Monthly Archives: April 2007

Is Clematis Street in West Palm Beach going to get back to being the “hottest street in Florida” as once said by Donald Trump?

The late 1990′s was the last time Clematis Street was a true hotspot. During that time, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and stores like Starbucks occupied retail space in the downtown location.

So what brought Clematis Street down?

First Cityplace, then road construction, then crime. Add those up together and patrons forget about an old hotspot fast.

What’s the new plan for Clematis Street?

Clematis Street Live, an entertainment complex of more than 50,000 square feet, will open on the northeast corner of Clematis and Olive Avenue. Entrepreneurs Rodney Mayo and Cleve Mash are behind this project as well as Motley Crue vocalist Vince Neil, who is a partner in one of the restaurants.

“We have a clean slate,” Mash said.

You can also expect to see a new library and city hall and a renovated waterfront. Along with plans for the Omni Mall complex in downtown Miami, we seem to be seeing the beginning of a commercial revival in South Florida.

Big news from the independently owned RE/MAX of Florida.

It’s been purchased by RE/MAX International of Denver.

250 offices and more than 6,500 agents will now be added to RE/MAX International’s county-owned regions.

Keep in mind that this hasn’t been the only regional purchase RE/MAX International has made. Not only did they acquire RE/MAX of California and Hawaii in February, but this very deal also includes RE/MAX Carolina, which will give them a total addition of 420 offices and more than 10,000 agents.

Don Hachenberger and Glenda Hachenberger of Lake Mary, the current owners of RE/MAX of Florida, have signed a purchase agreement. Transfer of the region is expected to be concluded by early June.

“I believe a consolidation with RE/MAX International makes good sense and will be very positive for everyone.” says Don Hachenberger, who along with Glenda Hachenberger of Lake Mary are the former owners of RE/MAX of Florida. “They have experience operating regions like ours, and RE/MAX has the best regional services in the real estate industry.”

We have enjoyed working with Don and Glenda for more than 30 years,” said Dave Liniger, chairman and co-founder of RE/MAX International. “They took on an amazing challenge in 1984 and have created an impressive network of offices and sales associates in Florida. All of us at RE/MAX are very grateful for their many contributions over the years. We look forward to the opportunity of continuing their legacy.”

The new lineup of RE/MAX of Florida will include Nick Bailey, who will become regional vice president. Nick joined the RE/MAX team in 2001, and in 2004 elevated himself to regional vice president of RE/MAX Central and Northern Ohio and RE/MAX Western Pennsylvania.

“Thirty two years with RE/MAX,” recalled Don Hachenberger. “It’s been an unbelievable experience, but the time is right for a change. Things may slow down somewhat, but I plan to stay involved in real estate with my individual RE/MAX offices. I’m sure that RE/MAX, in Florida and the Carolinas, will continue to be successful under the ownership of RE/MAX International.”

RE/MAX International was founded in 1973 and has more than 120,000 real estate agents in more than 65 countries.

You never know what you’ll find in Brickell Avenue nowadays.

A downtown Miami development site is the home of the ancient human remains of the extinct native Tequesta tribe that inhabited South Florida thousands of years ago. Along with these human remains, the archaeologists also found pottery shards, animal bones and an arrowhead. Scientists estimate the artifacts to be 2,000 to 3,500 years old.

The development planned for the area is for 1814 Brickell Avenue, which is the eventual home of a 12-unit condominium building.

“This is not nearly at the scale of what we’ve seen in other downtown areas, but it was definitely a cemetery,” said archaeologist Robert Carr, who has discovered a number of Miami-Dade and Broward ancient sites, including the Miami Circle. “The question is the extent of it.”

According to Florida law, a full archaeological assessment is required of this site and the subsequent reburial of these remains in the original spot or as close as possible. This process obviously will delay construction of the 1814 Brickell Ave condo but does not require the project to be terminated. Angel Berisiartu, who is the vice president of developer IERI Incorporated, says that the human remains will be buried about 150 from their original location in a 50-foot-by-50-foot-wide natural depression.

“Time is money, and the archaeologists have been digging here since November,” Berisiartu said. “It’s very difficult to tell my investors that all this time has passed and all we have is a guy in a hole in the ground with a brush in his hand.”

The Tequesta Indian human remains were found in March by archaeologist Richard Haiduven, who was hired by the development firm. The laws of Miami require preconstruction archaeological explorations in certain areas including the Brickell area.

“This is really a continuation of a large area,” Haiduven said. “If you’re building in an archaeological area, you have to expect to find this.”

At the current Santa Maria condominium in Brickell Avenue archaeologists found human bones and the Miami Circle is home to a 38-foot-wide stone carving found in 1998.

Other areas in South Florida where remains have been found are Miami Lakes, North Miami Beach, Weston, and a development near the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Miami Fl.