Episode 306: 03-05-15
How Hot is the Wynwood Area of Miami
Danny Zelonker, SIOR, CCIM, has been practicing commercial real estate since 2004, and his partner Isabel Fine, CCIM, MBA, has been active in commercial real estate since 1986. Their focus is Wynwood.
We discuss Miami’s hottest real estate market as well as how the CCIM designation helps them in their business on a daily basis.
The Future of Film, Animation and Gaming in Miami
Our guest is Dr. Brian Schriner, Dean of the FIU College of Architecture + The Arts (CARTA). Under the Dean’s leadership the College’s mission to deploy the power of architecture and the arts to engage the global community to create, innovate, and inspire solutions to social, economic, and environmental problems has been taken to new heights.
We discuss the future of the film, animation and gaming industries in Miami.
A Straight Shot of Jim
Jim reveals his throughts about the recent 2015 UF Bergstrom Center Real Estate Trends & Strategies Conference in Orlando.
Episode 306: 03-05-15 (To download, right-click and select “Save Link As”.)
Feature photo courtesy of Joe Anzalone on flickr.com.
Transcription:
Speaker: 880 AM, The Biz. South Florida’s only all business station welcomes you to Fried on Business. He grew up in South Florida, has been in business here since the early 1990’s and has closed over 1 Billion dollars in deals. He’s seen it all, he always has an opinion and he is always ready to share it. Informed, entertaining and connected, he has his finger on the throbbing pulse of South Florida’s business Community; he is Jim Fried exclusively on 880 AM The Biz. To talk to James and his guests, call 305-541-2350. Now here is your host, Jim Fried.
James Fried: Aright South Florida, we are back and we are having fun. I apologize about the traffic but keep it right here, we are going to have a great time. Sorry about last week’s sound quality but I was in Orlando and the phone line was VIOP, just wasn’t working for me, the dial went up a little bit but who cares, we are in Miami. [Wahoo] Its gorgeous here. We are on show number 3 hotter and we are going to talk about how hot is the Wynwood area here in Miami and we are going to discuss the future of film, animation and gaming in Miami. Whoa, that’s really a lot of fun, cool stuff. So stick with us, will be right back after this. D, its yours.
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Alright it time for monthly CCIM spotlight and we’ve got two for one today. We’ve got my old friend Danny Zelonker; he is an SIOR and a CCIM. He’s been practicing commercial real estate since 2004 and will eventually get it right and his partner Isabel Fine, she is a CCIM and an MBA, you are a little short on him you know. She’s been active in commercial real estate since 1986, she’s got you beat Danny. We are going to focus on Wynwood, we are going to focus on the CCIMs and I got to warn you, Danny is one of the few people I know that talks more than I do. So, guys welcome to the show.
Danny Zelonker: Thank you for having us Jim, we are happy to be here.
Isabel Fine: We are happy to be here Jim.
James Fried: Alright, its my pleasure. Now we are going start it off with Danny. Danny you know you are a CCIM, tell me how is that helped you build your business and this is really your second business career. You’ve your first one..
Danny Zelonker: I was a garment manufacturer for 35 years.
James Fried: Did you know that my parents used to have ladies clothing factor in Joyce City.
Danny Zelonker: I did not.
James Fried: Now I am telling you.
Danny Zelonker: That’s news.
James Fried: Yeah, I am telling you. Will talk about that off-air. So, you’ve done all the CCIM stuff, CCIM helped you?
Danny Zelonker: It has, it gives you credibility. Its like a CPA for accounting, it gives you those that just people know that when you have a CCIM behind your name, you know what you are doing, you know how to do internal rate of return, little bit more than the cab rates.
James Fried: OK. Isabel, It’s helped you be a better real estate broker as well, the CCIM?
Isabel Fine: It has and I think Danny is right on point on that. I think it gives you credibility with your fellow brokers and when you sit down and talk to the client, I think you can best evaluate the property that you are either intending to buy or to list for the buyer.
James Fried: So that it’s helped you both to build your careers?
Danny Zelonker: It has. We work together a lot, Isabel.
James Fried: Sorry to hear that Isabel.
Danny Zelonker: Yeah, sometimes it happens. We sold the Macy’s property Downtown last year.
James Fried: Big Macy’s deal?
Danny Zelonker: Big Macy’s deal.
James Fried: Still wearing those clothes.
Danny Zelonker: Yeah, you know. Isabel got the big part of that.
James Fried: Yeah, she looks gorgeous. I mean you know that Danny, you walk in and looking like this. Anyways, so Isabel how did you market the Macy’s, that’s a big institutional deal. You should be proud of that.
Isabel Fine: I am proud of it and it was a very difficult transaction because Macy is 40% of the buildings, the two buildings. The other 60% were owned by fragmented ownership out of California and all parts of the United States. They were all octogenarians so it was hard to get everybody on the same page and we were able to put it together and basically it took like almost a year to put that transaction together.
James Fried: Oh, that’s not really a long time at all for that kind of complex transactions that you guys have been talking us about. So, we’ve talked a little bit about the deal that Isabel did downtown but we kind of touted this as being about Wynwood. So, why don’t you tell me a little bit about what’s going on in Wynwood, so Danny should I go to you or should I go to your expert over here Isabel?
Danny Zelonker: Anyway you want to do it Jim!
James Fried: Well, I want to do it …
Danny Zelonker: I’ll start it.
James Fried: OK, I was going to say “Ladies First” but OK, you go!
Danny Zelonker: I’ve been in Wynwood since 1960 then as a garment manufacturer, was in the old garment centre of Miami.
James Fried: Garment & Fashion, right?
Danny Zelonker: Garment & Fashion. Uh, “Fifth Avenue” actually was called “Fashion Avenue”.
Danny Zelonker: My old building where my headquarter was; is now the lab which is our exciting building in Miami. Part of it is a charitable place where Tony Goldman who is instrumental in designing what Wynwood is now. You know he is a wonderful; he passed away but the Goldman family, wonderful, wonderful people.
James Fried: Isabel, what you see going on in Wynwood, you are there making a business with Danny, what are some of the trends you are seeing?
Isabel Fine: Well, the trend that I see is that, to the outsiders New Yorkers, South Americans we’re such a bargain and then they see things that we being here are not aware of. They see us as the next Packing district in New York or the same, you know unexplored territory and I think they see value. A lot of local people don’t see value.
James Fried: You we have a lot. Our next guest is going to be, going to talk about all the new technology, students and young people and opportunities that are here but a lot that and a lot of tech talk comes out of Wynwood. So I guess Wynwood is really becoming a tech-hub Danny?
Danny Zelonker: It is. We are very excited about all the new people coming in, the technology that is coming into Wynwood, its sort of like, California. Actually people are calling it 6th Borough of New York right now.
James Fried: Oh, that’s all I have been using forever Danny. I know, so Isabel what you are going to be seeing as Wynwood evolves. I am seeing now parking coming, apartments are coming. What’s that doing to the nature of the original Wynwood folks?
Isabel Fine: Its going to be a complete corridor not just mid town, Wynwood to the south and then you got Allapattah which is fast becoming the next sleeper neighborhood that’s’ going to join the same boom. And then you’ve got the world’s centre that’s housing Macy’s and the Bloomingdales. That’s also going to become the middle portion that’s going to connect the retail and Downtown Miami, of course is going through renascence as well.
James Fried: So, then Danny you are brokering deals in this market, watching evolve. Miami was a sleepy little redneck town when you got started making the clothing in the mid, in the early 60s there. What have you seen as the real biggest change in the Wynwood market?
Danny Zelonker: The people coming into Wynwood, both European and New York groups as an example on 22nd North Miami Avenue which used to be done on Chevrolet. There is a gentleman from Mexico that bought two acres, he is building in his D1 which is industrial zoning so he can go up 8 stories. The density would be 36 per acre, he is building these 3000 square foot condos, he is building 750 parking spots, he is building retail. So, its going to change the neighborhood.
James Fried: Yes, so it sounds to me like people with money and cars are going to be moving back into Wynwood.
Danny Zelonker: Lot of action in Wynwood. There is more people walking into Wynwood right now than Coral Gables.
James Fried: Really?
Isabel Fine: Yes.
James Fried: Now what are they looking to do more when they are walking around in Wynwood Isabel?
Isabel Fine: Well, the basic main streets are North West 2nd Avenue, North East Miami Court and North Miami Avenue. What they do is, they are going in, they are exploring, they are looking. Most of the landlords are only wanting to bring in tenants that have a very funky vibe. They don’t want a gap, they don’t want a traditional story. They want something that’s unique, they want to make it a very “Boutique-e” to attract the different shopper and just in the last year, what you see up and down North West Miami Avenue is unbelievable. It used to be spot busy but not anymore, its like its all taken up.
James Fried: So, that’s great. So, Danny what’s the next step that’s going to happen in Wynwood?
Danny Zelonker: Development and residential, we need some residential that people to shop, the prices are, rents are high, $35-40 for retail.
James Fried: That’s a lot of juice and coffee and ice-cream.
Danny Zelonker: A lot of burritos to pay rent.
James Fried: Exactly. So, Isabel, are the retailers making money there or is it a show piece for them still?
Isabel Fine: It started out as a show piece but now what we see is that a lot of those same retailers are trying to put together assemblages and the single family homes behind those main avenues are being bought up. You could’ve bought those little houses 5 years ago for $80,000. Now they are going for like $600,000.
James Fried: Yeah but you still can’t build a residential unit on one because of the Miami 21 zoning.
Isabel Fine: Well, that’s going to be changing. There is talk that they are going to change the Miami 21 and allow for higher density in those areas.
James Fried: So, they are basically going to make it like an overlay district, they way what they did to midtown FEC track, that became all those shops and condos.
Danny Zelonker: Correct. As a matter of fact, Goldman actually became a restaurant district where you don’t need the parking, the parking restricts for zoning. So, the first 28 restaurants to open up would get liquor licenses very simply and didn’t have the parking requirements. Those restaurants for the most parts are busy. Our house just opened up, there is a tiny restaurant opened up in North Miami and the 27th street which is wonderful. I mean there are 3-4 new restaurants that have opened up and they are all seemed to be doing business.
James Fried: Well, Danny if people want to get hold of you and Isabel, how do they find you, phone, Internet you know CCIM directory. Tell me?
Danny Zelonker: Every one of those ways Jim. www.RealMiamiCommercial.com. I am Danny@Real Miami Commercial, Isabel is Isabel@Real Commercial Miami. My cell is: 305-542-189, you can Google me, we are listed. Isabel, you can Google her, she’s been in the business for a long time.
James Fried: Well, Isabel, I am going to let you have a last word on this? Tell me what you think is going on and what is the future of Miami area in the midtown district?
Isabel Fine: I think the midtown district will continue to flourish with Craig Rob and all with his acquisitions and expansions; I think the Wynwood world will thrive as well. I think a lot of the retailers on Lincoln Road and on the beach that is so overpriced are going to start looking over the bridge and expanding and as those rates get impossible to deal with on Lincoln Road. You are going to see a lot of movement into the main line.
James Fried: Great. Listen, I want to thank CCIMs for bringing Danny Zelonker and Isabel Fine into our show today. The CCIMs continue to give us great sponsorship and great content. We love working with them and I know you guys will too. So, again thank you Danny, thank you Isabel and D, now you should be ready to go to break.
[Music Playing]
James Fried: Alright everybody, when you are looking to buy or lease a new car, you want to get every advantage you can. That’s why you have to check our Warren and Henry Land Rover, Range Rover, Infinity and Jaguar, they are all exceptional cars. They all come with a Warren and Henry advantage that means complementary dent repair, key replacement, first service and a personal assistance that you can call for anything, any time for four years. Always the best price, always the best service, always Warren and Henry.
James Fried: Alright, we are back and we’ve got a cook in here, we had Danny Zelonker and Isabel Fine and they were talking about Wynwood and you what they want in Wynwood? Young kids and action.
So, Dr. Schriner, they want you! So, we’ve got Dr. Brian Schriner on. Is that about right?
Dr. Brian Schriner: That’s perfect.
James Fried: OMG, I know. He is Dean of the FIU College of Architecture and the Arts, we call it CARTA. Under his leadership, the college’s mission to deploy the power of architecture and the arts to engage the global community to create, innovate and inspire solutions to social economic environmental problems. He is taking it to new heights, we are going to talk about the future of the film, animation and gaming industries in Miami. We might even talk a little bit about FIU. Dean, welcome to the show!
Dr. Brian Schriner: Thank you! It’s my pleasure to be here!
James Fried: Now remember, not bunch of the Yes’s and No’s. We practiced.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Promise.
James Fried: Alright, so Dean! Why don’t we start out with, what is CARTA?
Dr. Brian Schriner: CARTA is one of the most innovative colleges in the United States. It consists of seven independent academic units. 1) Architecture 2) Interior Architecture 3) Landscape Architecture 4) Theatre 5) Art 6) Art History and Communication Arts!
James Fried: Wow, it sounds like you have some pretty good fun. If you get those arrows point in the right direction, you might have something going in there.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly. We are the only college in the United States to combine the art, visual arts, performing arts, communication arts and design arts. Makes it pretty special.
James Fried: It sounds like you know. Somebody goes there, they pay the money and now you are in states school so they get instate tuition there from Florida right?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Correct.
James Fried: People come here from other places to go to.
Dr. Brian Schriner: They do! We have about 10% of our population actually comes form out the country.
James Fried: Whoa. That’s within your college or the university?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Within our college.
James Fried: OK. Now it sounds to me like, you are starting to graduate people and if I believe what I am going to read in the Miami Herald that usually does take a big leap but in this case, I believe it seems like the tech industry in South Florida hamstrung because they can’t get enough highly trained professionals and it sounds to me, like that’s a call to arms for you.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Right and what the college of architecture is all about is connecting with the community and finding ways to make sure that our students are career-ready not just job-ready but career-ready.
James Fried: OMG! Did you hear that guys? A man that finally said, careers not just jobs. Muah, I love you. Now, how do you help people get careers going here?
Dr. Brian Schriner: We make sure that the curriculum we offer them, partners with public-private partnerships, government, nonprofit, industry and that they are involved in the curriculum that we’re preparing the students for.
James Fried: So, people, they are going to be hiring and I am telling you, a kid needs to be able to doing this. Let me rephrase that, a graduate of your program needs to be able to do this, that or the other.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Correct and we want to make sure that as they are learning their profession, they have access to the profession while they are learning about the profession.
James Fried: Oh, what I thought that you are just going to give me just an absolute softball and tell me while they are doing that, they were also having fun.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Of course, they have fun. We actually have 16,000 sq ft. on Lincoln road where else you can study in the United States than in FIU on Lincoln Road.
James Fried: I don’t know, it sounds to me like you just answered your question. I guess, Dr. Cejas must be involved with you somehow.
Dr. Brian Schriner: He is, ambassador Paul Cejas through his generosity, we are now at 420 Lincoln Road since 2011 and that’s kind of an interesting story. When I became the Dean, I spoke with the fact, ask them what’s missing by being on the West, where hock we bring FIU to the East part of the county? I visited several different people around the county and ambassador said, I want you on Miami Beach.
James Fried: He sounds like a visionary, I know that the folks from the earlier segment of CCIMs were here, they were already pitching to come in to Wynwood.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly. We want to be there. The innovation lab..
James Fried: The prices went up, you are not in real estate that is for sure.
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs] Well we are looking for people to help us get there, let me rephrase that. [Laughs]
James Fried: There you go and I think I got the two right here with Danny and with Isabel. They are just saying, show them the money but I think they really what are going to do, is show me some energy because it sounds to me your CARTA campus brings unique energy that people are going to speaking to make places look for. Alright. So, now the degree from you is fundable, people can make money with it. Is that true?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Very true. In fact in the performance funding matrix that the state has now, one of the measures is, are your students graduating timely? And how much money do they make upon graduation?
James Fried: Now we tease this a little bit about what’s the future of film industry, the entertainment industry and the electronic gaming industry. Can you give us a little bit of insight into each one of those different silos?
Dr. Brian Schriner: I can, a little bit. What we are doing at FIU is, we are a big believer that our curriculum needs to be at the forefront of innovation and what we see is that going whether you taking BFA or MFA, which are two different degrees undergrad and grad.
James Fried: So, that’s a Bachelor in Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts for those of us who know our letters.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly.
James Fried: Alright, I am an academician.
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs] Alright. So, we offer both the Bachelors and the Masters and animations in Digital Arts. We also offer the Bachelors and Masters in Graphic Design.
James Fried: Whoa, now do I have to be like good with art and drawing with my hands or, this is electronics so its like Avatars and stuff. Right?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly. We want to make sure that when the students graduate, they have the design skills, technical skills but they also have the business skills. They also need to understand project management, story telling
James Fried: And how to make money with what they are doing?
Dr. Brian Schriner: We would hope so.
James Fried: Oh, I would more than hope so. This is what’s going to have to keep America at the forefront.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly.
James Fried: You know, we got this type of void in our community where we are trying to really bootstrap our way of being an apex of technology and it sounds to me your program is one of the hubs in the wheels.
Dr. Brian Schriner: I would agree. Let me add something, there is something called, an education, STEM education, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In the college of architecture and arts, we firmly believe that what’s missing from STEM Education is arts and design, it should be called STEEM Education because it’s the students of graduates ability to be innovative and creative in those disciplines that actually fuels the great of economy that is Miami’s economy today.
James Fried: I am going to take time out and really be cheesy and say, you need to go for STEEM, ahead with that.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Thank you very much.
James Fried: [Laughs]
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs]
James Fried: Now, Dr, what are some of the initiatives coming up that we can look forward to, coming out of CARTA as you continue to build and expand this touched-on program.
Dr. Brian Schriner: The College’s strategic plan for 2015-2020 has three basic principles. The basic principles are making sure that our students are career ready as I mentioned before. That means partnering with people so all the initiatives that we have with internships, we just launched a new internship program with Royal Caribbean Cruise line and they build a beautiful facility at our Biscayne Bay Campus; rehearsal, performance and production facility where performing arts students can work and practice. Other initiative in CRTA 2020 is making sure that these innovations labs that we started on Miami Beach or looking to create those innovations labs throughout Miami.
James Fried: What’s in an innovation lab?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Innovation Lab is where we do things differently than we can do on campus. So we are all about being interdisciplinary. So its where architects get to work with musicians, get to work with performing arts students. One of the things we will launch on the Miami Beach Campus is the 3D printing, make about a 3D printing lab. This is where students in design or in music can sit down and work with a 3D printer.
James Fried: That’s like the unicorn to me. Could you really like, do a pen and stuff like that?
Dr. Brian Schriner: We could, we could.
James Fried: How about a person, not yet right?
Dr, Schriner: We’d tell you if we could.
James Fried: R2D2. You got that defense departments while I going in there. Your evil guy back there, doing that strange defense department consulting.
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs]
James Fried: Now what are some of the innovations that we are going to see coming out of there? That’s what I want to know.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Alright.
James Fried: Tell me the coolest project one of your students is working on?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Um…
James Fried: Take your time, bababababababababababa….
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs]
James Fried: Come one
[Cross Conversation]
James Fried: Something really cool.
Dr. Brian Schriner: If it’s the coolest but I can tell you one of the things we are working on.
James Fried: Four nerdy people here, so its got to be cool to us.
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laugh]
James Fried: Oh wait. Isabel, you are nor nerdy and you are very lovely.
Dr. Brian Schriner: One of the things I think is pretty cool is, living in South Florida, we’d been very concerned about climate change.
James Fried: Oh, yeah.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly. The college of architecture and arts, we believe as the forefront of the adaptations strategies.
James Fried: When I asked one of my clients, what they were doing to adapt their waterfront condo to climate change, you know what they said? “Another layer of parking”
Dr. Brian Schriner: There you go. [Laughs]
James Fried: Actually a floor of parking, I said it wrong. Sounded like, I didn’t know real estate well. So, what are the some of the adaptive uses you see people come up with?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Oh, we just had two professors who had an exhibition at the Coral Gables Museum called Miami 2100: The Next Century, and there they looked at what would happen if this sea rose and what would happen to Miami?
James Fried: OK, hold it right there. We’ve got to go to a break. Can you stick around and do one more signature, her traffic stinks out there?
Dr. Brian Schriner: I’d be happy to.
James Fried: OK. We are going to talk about adapting to sea-level rise in South Florida after this, D! Its all yours but make sure you brings us back.
[Music Playing]
James Fried: Alright, we are going to talk about climate change but before we get to that, we are going to talk about cars. When you are looking to buy or lease a new car, you want to get every advantage you can. That’s why you have to check our Warren and Henry Land Rover, Range Rover, Infinity and Jaguar, they are all exceptional cars. They all come with a Warren and Henry advantage that means complementary dent repair, key replacement, first service and a personal assistance that you can call for anything, any time for four years. Always the best price, always the best service, always Warren and Henry.
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[Song Playing]
We are back, we are rocking, we are rolling, we are giggling. I think Isabel wants to come back and be the audience another time. I promise I will keep brining you potential tenants. Alright, we are back and we are back with Dr. Brian Schriner, he is the dean of the FIU college of the architecture and the arts, CARTA. We are going to talk a little bit about what he sees as being needed to improve some designs with architecture in South Florida at least some of his students might be coming up with. Welcome back Dr. Schriner!
Dr. Brian Schriner: Pleasure!
James Fried: Is that a Yes or No?
Dr. Brian Schriner: It’s a Yes. [Laughs]
James Fried: [Laughs] I certainly hope your wife is listening and she gives you nothing but the worst time tonight about how mean you were to the radio host.
Dr. Brian Schriner: I apologize.
James Fried: OK, its accepted.
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs]
James Fried: I think Isabel is loving this. Isabel wants to do a deal, she is laughing at your stuff. Now, Dr. you know sea-level is rising, I see it all the time from my waterfront place. The days where the water is coming over the seawall are becoming more and more frequent not just at high tide, its not just on the full moon and as I said in the earlier segment, some people think that the solution is building another floor in their parking. I think we need a little bit more focus than just the, what are some of your students telling you what they re coming up with?
Dr. Brian Schriner: I think this is the perfect example of why FIU was critical to this community.
James Fried: Bingo.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly. As the only public research university in Miami.
James Fried: Waterfront.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly. From seashore to sour grass because we are on Biscayne Bay all the way out to the everglades.
James Fried: From sea to soggy sour grass.
Dr. Brian Schriner: No! From seashore to sour grass [Laughs]
James Fried: [Laughs]
Dr. Brian Schriner: And we are the University of the Community, by the community, for the community. We have over 200,000 alumni’s that live here and work here in South Florida. So, the issue of sea-level rising, climate change is especially pertinent to what’s happening at the FIU in this community and it’s a perfect example to STEM to STEEM. It the signs, the climate change signs with the adaptations strategy.
James Fried: And also you can create a solution that’s rather elegant but effective I would imagine.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Yes.
James Fried: Now, some people are saying plumbing of South Beach really helped out but it creates an incredible affluent, I saw big couple of weeks ago, again more runoff going into the Bay. We need to come up with some solutions for this.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly and that’s kind of what is important about having a major university in South Florida like FIU because FIU is that solution centre for this community. I don’t have the solution yet but I can tell you that people working in FIU are working on that solution.
James Fried: YES! [Says very loudly]
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs]
James Fried: [Laughs] Now Dr. we only got a couple of minutes left here with you because I know you got to get back in traffic to make that wonderful trip home and I by the way before you go, I really feel for anybody in the car right now. It’ll be taken out on me in 25 minutes but please everybody, lets calm down, it’s a first really sunny hot evening out there. So, lets just relax.. Its kind of crazy, the person just cut you off, just kind of laugh like Dr. Schriner and I doing here. Isabel can’t just stop, she is cracking up. Danny! Did she like this in the office? All the time, I am hearing. Your husband is a lucky guy. Now Dean what are some of the things that really attracts the students to the FIU campus in general in your program in specific?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Thank you.
James Fried: You are welcome.
[Cross Conversation]
Dr. Brian Schriner: Think about this, you have the opportunity to study in nationally ranked programs in one of the most creative places in the United States.
James Fried: 100% I would say internationally recognized in one of the most creative places.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly.
James Fried: And its not just making the next Pink Flamingo.
Dr. Brian Schriner: And when graduate, you’re career ready and the tuition is one of the lowest in the country.
James Fried: So, what that really means is that payoff ratio or whatever you want to call it is enormous.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Return on investment is enormous.
James Fried: Thank you. You know I got an MBA and I couldn’t even think of that.
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs]
James Fried: [Laughs] Now, we are kind of laughing our way through this but it really is some serious stuff, what prompted You, Dr. Rosenberg, the rest of the faculty over there to come up with what is a very creative approach to architecture and the arts. How did this all come about?
Dr. Brian Schriner: It actually was Rosenberg when he was the provost who came up with the idea of merging this school of architecture with performing arts, visual arts and communication arts.
James Fried: So, he actually is a visionary. Its not just something he puts on his business card.
Dr, Schriner: No, most definitely and what happened was the thread of all those disciplines is creativity and if they would ask to use that framework to create interdisciplinary programs to hire 30 new faculty members to the college and very very quickly we become nationally ranked in these discipline.
James Fried: Well, it sounds to me like somebody can come in and its almost like a candy-store over there with a kind of fun things that people can do and learn and still make money. I mean, it sounds like I am making an ad for the CARTA here. Our Dean is smiling, he is laughing. You are supposed to say “Yes”.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Yes. [Laughs]
James Fried: OK, thank you. [Laughs]
Dr. Brian Schriner: You are welcome.
James Fried: She just can’t stop laughing, you got to bring her more often Danny. I wish it was on TV. So, we’ve talked about what are some of the exciting things that your students are doing. Lets talk about some of the classes. What are some of the classes that these students take? They better have interesting titles.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Umm, let me give you the degrees. The degrees are impressive. We have 9 graduate degrees in the college
James Fried: OK, no LMNO please. I got to know what really is.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Right, you can get a Masters in architecture, Masters in Interior architecture, Masters in Landscape architecture, Masters in Music, Theatre, Communication Arts, Art History.
James Fried: That’s really cool. Sounds like it really is a place for things to come together.
Dr. Brian Schriner: You know, I have the most exciting jobs in the country.
James Fried: It sounds like, a lot of people are looking for ways to express themselves and sometimes you know the theatric part is actually very important because a lot of the designs going to have these impacts on people and that’s.. Am I getting there?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Exactly. Think about today’s music productions. They are not just music, they incorporate videos, scenic design, costuming, animation. The college has all those majors in one place.
James Fried: I think Isabel wants to leash you a beautiful thing over in the old, we were talking the meatpacking district. How about the free trades you got over there. You know all these, she just keeps on nodding, get that woman a neck. She just keeps on nodding, she knows you know. I got a feeling that she’s got just the deal under you. See, because she is CCIM, she’s got the numbers to back it up.
Dr. Brian Schriner: Wonderful.
James Fried: No, what if somebody is a business student, they graduated, undergraduate in business. Is there a place for them in your program as an upper division, graduate student?
Dr. Brian Schriner: It depends on what major they want to go into? If business degree prepared them, if they want to become an architect, it would take them 3 years to become an architect. They have to go back and take some basic design classes, then be 2 years after that. If they want to go into music, depends on whether they had musical talent or not. We do have a Masters in Music Business degree to go into.
James Fried: Really?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Yeah.
James Fried: Is that right by criteria studios, North campus. So, there will be a bit of fusion there on.
Dr. Brian Schriner: There you go.
James Fried: Fusion, I love that. Fusion is what your programs are.
Dr. Brian Schriner: OK.
James Fried: Alright?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Yes.
James Fried: So, thank you. I was looking for a “Yes”
Dr. Brian Schriner: [Laughs]
James Fried: Thank you. Now we talked about before of course I am so short minded here because I’ve got Isabel smiling and laughing. I can’t focus on anything else except my lovely wife, I love you dear, hope you are doing OK. So, what is it that is the real takeaway that you want to have people take from this?
Dr. Brian Schriner: What I want people to understand is that the college for architecture and arts is unique not just in the South Florida but in the entire nation. What we are doing is innovative and exciting and we really have Dr. Rosenberg our president who is the force behind starting the college but also picking up with what he wants to do in this community and is asking us to become a solutions centre.
James Fried: Alright, well we are running out of time for this segment. I am hoping that you will come back, I want to thank Judy who is the person, Judy Holmes, that brought us together. She is top of the line, she is an innovator.
Dr. Brian Schriner: She is.
James Fried: She is an innovator, I met her when I was hosting Social Media Miami day last year. She told me that she had this awesome thing that she needed to tell me about and then she started sending me the info we’ve been working for months to get you on. I am really glad that we got you on, if somebody wants to learn more about your program, where they go, how do they do it?
Dr. Brian Schriner: Very simple, carta.fiu.edu
James Fried: That’s great. It’s good you can be reached on the Internet. That’s one of the technology things you are teaching them. Alright-y D, this is all yours. We are going to be back after this. I am going to go over some of the things that I saw at UF, at UF real state conference. Why was it important to me? And why I give time to help mentor young people. We’ll be back after this and hey, it’s great stuff stick with us.
[Music Playing]
James Fried: I’ll tell you what didn’t come easy was getting them all out of studio. My GOD, they were sitting here and taking and making deals and taking photos and waving and laughing and telling me about hotels but that’s great. I love it when mix it up and do good things here at FriedOnBusiness. You know it’s always good business to give your customers what they want. The Warren and Henry family awarded dealerships, you know; Land Rovers, Infinity and Jaguar. That’s why they always give their customers more. When I leased my Infinities from them, I leased a bunch. I knew I was getting the best price because they guaranteed it. Their best price guarantees part of a package of benefits, we call it the Warren and Henry advantage. You get complementary dent repair, key replacement, first service even get a personal assistant that you can call for anything, anytime for all year. So, If you buy or lease a new Land Rover, Range, Rover, Infinity or Jaguar from Warren and Henry or even if you lease or rather buy one of their pre-owned cars, you’ll get the Warren and Henry advantage too and the exceptional service they deliver. You’ll see why they are in business for over 35 years. Always the best rice, always the best service, always Warren and Henry.
[Commercial break]
James Fried: Alright we are back and as I promised, I am going to talk a little bit about what happened up at the UF conference last week when we broadcast live, it was tough to hear a lot of the things people were saying and then I also want to talk about why I feel its important to mentor young people like I do for the University of Florida and other schools and university down here. You heard me talking about FIU, we do it also for UM, if somebody’s got a young person that they need to be mentored in real estate or business, I am more than to be happy to sit and speak with them at any time. But what we did up at the University of Florida, centre of real estate studies conference, Bergstrom centre of conference this year was. We talked about alternative investment strategies for real estate and if you listen to the show and you fan of the show. You know that most if not all the people on the event, on that stage with me also regulars on the show. Although we had Nathan Rachel from Wynwood Real Estate, we can’t talk much about what he does because he is my wholesaler in selling Wynwood products which were called Delaware Statutory Trust. That’s it, I am not going to talk anymore about that because we are not fit to talk about that. Then we also had Tom Handler, Tom Handler’s been on the show a number of times, he talked about family office, “Oh, you had such a good time, you had a comeback Dean” He’s cracked it, I loved you. You know that, don’t you? You were terrific, your dry sense of humor, I hope your wife appreciates that. Awe. You didn’t say “Hello”, she’s going to kill you. What’s your name? Camilla! There, now he gave you the HI5, get out of here, I got a show to do! You are welcome Dean!
Anyway, so! Where was I? I can’t remember but it doesn’t matter. He is such a terrific guy, I had such a good time in rest of the CCIMs. So, I was up at the University of Florida, we’ve talked with Tom Handler, Tom and I talked about family office, he gave this great talk. In fact if somebody wants to see some of this information, he gave a great handout. You can email me at “Jim@friedonbusiness” and I’ll be happy to send you a copy of Tom’s information. We also had folks, talking about CrowdFunding which is really cool and its important to know, CrowdFunding couple of years ago was just crazy nickels and dimes, just a real thing now. The guy from Silver Portal, Rob Lee from Silver Portal talked about Silverportal.com and they are institutional CrowdFunding platform for credit investors in institutions. The story that I told on the show that I think is very important is that everybody knows is that we are equity investors in our day-job here. Somebody came to us from out of town, they came and met with us, they asked if we were to equity invest? We said, we would consider, they said they were going go down on Brickell and talk to the usual suspects about raising equity money and I thought they were talking about guys we knew. They were talking about CrowdFunding, they went out and met with EarlyShares and by the way we are going to have EarlyShares on the show in few weeks and we talked about how they are creating institutional CrowdFunding platforms as well. But what this group did was, we didn’t give them the money, 3 years day later I got a teaser from EarlyShares that they were helping them CrowdFund for equity. So I ask one of my friends who is Bank Regal, will you allow crowdfunded equity? He said, sure. Its just indication and as long as it is treated like other equity, another its gone if you don’t pay your money then sure we will treat it like just any other equity and scrape it if you don’t pay us back.
So, CrowdFunding was cool, the whole of it was great but the best part of the event for me was the Students because I go to get back to the students, when I was a student at the University of Florida, there were very few real estate programs, very few professional real estate practitioners and I was blessed that Kelly Bergstrom hired me as the summer intern in Chicago. I still to this day can’t thank Kelly enough and those days in Chicago were just incredible. They helped me build my base and experience things in life and so that gift that Kelly gave me, I am involved and I pay for it because of what he gave to me, I want to give it to the next generation. I sat back and counted, that must’ve helped at least 10-15 people get careers not jobs, you heard the Dean from FIU talk about careers not jobs, HI5 to him. We are all about careers then the people with careers will hire the people for jobs and you know it was very important to me to get involved with that. So, I have been involved for about 15 years, when financially able, my Wife and I always give scholarship money in addition to our dues in the general scholarship facts. In fact we’ve had couple of different folks get big scholarships from us, I am not tooting my own horn. I am encouraging you to do the same, call your university, see how you can get involved with the college that you were at. Give a donation because I’ve got to tell you the solutions for today’s problems are going to come from those young people that needs your help and its important to do that. Give some time, give some guidance, give a little money, give what you can but the most important thing is to give back somehow. Pay it forward, pay it forward, you know it’s a term you hear a lot but its something I really believe in and I’ve got to take a moment here to thank my wife because without her backing I couldn’t give the time and the money to the university that I do to help them continue to build their real estate program. Dean, I am preaching, how much time I’ve got left. Oh my gosh, I’ve got plenty of time so I went up there, I networked, I met great people, there were people up there, senior executives looking for career opportunities. There were senior investors looking for investment advice, there were young people looking for next like up, I am their career but the most terrific person perhaps was our friend on the show, Bruce Turkel and Bruce will be back in a couple of weeks and will be talking more about branding, Bruce gave his talk about the 7 things that people can do for branding and it is just amazing to watch Bruce in person in live giving his talk. If you ever get a chance to watch Bruce, I am going to say this way. Perform you better do it because not only does he talk about the branding tips and he lives them and demonstrates them. I am thrilled to have him on the show all the time helping us with our branding tips. Make sure you tune in next week 5-6, we are going to have more great business talk for you and I want to thank everybody involved in the show. I want to thank the Dean from FIU today who gave a hi5 to President Rosenberg, your Dean did great.
I want to thank the Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies, the University of Miami, Health System and Health Center, we call them UHealth. Of course I want to thank the CCIMs for our great guest. I mean Danny, Danny is one thing but I am telling you that this Isabel Fine, she was here trying to pitch the Dean on doing the deal and she was just awesome. She couldn’t even leave without picturing me that she’d come back on the show. That woman is coming back for no other reason, she’s got gumption. The NFL Alumni Association, the Miami Marlins, Lauren’s kids, Social Media 305, Kind Snacks, Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies.
The person I really want to thank is you, the person that is listening. Please go to our Facebook page, like our show, tell your friends because without you there is no show. Join our community, give us feedback and comments, tell us who you want to hear from. Add Jim Fried, add FriedOnBusiness on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. Website keeps getting more and more hits so join us there. If you missed today’s show, it will be up on the website www.FriedOnBusiness.com.
This is Jim Fried from FriedOnBusiness, look for us next week at 880 AM, we are going to have a smoking great show. I promise, remember this is not a rehearsal, this is your life. Person who wants to do something, finds a way, the other finds an excuse. Now go out there and make it HAPPEN!
