Allen Morris Company Breaks Ground on Ziggurat, Marking a Defining Moment for Coconut Grove
By Wilson Alvarezinfo@wilsonalvarez.com305-386-6165
I was personally invited to attend the January 29, 2026, groundbreaking ceremony for Ziggurat, the newest landmark development by The Allen Morris Company, and I had the honor of witnessing firsthand what will soon become one of Coconut Grove’s defining architectural statements.
The event took place on Fuller Street, on the site formerly occupied by the Zugarrett office , a location that now represents not the past, but the future of the Grove.
From the moment guests arrived, it was clear this was not a routine groundbreaking. The hospitality, registration, hors d’oeuvres, and wine selection reflected the same precision and excellence that The Allen Morris Company is known for. Every detail was executed with purpose and professionalism, exactly what one would expect from a firm of this caliber.
Spenser Morris, President of The Allen Morris Company, greeted guests and addressed the crowd. He thanked everyone for being there and spoke passionately about the company’s vision for Coconut Grove and their deep appreciation for the community. It was not a corporate speech — it was a message of stewardship. One could feel that this project is personal to him and to the company.
Ziggurat is being developed as a mixed-use, biophilic landmark, featuring 19 bespoke residences, a five-story boutique office building, curated retail, and a signature open-air paseo anchored by Michelin-star culinary concepts. The project sits directly across from Kirk Munroe Park, which is undergoing a $6.3 million renovation, further reinforcing this as one of the most strategic and community-oriented developments in Coconut Grove.
The name Ziggurat itself comes from ancient stepped structures built in Mesopotamia, architectural forms designed to rise in layers, integrating sky, earth, and gathering spaces. That symbolism is reflected in the project’s design, with cascading greenery, terraces, and a nature-integrated aesthetic that allows the building to grow from the landscape rather than replace it.
While Allen Morris, Chairman & CEO of The Allen Morris Company, provides the strategic leadership behind the firm’s long legacy, it is Spenser Morris, as President, who is spearheading the Ziggurat project, guiding it from vision to reality.
What stood out most that morning was not just the scale of the project, but the tone. Ziggurat is being built with Coconut Grove, not simply in it. The event felt less like a construction kickoff and more like a community milestone.
As someone who covers South Florida’s business, real estate, and civic life every day, it was clear to me that this is one of those rare projects that will still matter decades from now.
This was not just groundbreaking. It was the beginning of a new chapter for Coconut Grove.
Miami’s Winter Arts Season Gets Its Boldest Voice
Why English Only at the Colony Theatre Is the Cultural Event That Matters Most This Winter
From January 29 through February 22, 2026, Miami enters one of its most electric stretches of the year. Snowbirds arrive. Art Basel’s afterglow still lingers. Music festivals, food weeks, tech summits, and luxury yacht showcases all compete for attention.
Yet in the middle of all that noise, something more rare is happening — a story about Miami is being told in Miami, by Miami, for Miami.
That story is English Only, the world-premiere stage production now arriving at the Colony Theatre.
This is not just another night at the theater.This is a cultural mirror.
Why This Moment Matters in Miami Right Now
Late January through February is when Miami becomes a global city.
You’ll have:
South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Art Wynwood
Coconut Grove Arts Festival
Super Bowl weekend events
Miami International Boat Show
Major conventions, trade shows, and investor summits
Peak tourist season on Lincoln Road
Miami turns into a non-stop highlight reel.
But in between champagne brunches and waterfront galas, English Only offers something deeper — a chance to understand the city beneath the skyline.
This play takes audiences back to 1980 Miami, when the city’s future was being written in real time after the Mariel Boatlift changed everything. It explores how fear, politics, identity, and language collided as Miami became the multicultural capital it is today.
While the city celebrates luxury and growth outside, this story reveals how fragile that transformation once was.
That contrast is what makes this show powerful.
A Latin Story That Brings the Laughter and the Fire
Latin theatre is famous for its emotional range — sharp humor, fast dialogue, family drama, political tension, and explosive comedy.
English Only delivers all of it.
Audiences will experience:
Witty exchanges
Intimate confrontations
Culture-clash humor
High-stakes emotional moments
The kind of laughter that only comes from recognizing yourself in the story
This is not a dry history lesson.It’s a living, breathing Miami story told through people who feel real, flawed, funny, and human.
You will laugh.You will feel uncomfortable.You will leave thinking differently about the city you live in.
That’s what great theater does.
Why You Should Choose This Over Everything Else Happening in Miami
During these weeks, Miami offers no shortage of entertainment. But almost all of it is designed to distract.
English Only is designed to connect.
It gives you:
A story rooted in real Miami history
A reason to talk after the show
A night that feels meaningful, not disposable
A deeper appreciation of Miami’s bilingual, multicultural identity
In a city known for flash, this production offers substance.
You won’t just remember where you went —You’ll remember what it made you feel.
Where and When
English Only📍 Colony Theatre1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
📅 January 29 – February 22, 2026🕗 Thursday–Saturday at 8 PM🕒 Sunday matinees at 3 PM
🎟 Tickets: $40–$90
The Bottom Line
If you’re in Miami during winter 2026, you will have hundreds of options for entertainment.
But there will only be one place where Miami’s soul is on stage.
English Only isn’t just a play.It’s a conversation Miami has been having for 45 years — and it’s still not over.
If you want to understand this city beyond the headlines, beyond the parties, beyond the real estate and nightlife…
This is the show you go see.
Sollis Health Opens Coral Gables Emergency & Urgent Care Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sollis Health Opens Coral Gables Emergency & Urgent Care Center
Grand Opening Draws City Leaders, Business Community & Healthcare Advocates
On January 27, 2026, Coral Gables celebrated a major expansion in accessible healthcare with the grand opening of the new Sollis Health Coral Gables Center, located at 2333 Ponce De Leon Boulevard, Suite 302. The vibrant ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together local business leaders, community members, and healthcare professionals to witness the newest addition to South Florida’s health-care landscape.
The event was officiated by Mayor Vince Lago of Coral Gables, who praised the center’s focus on patient-centered urgent and emergency services designed to reduce strain on hospital emergency rooms while delivering high-quality care in a warm, efficient, and professional environment. The celebration also included vendors, area residents, prospective patients, and healthcare advocates excited about the expanded services.
A special guest in attendance was Jorge L. Arrizurieta, President & CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, who has led the chamber since October 2025 following an extensive national search.
A New Model for Urgent & Emergency Care
Sollis Health’s Coral Gables location offers a range of comprehensive services, including urgent and emergency treatment, advanced imaging and diagnostics, rapid lab testing, virtual care options, expedited specialty referrals, and concierge-style care coordination. The center is engineered to alleviate typical emergency wait times, keeping patients out of ERs roughly 99% of the time by providing prompt, efficient care.
These offerings are complemented by state-of-the-art in-house labs, immediate diagnostics, and priority support services designed for patient convenience and continuity of care. House calls—including mobile labs, IV infusions, and on-site diagnostics—round out the center’s innovative care model.
Highlighting Excellence: Taylor Sukmana, MSN, RN
Among the standout team members playing a pivotal role in the Coral Gables center is Taylor Sukmana, MSN, RN—a dedicated Emergency Room Registered Nurse with a commitment to compassionate patient care and clinical excellence. With experience in direct patient care, triage, and care coordination in fast-paced environments, Taylor has been instrumental in welcoming visitors and guiding community members through the facility during the grand opening.
“I was impressed by Taylor’s depth of knowledge and enthusiasm,” said one local attendee. “She took time to personally show me around, explain the patient-centric approach Sollis is bringing to Coral Gables, and articulate how the center’s services will benefit families throughout the region.”
Taylor’s ability to remain calm under pressure, coupled with her empathetic communication style and respectful approach to patient care, exemplifies the mission of Sollis Health: delivering urgent and emergency medical attention with dignity and professionalism.
A Community Asset for Coral Gables
Mayor Vince Lago highlighted the importance of accessible care in Coral Gables, noting that facilities like Sollis Health not only expand treatment options but also support overall community wellbeing. Guests at the event expressed appreciation for the center’s commitment to rapid, quality care—particularly during times when immediate attention is critical.
As Sollis Health begins operations in Coral Gables, residents and visitors alike can expect a blend of clinical excellence, patient-focused care coordination, and healthcare options that complement traditional emergency room services. With leaders like Taylor Sukmana on the frontline, the new center positions itself as both a community partner and a trusted healthcare destination for urgent medical needs.
One Miami Cardiologist Builds a High-Tech Ecosystem to Save Limbs and Lives
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
In the “Amputation Capital,” One Miami Cardiologist Builds a High-Tech Ecosystem to Save Limbs and Lives
Dr. Pedro Martinez-Clark marks American Heart Month with a 20% reduction goal for amputations, backed by a new independent hybrid surgical center and AI-driven screenings.
MIAMI, FL — January 27, 2026 — While the nation observes American Heart Month, a quiet crisis is unfolding in Miami-Dade County. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), a circulatory condition often called “poor man’s heart disease,” is driving a disproportionate number of non-traumatic amputations in the region’s Black and Hispanic communities. Today, Dr. Pedro Martinez-Clark, founder of Amavita Heart and Vascular Health™, announces a comprehensive “ecosystem of care” designed to halt this trend: the expansion of the Miami Initiative to Stop Amputations (MISA), powered by the opening of the region’s first independent cardiovascular ambulatory surgery center (ASC) equipped with hybrid robotic suites.
“Most amputations are preventable. The system not the patient is failing,” says Dr. Martinez-Clark, a Harvard-trained interventional cardiologist. “You shouldn’t lose a leg because you couldn’t find a ride to the doctor or because your condition was caught too late. We are moving world class technology out of the hospital and into the community to change this reality.”
The Goal: 20% Reduction by 2030
Through MISA, Dr. Martinez-Clark has set a public health goal to reduce non-traumatic lower extremity amputations in Miami-Dade County by 20% over the next decade. To achieve this, Amavita is deploying AISAP CARDIO, a military-grade AI ultrasound technology, into local nursing homes and clinics. Early pilot programs have already identified previously undiagnosed valvular pathologies in 28% of seniors screened, catching “ticking time bombs” before they become fatal.
The Technology: Rewiring the Body
For patients with advanced disease who have been told amputation is their only option, Amavita has adopted the LimFlow System. This breakthrough therapy, now available at the new Kendall facility, allows surgeons to permanently “rewire” a patient’s leg by turning a vein into an artery, bypassing blocked vessels to oxygenate the foot. Clinical data from the pivotal PROMISE II trial demonstrates a 76% limb salvage rate for patients who otherwise faced major amputation.
The Facility: A New Model for Kendall
Supporting these clinical initiatives is the grand opening of Amavita’s new Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) at the Med Square Health complex in Kendall. It stands as the first independent cardiovascular center in the neighborhood to feature two hybrid operating suites with robotic capabilities.
“World-class cardiovascular care doesn’t have to happen in a hospital,” states Dr. Martinez-Clark. “By performing complex revascularization procedures in an independent outpatient setting, we can offer patients a more personalized experience at a significantly lower cost often 40-60% less than traditional hospital systems.”
About Amavita Heart and Vascular Health™
Founded in 2017 by Dr. Pedro Martinez-Clark, Amavita Heart and Vascular Health™ is a comprehensive cardiovascular practice dedicated to minimally invasive treatments and health equity. Anchored by the Miami Initiative to Stop Amputations (MISA) and the bioaccess® research consortium, Amavita bridges the gap between academic innovation and community access.
Media Contact: Patty Vila
C: 305-498-9660
pattyvilamedia@outlook.com
Explore Culinary Inspiration at the 2026 Tour of Kitchens in Coral Gables
Explore Culinary Inspiration at the 2026 Tour of Kitchens in Coral Gables
CORAL GABLES, FL — Food lovers, design enthusiasts, and community supporters are invited to mark their calendars for a beloved annual tradition, the 17th Tour of Kitchens & Tropical Living, taking place on Saturday, February 7, 2026. This signature Coral Gables event blends architectural beauty, culinary delights, and community impact in a uniquely engaging experience.
Presented by the Coral Gables Community Foundation, the Tour of Kitchens offers participants a self-guided journey through some of the city’s most stunning private residences and beautifully curated kitchen spaces. Attendees will have the rare opportunity to step inside these exclusive homes, gathering inspiration for design, décor, and lifestyle. Along the way, delicious bites and refreshing sips from top local restaurants and premium beverage brands enhance each stop, making the tour as flavorful as it is visually inspiring.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, February 7, 2026
Opening Event & Check-In: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM at The Plaza Coral Gables, Courtyard, 3011 Ponce de Leon Blvd
Tour Hours: 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Closing Event Party: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM at Maison & Co
Guests check in at the opening event to receive a wristband and tour program. From there, the tour is completely self-guided. Visitors may explore the homes in any order they choose throughout the day. At each stop, featured restaurants and culinary vendors offer tastings, while local artisans and merchants showcase kitchen and home-related goods to shop and enjoy.
A Celebration With Purpose
More than a lifestyle outing, the Tour of Kitchens is a major fundraiser for the Coral Gables Community Foundation and the Culinary Arts Program at Coral Gables Senior High School. Proceeds from ticket sales support scholarships for students pursuing culinary careers, help maintain the school’s organic vegetable garden, and fund essential industrial kitchen equipment, enriching the learning environment for future chefs and hospitality professionals. Additional funds benefit the Foundation’s broader scholarship and grantmaking efforts throughout the community.
Plan Your Visit
Attendees are responsible for their own transportation between tour stops, and guests are advised that this event is not suitable for children, strollers, or pets. Wristbands must be worn throughout the day for entry into all homes and tour locations.
The Tour of Kitchens has grown into one of Coral Gables’ most anticipated February experiences, perfect for those who appreciate extraordinary design, fine food, and the opportunity to support local students and community initiatives.