MVB Big Idea Award Goes to Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger!

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Once upon a time before government got intertwined with our everyday lives, before Medicare, even before health insurance, there was a time when people actually paid doctors for medical care with...cash. Yes, we know, "What kind of cannabis are you smoking?" you may ask but it is true. Recently the Miami Herald revealed that there exists in our community a doctor who not only won't accept insurance-- not even Medicare-- but who runs his practice on a cash-only basis. His name is Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger and he is the latest recipient for MVB's "Big Idea Award."

His story, captioned by the Herald as "The Maverick MD," is our kind of guy. He's a visionary who marches to the beat of a different drummer and because of that is forcing other doctors to rethink their partnership with the bloated healthcare industry. Considered a "progressive maverick," Dr. Wollschlager supports universal healthcare and the movement to all-electronic medical records.

By adopting MVB's "less is more" approach to most things in general, he has been able to make medical care affordable to everyone. Instead of paying staff to help run his office-- including bookkeepers to handle the deluge of paperwork required by Medicare-- he basically-- thanks to the computer-- runs his office by himself. Appointments and follow-up questions are made online with waiting in the office no more than 5 or 10 minutes. Office visits range between $65 and $75.

For more information or to book an appointment, please click here.

Regarding the traditional awards ceremony at Churchill's Pub in Little Haiti, many of you will again be happy to learn that our official award giver Bob Enzyte was able to complete the entire function without once dropping his pants. Perhaps that had something to do with Dr. Wollschlaeger. Bob could be seen conferring with the good doctor during the dinner proceeding the presentation of the coveted award. We noticed that he more than once stopped Bob from trying to remove his pants. Perhaps he was able to convince Bob to forsake self-medication or at least recommend a shrink who can help him. Only time will tell.

Monocle Man on Drunken Astronauts, Blacks on the run, Umoja Village, and More

WARNING: First off, anyone wearing a monocle today should be viewed with suspicion. This gentleman, who wishes to remain anonymous as is a blogger's wont, is not the kind of guy you'd invite to a party. If his 1,000 yard stare doesn't quickly put your shindig into an irreversible slide toward downersville, his jaded, dyspeptic personality soon will. So, dear reader, read his words with caution and a mojito, MVB's drink of choice, in hand.

• Thank God political correctness won't be touching the astronaut corp. NASA won't condemn the use of alcohol before space flight. These are America's bravest men and women and if a few feel like getting plastered before boarding a rocket that's been known to explode, who can blame them? Hell, I'm surprised they're not shooting up and dropping tabs of acid before each launch. That shuttle rocket is one scary beast.
• The Miami Herald reports that middle-class blacks are fleeing Miami-Dade county. This ''brain drain" of middle-class blacks are reportedly leaving "because they're anxious over job prospects, poor schools and a lack of affordable housing." This study was directed only at middle-class black Americans. A recent census report also shows 1-in-4 African Americans are skipping town. I suspect if they had looked at white middle-class Americans it would reveal pretty much the same thing. Miami-Dade is getting too expensive for the middle-class, no matter what color you're looking at.
• If the Umoja Village activists can persuade the city of Miami to give them land to develop low income housing, I predict they will do a better job of it than the city and the county combined. Carrfour Supportive Housing, winner of our February 14th MVB Big Idea Award has agreed to partner with Umoja Village but everyone's least loved lobbyist Ron Book, chairman of the county's homeless trust (is this not a conflict of interest?) has thrown a monkey wrench into the proceedings because he is against "giving any deal to any one source to the exclusion of all others without even hearing ideas from others.'' Gee, isn't that the approach he usually takes behind the scenes?

UpDate (8/1): Book wins, Umoja Village and Carrfour Supportive Housing loses as city of Miami commissioners vote not to give the land to the homeless activists. Instead the city will put it out to bid.

MVB Big Idea Award Goes To Jorge Gonzalez & Richard Steinberg!

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We believe in the power of the "Ether-Net," getting ideas "out there" through the Internet. MVB is basically built around that concept of actively using the Internet as an electronic gadfly to lobby ideas and opinions. Positive feedback on these efforts happen when we see MLB insisting on a downtown Miami baseball stadium (hopefully our chosen site) and now through a little tidbit found deep inside today's Miami Herald's Business Monday section. Miami Beach City Manager Jorge Gonzalez suggested to a meeting of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce that the city put the $55 million set aside by a county bond fund to refurbish the Convention Center toward subsidizing building a new hotel instead. This "Big Idea" was "ridiculed by tourism trade groups backing the renovations." The next day at a City Hall meeting, Commissioner Richard Steinberg backed Gonzalez up and "warned against dismissing it so quickly."

The article reminds us that the Loews and Royal Palm hotels were built on public oceanfront and with government loans. So the idea isn't that revolutionary, but it does remind us of our own Big Idea-- getting Disney to build a hotel or hotels on the beach and the mainland in exchange for public land, a port on Watson Island for their cruise ships, and a Disney partnered BayLink. Disney is currently looking to build "stand alone" hotels. With the right inducements from a handful of visionaries (and $55 million isn't something to sneeze at), perhaps someday we'll see Disney hotels anchoring both ends of a Disney BayLink. The Mouse gets what it wants and the people of Dade County get what they need. Of course the biggest hurdle here is getting enough elected officials from the Beach to embrace the Disney BayLink to make it reality, but every big idea has to start somewhere.

For those wondering about Bob Enzyte, MVB's official award giver, please note that Bob officiated at the ceremony at Churchill's Pub in Little Haiti in a black Speedo, socks, and shoes. At first we were leery about letting him attend the ceremony like that until he explained it was a symbolic gesture toward honoring "those Beachites." Yes, it wasn't the prettiest thing to see and, yes, he silenced all background chatter at Churchill's when he rose to speak at the dais, but it sure beats the alternative and more jail time.

MVB's Big Idea Award Goes To Shaya Boymelgreen for Re-Imagining Soleil for Workforce Housing

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MVB proudly presented Shaya Boymelgreen with our Big Idea Award last night at Churchill's Pub in Little Haiti. Although this award could have been presented for any number of worthy local projects his company brought to Miami, we felt his most important contribution was his recent re-imagining of the Soleil* condo project to accommodate workforce housing, something our area is sorely lacking.

Located at 3100 Biscayne Boulevard, Boymelgreen is splitting the formerly 288-unit, 43-floor project into two towers, one for middle-income owners and the other for the originally targeted wealthy buyers. Prices will start at $200,000.

Other MVB Big Idea Awards have been given to Jorge Perez, Carlisle Development Group and Carrfour Supportive Housing, and Bruce Rubin.

By the way, for all of those who are wondering about Bob and his continuing struggle to overcome self-medication, we are happy to report that Bob again managed to keep his pants on during the entire award ceremony.

*This website has a way-cool 3D animation that begins with a circling aerial of Miami before landing on Biscayne Boulevard for a pedal-to-the-metal thrill ride up the boulevard to the project.

UpDate (4/14/07): Today's Miami Herald says "Developer Shaya Boymelgreen is going it alone in Miami." Leviev Boymelgreen is no more. Boymelgreen's partner dosen't see Miami's potential. Boymelgreen does and is taking over the Miami projects. He is so worthy of the MVB Big Idea Award.

And the Bob Enzyte Big Idea Award Goes To The Carlisle Development Group and Carrfour Supportive Housing!

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Last night the Carlisle Development Group and Carrfour Supportive Housing received MVB's most prestigious award for their innovative solutions to building and managing affordable housing. Its most recent endeavor will create lodging for the homeless and bring affordable housing to downtown Miami. The groups will transform the 80-year-old Royalton Hotel at 131 SE First Street into 100 apartments for people making less than $22,740 a year. 80 apartments will be reserved for those who were homeless. The groups bought the hotel for $3.5 million and the county and state arranged $15.8 million in financing. The fact that they even bothered to attempt to wade through the county and state's bureaucratic maze is worth an award in itself. That they have been successfully doing this for years is amazing. So, it's with a great big "Tip of Our Backward Wearing Kangols" that we happily salute them with a wish that there were more companies like them.


As an aside for those two readers wondering about Bob's attempt to stop self-medicating well, we are happy to report that during last night's award ceremony at Churchill's Pub in Little Haiti, Bob was able to keep his pants on throughout the entire affair. Things seem to be looking up for him...well, maybe not everything is looking up like it use to, but at least Bobby is keeping his pants on and for all of us here at MVB, that's something to be thankful for.

Previous MVB Big Idea Awards: Shaya Boymelgreen, Jorge Perez, Bob Rubin.

And the MiamiVision Bob Enzyte Big Idea Award goes to...

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Jorge Perez, CEO of the Related Group, for his latest and greatest Big Idea: Loft 3, the first really affordable workforce housing in downtown Miami that you would actually want to live in. Starting at $159,000.00 you can live downtown where all the action is. Loft 3 is a 32-story, 495-condo tower at 201 NE Second Ave right across the street from MetroMover and Miami-Dade College. It's just a five-minute walk to Bayfront Park and the American Airlines Arena. A little longer walk will take you to the new Carnival Center for the Performing Arts. Can you imagine, by living at Loft 3 you can take the money you save not having to pay exorbitant downtown parking fees and put it toward your mortgage. For the really daring, or those use to living in Manhattan and who work downtown, dump your car and put that extra savings toward your mortgage too. Soon you'll be able to hop the MetroMover, stop by the new Met 3 project, take in a movie, pick up some groceries at the Whole Foods market there and then jump back on board the MetroMover for a short trip home. Can you dig it?

But wait, it gets better. Besides the usual perks you would come to expect for any new project in south Florida such as 24-hour manned security and high speed elevators, its 28th floor recreation deck includes a fully equipped fitness center (including a "cardio theater" and separate weight training room), spa, sauna, a great room, outdoor barbecue area, and a heated swimming pool and wet bar. And, in an effort to remain true to its name, Loft 3 units will come with a minimum ceiling height of 10-feet. Not too shabby.

For those who can't wait to buy a condo-- and who fear like we do that these allotted "workforce housing" units will be scooped up before you know it (70% of the 495 units will be priced under $300,000-- not all of them will be $159,000.00), click here to be one of the lucky first to put your money down (5% at contract, and another 5% at groundbreaking sometime next year).

The award ceremony again took place at Churchill's in Little Haiti. Mr. Perez was serenaded by the Bud Light Singers (and the Churchill regulars sitting around the bar) with a fine rendition of their hit song "Real Men of Genius," modifying it, of course, to squeeze "Jorge Perez and his Loft 3 development" into the lyrics. Trust us, it really was something to see and hear and if you weren't able to make it, you truly missed something special. This time we are also happy to report that, unlike the previous event (see here), Mr. Enzyte kept his pants on throughout the entire evening. Way to go, Bob!

UpDate (10/27): The Herald reports today that less than a week after opening only 80 units are left. 415 condos were sold in less than a week. Amazing!

UpDate (5/1/07): The Herald reports today that 33 of the 102 units set aside as "affordable" (between $99,000 and $216,000) were resold within a year of closing with at least one fellow, Al Lorenzo, who was the campaign manager for Mayor Manny Diaz, flipping it within a month for a markup of $92,100. Of those 102 "affordable" units, only 6 remained in the same hands for more than a year but none of those six list them as their home address within the city. As it turns out, it looks like no one from government cared to check to see if the applicants were buying to live there because it was something they could afford or buying to invest and, in some instances make a quick profit.

MVB finds this so embarrassing and disappointing. In the end, it appears none of these set-asides were bought by people who really need them. The article reminds us that the Related Group got taxpayer's subsidies of $1 million from the City and $300,000 from the county to encourage it to create affordable units in the building which makes this even sadder. When it comes to Miami, don't let anyone tell you it isn't about money. It looks like the greedy can never get enough of it and will even "abuse the system," as Miami City Commissioner Tomas Regalado so rightly said. Let's hope this will encourage the City and County to devise safeguards to assure affordable housing goes to those most deserving instead of those with the best connections. And, we can only hope Jorge Perez, winner of our Bob Enzyte Big Idea Award had nothing to do with any of it.

Other "Big Idea" winners: Shaya Boymelgreen, Carlisle Development Group and Carrfour Supportive Housing, Bruce Rubin.

Bob Enzyte Arrested at MiamiVision Big Idea Awards!

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"What was he thinking?"

That seems to be the question on everyone's mind following the arrest of Bob Enzyte at the MiamiVision Bob Enzyte Big Idea Awards last night at Churchill's Pub in Little Haiti. Early consensus was that he wasn't. Thinking, that is. All agree that the formal eponymous award ceremony commemorating "big ideas that will make Miami a better place to live," was without incident until Mr. Enzyte stood up to take the mic from Verticus Erectus, publisher of the blog Miamivisionblogarama.blogspot.com.

"The man didn't have any pants on," reports Mr. Erectus. "No one knew this at the time because he was sitting on the stage behind a dais draped with a tablecloth. I mean, Bob's a great guy and all, but ever since he's been self-medicating, he's, well, different."

"I'll say," Alex, the beautiful, tattooed and piereced English barmaid adds. "I was busy working the bar when I heard someone scream. I turned around and saw people yelling, pointing, and running out the door and, well, when I saw what they were pointing at, let's just say, it's something I won't soon forget."

"When I saw that thing coming at me, I backed away and fell off my chair," Bruce Rubin interjected. Mr. Rubin was the honoree of that night's award. "I refused to touch it," he shouted over his shoulder as he exited the building. "And you can keep your stupid award too!"

When asked if MiamiVision Blogarama will continue to share the "Big Idea" award with Mr. Enzyte, a celebrity businessman, Mr. Erectus said, "Right now it's Curry Night and I'm focusing on my potato vindaloo."

We were unable to contact Mr. Enzyte for his side of the story by press time.

Latter MVB Big Idea Awards: Shaya Boymelgreen, Carlyle Group, Jorge Perez.

And the MiamiVision Bob Enzyte Big Idea Award goes to...

Bruce Rubin for his August 6th Miami Herald Letters to the Editor "Big Idea":

Opa-locka an option

Remember when Eastern Airlines was the king of Miami? Then, suddenly, the king was not just dethroned, but beheaded. It took years to replace the airline's revenue contribution to Miami International Airport, not to mention its philanthropic involvement in many facets of the community.

At that time, it would have been reasonable to expect that government and aviation officials never again would allow the airport's economy, not to mention a good chunk of our overall financial health and welfare, to be held hostage to one airline.

Oops -- it seems that one slipped by us, because here we are again, but worse off than before. Now we're dealing with the new Terminal A, otherwise known as the Interminable Walk to the Gate -- or the money pit.

It would be easy to blame American Airlines. The airline mounted an effective, hard-nosed lobbying effort, combining financial support with a gun-to-the-head approach. But that's what corporations do. When push came to shove, our government caved yet again. Instead of continuing this revolving door of aviation directors, why not just hand the keys over to American Airlines? That's who is in charge, anyway. With all the cost overruns, there's no way that MIA is going to attract the Jet Blue kind of carrier. The costs to use the airport already are too high.

But we can still fix this problem. MIA is a lost cause, but Opa-locka Airport isn't. There sits a vastly underused airport that can be spruced up and used to entice Southwest Airlines to start flying in and out of Miami. You don't think Jet Blue will fly out of both Broward and Miami-Dade counties? Why not? It flies out of all three of New York airports, Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark.

Such an effort will not only add short-term gains to the local economy. If done properly, it should boost long-term revenue and provide convenience to residents and tourists. It just takes a bit of leadership.

BRUCE RUBIN, Miami

Bruce, we couldn't have said it better. Congratulations on your award!