Wynwood owes a debt of gratitude to the late, great Tony Goldman, who was instrumental in putting this small warehouse neighborhood on the arts-and-culture map. Goldman, an eccentric real estate visionary known for developing SoHo in New York City as well as Ocean Drive and Eighth Street in South Beach, looked west in 2004 and began buying up property in Wynwood.
Today, Goldman Properties owns and operates two anchor restaurants on NW Second Avenue and 26th Street -- Joey's Italian Café and Wynwood Kitchen & Bar -- both known for great food and exceptional ambiance. The Wynwood Walls/Wynwood Doors, with its massive, colorful murals from more than 30 internationally renowned street artists, is the go-to spot for all Miami newbies and arts tourists. Other tenants that share the property include Frangipani, Peter Tunney Gallery, and the soon-to-open JugoFresh, scheduled to open December 1, 2013, just in time for Art Basel.
This fall, Goldman Properties will expand its Wynwood empire once again with two development projects aimed at creating a destination for creative professionals.
Goldman Properties has been very active on 26th Street this year. A couple of blocks west of Wynwood Walls, near LAB Miami and Miami Light Project's Light Box, two new projects are set to launch in the next few months.
The Green Space, a 10,000-square-foot facility opening in September, will house two retail storefronts and six creative offices. Surface expert Math Powerland will create the flooring for the central corridor from a detail of one his abstract paintings. The most unique element of the Green Space is a "living wall" covered in greenery on the front of the building.
Wynwood House -- a 17,000-square-foot, three-story facility painted by Ukrainian street artist Interesni Kaski -- is set to open in October with two retail spaces and a food and beverage establishment on the ground level. The second floor will be an office/studio space, and the third floor will have eight live/work units ranging from 900 to 1,100 square feet, completely finished with full kitchens, bathrooms, and open floor plans.
Joe Furst, managing director of Goldman Properties' Wynwood division, told New Times that the company treats all of its new investments as collaborations within the community and continues to push creative small businesses. With 25 properties in its portfolio, Goldman Properties doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Furst is also a founding board member of the Wynwood Art District Association (WADA), which was formed in 2009 and comprises 130 business owners. He will step down from WADA to be on the steering committee for Wynwood's Business Improvement District (BID), composed of 420 property owners. BID will take over some of WADA's initial responsibilities, such as security, lighting, and sanitation, to lower membership fees in the hope of gaining more members.
As Wynwood continues to develop, Tony Goldman's memory lives on.
--Kerry McLaney, founder of Wynwood-based 305 Creative Group (@305creative)
Follow Cultist on Facebook and Twitter @CultistMiami.
