The Odeon will host year-round programming including concerts, theatrical performances, civic events, fitness classes, and cultural gatherings. Allen Morris Co., a diversified Southeast real estate development firm, recently announced a public-private partnership with the City of Coral Gables and Ag ave Holdings, owner of The Plaza Coral Gables, for the redesign and cultural reactivation of Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park. The $10 million-plus project is funded through a three-way public/private partnership among the Allen Morris Company, the City of Coral Gables and Agave Holdings. Allen Morris Company also is guaranteeing any cost overruns beyond the committed amounts, underscoring its commitment to delivering the project as designed. “World-class cities are defined by their parks and public spaces,” said Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago. “The transformation of Ponce Circle Park is another step in our commitment to creating exceptional open spaces that strengthen our downtown and enhance the quality of life for generations to come.” “Every great city is remembered by its public spaces,” said W.A. Spencer Morris, president of Allen Morris Co. “They become the places where people gather, celebrate, reflect, and create memories across generations. Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park sits at the heart of Coral Gables, surrounded by many of the city’s most important destinations, and we have a rare opportunity to help create a park that truly belongs to the community. “Working alongside the City of Coral Gables and Agave Holdings, our goal is to create a place of lasting beauty — one that enriches daily life, reflects the character of Coral Gables, and serves as a source of pride for generations to come,” Morris added. The initiative reflects Coral Gables’ long-standing tradition of public-private collaboration, where civic ambition and private investment combine to shape enduring public spaces. “I am incredibly proud that Allen Morris Co. and the City of Coral Gables shared the transformative vision to reimagine Ponce Circle as a functional, timeless, and elegant public park,” said Maricris Longo, Coral Gables resident, real estate investor, and community advocate. “Chic, sophisticated, inviting, and European in spirit, the park reflects the magic that happens when great minds, thoughtful planning, and exceptional design come together to create a lasting legacy for residents, visitors, and everyone who lives, works, and gathers in our city,” Longo added. Public art centerpiece A defining feature of the renewed park will be Puffed and Inverted Star II, a monumental, polished aluminum sculpture by Frank Stella, installed in a reflecting pool at the north end of the park. The sculpture was acquired by the City of Coral Gables following the recommendation of the Cultural Development Board. Stella passed away in May 2024 at the age of 87, making this a posthumous public installation of one of his final large-scale works. The sculpture will become an instant landmark, a defining visual element of downtown Coral Gables, and a destination A historic civic space reimagined Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park, located at 2810 Ponce de Leon Blvd., has been a civic gathering place since the early development of Coral Gables in the 1920s under founder George Merrick. Originally designed by landscape architect William Lyman Phillips, the park has long served as a central point within the city’s historic urban fabric. This project marks the most comprehensive reimagining of the park in its history, positioning it for its next century as a civic and cultural anchor for the community. Design team and ecological approach The architectural and landscape vision for the park is led by Maria de la Guardia of de la Guardia Victoria Architects Urbanists, a Coral Gables-based firm known for its context-sensitive approach rooted in classical architecture and urbanism, in collaboration with Andres Arcila of Naturalficial. Planting design is developed in coordination with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, ensuring a resilient, biodiverse, and regionally appropriate landscape strategy. Integrated public realm improvements In addition to the park redesign, the project includes a coordinated set of streetscape and infrastructure upgrades along Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Almeria Avenue to University Drive. Improvements include enhanced pedestrian crossings, raised crosswalks, speed tables, and a new stormwater drainage system, all designed to improve safety, connectivity, and walkability. Together, the park and streetscape interventions will create a more unified and accessible civic corridor. The Odeon: a new cultural venue At the center of the redesigned park will be the Odeon, an open-air performance structure designed to host year-round programming including concerts, theatrical performances, civic events, fitness classes, and cultural gatherings. When not programmed, the Odeon will function as flexible public seating, ensuring continuous activation of the space throughout the day and evening. Project leadership and timeline Allen Morris Company is serving as development manager for the project, overseeing design, permitting, and construction through completion. The Coral Gables City Commission has unanimously approved the project, and a Development Management Agreement has been executed between all parties. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2027, with completion anticipated in the first quarter of 2028.     ABOUT US: For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area. This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. 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