Allen Morris Company Spearheads Private / Public Partnership with City of Coral Gables To Upgrade Ponce Circle Park

Allen Morris Co., a diversified Southeast real estate development firm developing Ponce Park Coral Gables and Ziggurat Coconut Grove, has revealed a public-private partnership with the City of Coral Gables and Agave Holdings, owner of The Plaza Coral Gables, for the redesign and cultural reactivation of Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park.

The $10+ million 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 is also 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 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. 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," said W.A. Spencer Morris, President of Allen Morris Co.

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. 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," said Maricris Longo, Coral Gables resident, real estate investor, and community advocate.

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 Boulevard, 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.

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Five New Tenants Including Bradesco BAC Florida Bank Sign At The Plaza Coral Gables

Five notable new tenants have signed leases at The Plaza Coral Gables, a Class A office building currently under construction in Downtown Coral Gables, developed by Agave Holdings. The tenants include Bradesco BAC Florida Bank, who leased 63,009 square feet for their headquarters; the Naples, FL-based digital payments firm ACI Worldwide Corp., who leased 27,712 square feet; private equity firm H.I.G. Capital, who leased 22,227 square feet; PNC Bank, who leased 7,039 square feet; and Raymond James, who leased 4,396 square feet.

Tere Blanca, Danet Linares and Andres del Corral of Blanca Commercial Real Estate represented Agave Holdings overseeing the new lease signings. Patrick Duffy of Newmark represented Bradesco BAC Florida Bank, Shay Pope of CBRE represented ACI Worldwide Corp and PNC Bank, Alan Kleber of JLL represented H.I.G Capital, and Todd Brandon of Cushman & Wakefield represented Raymond James.

Located in the heart of Coral Gables’ central business district, The Plaza Coral Gables consists of approximately 2.1 million square feet of mixed-use real estate on approximately seven acres and spans three city blocks. Construction on the North tower was completed in late 2020 and the South tower is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Located at 2801, 2901 and 3001 Ponce de Leon Blvd, just south of Miracle Mile in downtown Coral Gables, The Plaza Coral Gables features a 4.5 star 242-key Loews Hotel, two office towers, dining, retail and entertainment space, approximately 174 residential rental units, and +/-2400 parking spaces. The office component features 455,008 square feet, which is 30% leased. Other tenants include Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse, Next Level Lounge and The Butchery.

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Check Out The Newly Revealed Renderings Of The RTKL-Designed Plaza Coral Gables

New renderings have been revealed of Plaza Coral Gables, the largest project to ever be built in Coral Gables, valued at over $600 million. Construction on the project, which was formerly proposed as Mediterranean Village by developer Ralph Sanchez, is currently underway after Phase 1 broke ground in Summer 2018. The Plaza Coral Gables is now being developed by Agave Ponce, LLC., an affiliate of the Cuervo Tequila Company. The Plaza Coral Gables, which was designed by RTKL, will offer over 2.1 million SF of total development spread over roughly 7 acres. When complete the project will offer 174 luxury rental apartments, 242 hotel rooms, 161,000 SF of retail, 447,000 SF of office space spread over 2 towers and 2,400 parking spaces. A completion date for Phase 1 is expected in 2020 before the developer will break ground on Phase 2 and Phase 3.