landscape here. Literally, before my eyes, the coastline metamorphosed and with it came this incredible boom in the social and cultural development of the city. It’s important for me to contribute to the cultural landscape of the city I live in, and working within the real estate industry makes this possible.

HL What does your position entail?
GG I am the director of the Miami office for Harrison & Shriftman. I oversee the marketing, media and strategic partnerships for all of our clients. I work closely with our New York and LA offices to integrate our national clients into the Miami market. Harrison & Shriftman provides clients with original ideas, customized service and personal attention through memorable product promotions, dynamic special events and increased public awareness. We offer a national perspective that our clients appreciate.

HL Who is your favorite artist?
GG I have always supported emerging artists, especially in my community. I started collecting a few years ago and have acquired pieces from Annie Wharton, Gabriel Delponte, and Miguel Parada, all of whom are Miami artists.

HL What has been your favorite use of art in real estate development?
GG The W South Beach Hotel & Residences partnered with Art Basel last year to create the W South Beach Commission and is the sole underwriter of Art Positions. In order to create a one-of-a-kind installation for the hotel, the W South Beach has put together a selection committee of nationally recognized art leaders that will commission an artist on display at Art Positions. This is a fantastic way for a developer to support the local community now and in the future, and is an incredible honor for the emerging artist. I place an emphasis on integrating my clients within the arts community. Real estate developers are selling a lifestyle, and that lifestyle should be infused with culture and sophistication.

HL What has Art Basel’s impact been on the Miami Community?
GG Art Basel has had a tremendous impact on Miami Beach, more so than the city could have predicted. It has provided the city with tremendous growth in culture and creativity. It has attracted galleries, curators and collectors from around the world. Art Basel has opened Miami’s doors to the world and stimulated our now booming artistic culture.

HL What are you doing to help promote the arts in our community?
GG I work with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) on their Shaker Committee and their annual fundraiser, Pop 007. Bonnie Clearwater, the director of the museum, is a true visionary, and MOCA has embraced many local artists. I also support Gen Art, a non-profit organization dedicated to showcasing and promoting emerging artists and am working with Flagstone Property Group, developer of Island Gardens, who has integrated artists Michelle Oka Doner, Jose Bedia and Maria Martinez-Canas into the landscape of their new development.

HL Most important role you play for the developer?
GG We offer developers worldwide recognition through strategic partnerships with artists, designers, charitable organizations and other luxury consumer brands. We also focus our commitment to the community by integrating our clients into Miami’s diverse cultural landscape. We provide access and expertise on a national scale.

HL Your firm is the developers’ choice, because?
GG Harrison & Shriftman has quickly become the leader in developing innovative and sophisticated media and marketing strategies for developers in the luxury real estate industry. Developers choose Harrison & Shriftman because we approach their projects in an unconventional manner. We come to the table with incredible access to the lifestyle that their projects represent. We have a well-developed, targeted mailing list and we bring taste and style to all of our events.

HL Market Outlook 2007
GG The luxury market in South Florida has always been strong. In 2006 there was a slight correction but prices are holding firm and in 2007 we should see an increase in buyers. I predict that prices will continue to rise but at a slower pace. Miami is unique in that it is one of the few places in the world that still has undeveloped waterfront sites. People from all over the world want to live and work here. It is truly a cosmopolitan city that has become the American Riviera.