By Chris Umpierre
MIAMI Association of REALTORS® (MIAMI) members didn’t have many places to get together and make real estate deals happen at the old MIAMI REALTORS® headquarters. It was either a small conference center, computer lab or cramped elevator lobby.
Not anymore.
MIAMI’s new five-story, Class A Global Headquarters more than doubles the association’s space for member training, education, and networking. This modern facility for the nation’s largest local Realtor group with 60,000 members means more MIAMI REALTORS® will be trained with state-of-the-art Realtor education and classes, more members will be able to network and make deals, the association can host major global conferences and events, hold professional standards hearings and more.
The building, which our forward-thinking leaders started planning 15 years ago, was designed by and for our members. About 2/3 of the 37,000 SF of space is for member education and events.
The Global HQ, which opened in June 2024, can host up to 300 in the conference center, 85 in the expandable multipurpose training room, and 70 in the computer lab. It also includes two large areas for our members to enjoy Starbucks coffee, charge their phones, talk to each other about business, and network.
Each year, MIAMI hosts more than 2,000 classes. With our Global Headquarters and our seven other offices in three counties, that number will exponentially grow. Our Global HQ deepens our mission to help REALTORS® do more business and better serve consumers.
MIAMI REALTORS® Global Headquarters Overview
- Address: 1800 Oakwood Drive, Miami, FL
- Opened: June 3, 2024
- Size: Can host up to 300 people in the conference center, 85 in the expandable multipurpose training room, and 70 in the computer lab.
- Number of Global HQ Classes Since June 3 Opening to Sept. 17, 2024: 103
- Number of Global HQ Participants since June 3 Opening to Sept. 17, 2024: 6,768
From Lessee to Owner: A Decades-Long Plan to Finally Give MIAMI Members a World-Class Headquarters
MIAMI REALTORS® CEO Teresa King Kinney, who will celebrate her 31st year as the leader of the nation’s largest local Realtor association in August 2024, and MIAMI’s leaders have planned this move for decades.
“Thirty-one years of experience; of seeing what works, what the members like, what we can do better for them,” King Kinney said. “All of that has been put into this building.”
Pre-pandemic, it wasn’t unusual to have 600 members in and out of our training rooms at the old MIAMI HQ in a week. When they came in there, there was no space for them to get together to do business, to make deals happen or to get to know each other better.
At our previous headquarters, which MIAMI leased since 1999, despite only having capacity for 120 members in our conference room and 45 in our computer lab, several hundred members still attended courses weekly. However, our members wanted more space to get together, handle business, make deals happen, and to share a cafecito.
A Building Designed by Our Members
King Kinney assembled the best team to research, purchase, design and build the building.
MIAMI REALTORS® Building Advisory Board worked tirelessly on the project for three years. The advisory board consisted of nine members and top association leaders. The Building Advisory Board included:
- Chair and 2015 MIAMI Chairman of the Board John Dohm
- 2010 MIAMI Chairman of the Board Jack Levine
- 2020 MIAMI Chairman of the Board and 2023 Florida Realtors Secretary Jorge Guerra Jr.
- 2023 MIAMI Chairman Ines Hegedus-Garcia
- 2024 MIAMI Chairman: Gus Fonte
- 2023 MIAMI Chairman Jennifer Wollmann
- 2019 MIAMI Chairman Jose Maria “Chepe” Serrano
- 2021 MIAMI Commercial President Stephen Rigl
- 2021 MIAMI Residential President Daniel Guerra
Sharpe Project Developments, Link Construction Group and RSP Arch played incredible roles in designing, building and making the Global HQ come to life.
“I have to say thank you to every one of you,” King Kinney said at the groundbreaking. “The best thing you did was give me the best team to work with.”
A Building Designed for Our Members
The MIAMI REALTORS® Global HQ was built to grow with our membership and their needs.
It is centrally located in Miami near the intersection of LeJeune Road and NW 36th St.; a 5-minute drive from Miami International Airport and adjacent to the EB Hotel, a modern hotel that our distinguished international guests can use.
The new Global HQ features the Conference Center of the Americas, which allows us to host our award-winning major global conferences and events such as the MIAMI Global Real Estate Congress. It is a 200- to 300-person state-of-the-art conference center featuring a 75-foot stage, with impressive sound, lighting, and recording and a studio attached.
The glass enclosed Tuttle Training Room can open an entire glass wall to combine with the open networking, business-making area to create a very large event space for tabletop expos, receptions, networking and other interactive events.
The building includes two floors of outstanding office and conference space. Two-story club lounge offers many places for members to network and conduct business in between classes, conferences or events. Building includes digital screens throughout to scan QR codes for wayfinding, attendance and online access to resources.
A breathtaking staircase connects both office floors and is poised to be an “Instagram-able” hit for our MIAMI REALTORS® members. Built in front of full-height glass windows, the staircase offers stellar views of Miami.
The entire Global HQ is also designed for many locations for Instagram and other social media worthy photos and posts. There’s an entire block-long terrace on the top floor, is accessible from every space on the fifth floor.
The Global HQ features a VIP Board Room with a terrace for Board Meetings, events with international delegates and trade missions, elected officials, and small conferences
The building’s exterior features full-height glass, architectural concrete, zinc wall paneling, and wood ceilings. The interior features high-end finishes, including glass walls, wood wall paneling, polished concrete floors, operable partitions, and acoustical clouds.
The building is LEED gold and WELL Health and Safety certified.
The only association with computer labs in most locations, New Global HQ has a 65-person computer lab for member training. It also has a 80-person classroom for member seminars, which can be expanded into a large event space.
There is even a unique “Cafecito 1800 Coffee Bar” for special occasions.
The Tireless Search for the Home of the Voice of Real Estate in South Florida
The board looked at 132 locations all over Miami-Dade, Building Advisory Board Chair and 2015 MIAMI Chairman of the Board John Dohm said at the groundbreaking on Oct. 26, 2022.
The board shortlisted seven projects and put in offers on a couple. Then the board decided building a new global headquarters was preferable to purchasing an existing building.
The new global headquarters location—1800 Oakwood Dr. – is diagonally across the street from its current headquarters, which MIAMI has been renting for years.
“Talk about symbolic,” 2023 MIAMI Chairman Ines Hegedus-Garcia said. “Miami Realtors gets a home. The epitome of what it means to be a Realtor is to have your own home and this has been a long time coming.”
Miami Springs Mayor Maria Mitchell spoke about how her city is overjoyed to see MIAMI become owners in the city. House Speaker pro tempore Brian Avila spoke about how Miami-Dade County wouldn’t be the same without the board’s hard work and vision.
Link Construction, Sharpe Project Developments and RSP have worked tirelessly with the advisory board to create a landmark facility or as Link Construction’s Willy Fernandez said: “a modern marvel.”
“What happened here that was different (from other projects) is that you have incredible strong leadership,” Derrick McCallum of RSP. “Your advisory board didn’t make it easy for us. They made us think. Made us work hard. We are proud this is going to be a LEED gold certified building.”
It’s a 100-year decision, a facility that will be built to grow with MIAMI’s members.
“This is going to be the home of the voice for real estate in South Florida,” Arencibia Jr. said. “We are excited for the work that we are going to be able to do for our members in this building and throughout the world.”
-30-
