Coral Gables is preparing a major renewal of Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park through a public-private partnership involving the city, Allen Morris Company and Agave Holdings. The more than $10 million initiative will reshape the historic gathering place with new cultural programming, public art, landscape improvements and safer pedestrian connections nearby.
Key takeaways
The proposal combines park redesign with upgrades to surrounding streets, with construction scheduled to start in January 2027.
- Funding comes from the City of Coral Gables, Allen Morris Company and Agave Holdings.
- Allen Morris Company will manage development and cover cost overruns beyond the committed amounts.
- Plans include a Frank Stella sculpture, an open-air performance space and pedestrian-safety improvements.
- Completion is anticipated in the first quarter of 2028.
A three-way partnership for a civic landmark
Allen Morris Company announced the partnership with the city and Agave Holdings, owner of The Plaza Coral Gables. The project’s budget exceeds $10 million, and Allen Morris will serve as development manager, overseeing design, permitting and construction. The company has also agreed to guarantee costs above the partners’ committed contributions.
The Coral Gables City Commission unanimously approved the project, and the parties have executed a development management agreement. Mayor Vince Lago described the park renewal as part of the city’s broader effort to improve public spaces and downtown quality of life.
Art and performance at the center of the redesign
A focal point will be Puffed and Inverted Star II, a monumental polished-aluminum sculpture by artist Frank Stella. The city acquired the work following a recommendation from its Cultural Development Board. Plans call for it to be installed in a reflecting pool at the park’s north end. Stella died in 2024, making the installation a posthumous presentation of one of his final large-scale works.
The redesigned park will also include the Odeon, an open-air structure intended for concerts, theater, civic events, exercise classes and other cultural gatherings. When no event is taking place, the structure is planned to provide flexible public seating.
A historic space with new connections
At 2810 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Ponce Circle Park has served as a civic gathering place since Coral Gables’ early development in the 1920s. Its original design was by landscape architect William Lyman Phillips. The current proposal is described as the most comprehensive reimagining of the park in its history.
The design team is led by Maria de la Guardia of de la Guardia Victoria Architects & Urbanists, working with Andres Arcila of Naturalficial. Planting plans are being developed with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, with an emphasis on resilient, diverse and regionally suited greenery.
Beyond the park itself, the work includes streetscape and infrastructure improvements along Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Almeria Avenue to University Drive. Plans include raised crosswalks, improved pedestrian crossings, speed tables and a new stormwater drainage system, intended to make the surrounding corridor safer and more accessible.