Allen Morris Co. has moved forward with a three-way public-private effort to overhaul Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park in Coral Gables, a long-planned civic space at the center of one of the city’s most visible commercial corridors. The project is being funded by Allen Morris Co., the City of Coral Gables and Agave Holdings, owner of The Plaza Coral Gables, with a total budget of more than $10 million.
The initiative is more than a landscaping refresh. Plans call for a redesigned park, a new cultural focus and related streetscape and infrastructure improvements intended to strengthen the pedestrian experience around Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Almeria Avenue. Allen Morris Co. said it will also guarantee any cost overruns beyond the committed funding, a sign of how closely the company is tied to the project’s delivery.
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The upgrade is positioned as a major reinvestment in one of Coral Gables’ oldest public spaces, with city officials framing it as part of the broader effort to improve downtown open space and walkability. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2027, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2028.
| Project Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Project | Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park redesign and cultural reactivation |
| Location | 2810 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables |
| Lead Development Manager | Allen Morris Co. |
| Public / Private Partners | City of Coral Gables and Agave Holdings |
| Project Budget | More than $10 million |
| Planned Start | January 2027 |
| Expected Completion | First quarter of 2028 |
What the Ponce Circle Park project includes
The redesign centers on a reimagined public realm that blends park space, art and programmed civic use. A key feature will be Puffed and Inverted Star II, a polished aluminum sculpture by Frank Stella that will be installed in a reflecting pool at the north end of the park. The City of Coral Gables acquired the work following a recommendation from the Cultural Development Board.
Stella, who died in May 2024 at age 87, was one of the most influential artists of his generation. The installation of the sculpture is expected to give the park a defined visual anchor while also adding an arts component to the downtown landscape. The city described the piece as a centerpiece for the renewed site.
The park itself has deep historical roots. Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park has served as a civic gathering place since Coral Gables was developed in the 1920s under founder George Merrick. The site was originally designed by landscape architect William Lyman Phillips, and the current project is described as the most comprehensive reimagining of the park in its history.
Design team and landscape approach
The architecture and landscape vision for the park is being led by Maria de la Guardia of de la Guardia Victoria Architects & Urbanists, a Coral Gables firm known for context-sensitive work. The firm is partnering with Andres Arcila of Naturalficial on the redesign.
Planting design is being developed in coordination with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, with an emphasis on resilience, biodiversity and species that are appropriate for South Florida’s climate. That approach reflects a growing trend in public-realm projects across the region: using native and regionally adapted plantings to reduce maintenance demands while improving ecological performance.
Public art, landscape design and civic programming are being used together to reposition the park as more than a pass-through space. The project team has said the goal is to create a setting that supports daily use while accommodating larger community events and cultural activities.
Streetscape and infrastructure upgrades beyond the park boundaries
In addition to the park redesign, the project includes coordinated improvements along nearby roadways, extending the impact of the investment beyond the park’s edges. Planned work includes enhanced pedestrian crossings, raised crosswalks, speed tables and a new stormwater drainage system along Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Almeria Avenue to University Drive.
Those changes are aimed at improving safety, connectivity and walkability in a district that already functions as a key connector between downtown Coral Gables and surrounding commercial uses. By tying the park to adjacent streetscape work, the city and its private partners are looking to create a more unified civic corridor rather than an isolated green space.
For Coral Gables, the transportation and drainage elements are as important as the aesthetic ones. Walkability has long been part of the city’s planning identity, and the inclusion of raised crossings and drainage upgrades suggests the park project is being treated as both an amenity improvement and an infrastructure exercise.
The Odeon will serve as a new cultural venue
At the center of the redesigned park will be The Odeon, an open-air performance structure intended to host concerts, theatrical productions, civic events, fitness classes and other cultural gatherings throughout the year. When not in use for programming, the structure will function as flexible public seating.
That dual-purpose design is meant to keep the park active throughout the day and evening, supporting regular use rather than limiting the space to special events. In a dense downtown environment such as Coral Gables, the ability of a public space to accommodate everyday seating as well as scheduled programming is often central to its long-term success.
The park revamp arrives as Coral Gables continues to evolve as one of South Florida’s most established mixed-use markets, where office, retail, residential and civic investments often overlap within a compact urban grid. The visibility of Ponce Circle makes the project especially significant, since the park sits near some of the city’s most recognizable destinations.
Project leadership and timeline
Allen Morris Co. is serving as development manager for the project, overseeing design, permitting and construction through completion. The Coral Gables City Commission has unanimously approved the plan, and a Development Management Agreement has been executed among the parties.
That approval clears the way for the next phase of work before construction begins in January 2027. With completion anticipated in the first quarter of 2028, the park’s transformation will unfold alongside other changes in the surrounding district, including the continued evolution of projects connected to the Allen Morris platform in Coral Gables.
The company’s involvement also underscores the broader role private developers increasingly play in civic-realm enhancements across South Florida. In this case, the arrangement links a public park, a major private developer and an adjacent property owner in a single capital program designed to shape the look and function of a key downtown space.
Why the Ponce Circle Park upgrade matters in Coral Gables
Public-space investments are often a bellwether for broader neighborhood confidence, particularly in cities like Coral Gables where urban design, heritage and commercial vitality are closely intertwined. The Ponce Circle Park project blends those themes by combining preservation of a historic civic site with a modernized design, art installation and streetscape improvements.
For nearby residents, office users and visitors, the result could be a more activated public space with better pedestrian access and more consistent programming. For Coral Gables, the project also reinforces the city’s long-running emphasis on polished urban form and carefully designed open space.
As planned, the park will not just be refurbished. It will be reintroduced as a cultural and civic anchor, with a new layer of public art, a venue for performances and events, and upgraded pedestrian connections tying it more closely to the surrounding downtown fabric.
