Metropica, currently under construction in Broward County, FL, is changing the way multi-use communities are being developed. Haute Residence hosted a special real estate webinar with the minds behind the South Florida development.
They are:
- Joseph Kavana, CEO & Founder of K Group Holdings, Inc. and Developer of Metropica
- John Hitchcox, Founder and Chairman of YOO
- Chad Oppenheim, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Founder of Miami-based Oppenheim Architecture + Design
They were hosted by Haute Living's April Donelson. The dialogue went into detail about the upscale living to be found at Metropica, as well as the panelists' experiences, both personally and professionally, as they adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch the webinar below.
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Photo Credit: Courtesy of Metropica Development LLC
Highlight quotes from the webinar:
Joseph Kavana:
"We were able to get our TCO [during the pandemic] because we have an excellent team.
We have emerged very strongly [from the pandemic] because the type of product that we have created is the best alternative.
Chad was able to interpret our vision like very few could. Metropica represents what a building should be in the future.
The level of amenities is more sophisticated every day. A building has to show that it has everything so you don't have to go anywhere else.
I believe that the concept of having a lot of open spaces and great insulation in the walls of the buildings are things that we have applied at Metropica.
It's a community of the future because you own your time again.
The three pillars of Metropica are nature, wellness, and happiness.
We wanted to bring an iconic building to the West End of Broward and we have done that. It’s iconic and emblematic. We also wanted to show the consumer the magnificent 360-degree views you can have throughout the entire building…and we achieved that tenfold.
In Metropica, you are going to be able to go to dinner with friends, go to work, have fun. It’s the community of the future because it offers you the opportunity to have it all in one place…within a suburban setting. The best of all worlds.
We created a product with a lot of open spaces and is a great alternative to people who don’t want to live in a single family home. We have to think in terms of more open spaces and proper social distancing. We are considering in different buildings [our next buildings] things like touchless elevators.
[Metropica] is all about the amenities. It’s incredible. You have state of the state of the art gym, spa, movie theatre, kid’s playroom, pet spa. You don’t have to get in your car and go somewhere and waste time.
The concept of having lots of open spaces and insulation so you don’t hear noises…it’s like you’re living in a single family home and not an apartment.”
John Hitchcox:
"There are two colliding forces going on in modernization. For 20 years, I have traveled around the world talking about the momentum of people moving into cities. We are now talking, within a space of four months, about people moving out of cities.
The perception of working at home will significantly change. We were talking about it 20 years ago, now it's a real possibility and people are doing it.
Co-working is here to stay. The flexibility of an office is more pronounced today. There will be more co-working and co-living. This type of project is an extension of that.
Management is accepting that work can be done without tying someone to their desk to measure output. The home has become the center of life – not just one of the spaces you enjoy infrequently.
What we can do is look at technology and see what can help us in this time. I think there is going to be these two forces… that we want to be social animals but also we have to adapt to the living culture.
Humanity was ready for a pause. It’s been good for humanity to focus more on the home and family.
You don’t need to be in the ocean or in the downtown to live in a luxury building like Metropica.”
Chad Oppenheim:
"There is inherently a great opportunity to really bring people into nature and celebrate that.
People are starting to find ways to reengage in the suburbs.
To create this lifestyle inside and out with all the different amenities has been a wonderful opportunity.
The Everglades [which Metropica faces] is a magical place, its serenity and flora and fauna; it is a romanticized asset.
The concept of the facade was set forth for gardens to be grown by the individual residences. The outdoor spaces are an opportunity for people to grow their own food, flowers, and connect to nature.
Have a vision, and have the passion and the resilience to execute that vision.
Home has become the center of life. A seismic, dramatic change.
Our concept for this became the ultimate project, the beauty that is to live in South Florida. It’s wonderful to build a community that integrates all these aspects…all coexisting with nature.
Metropica is at the west end of South Florida -- and it’s really about urbanizing the suburbs. The suburbs have become much more developed and sophisticated, and technology has facilitated this. Metropica is ahead of that trend. At its core, it’s about having a great quality of life.
We’re about creating the best life for people who inhabit the project. Joseph envisions…and we create. This idea of enhancing life…it could not be more important than it is today. Metropica brings together all these elements in one place.
Something I say often in my lectures, which I hope will resonate -- not only among current students, but future generations -- is to have the ability to visualize a better future…and have the passion and resiliency to execute it. It’s really about sticking to your dreams, being passionate about what’s important to you, and not giving up no matter what adversities you face.”
To watch more webinars curated by Haute Residence, visit www.hauteresidence.com.
John Hitchcox, Joseph Kavana, Chad Oppenheim
