As part of the redevelopment of the historic Liberty Square, Miami-Dade County and Related Urban, the affordable housing arm of Related Group, are set to kick off a first of its kind artist in residence program. The initiative will provide artists with discounted homes and studio space directly within the reimagined Liberty Square, in exchange for their involvement in local art exhibitions and educational sessions for Liberty City residents.

“Through this unprecedented partnership, we’re not only giving local creatives an affordable place to live and work, but also creating a unique opportunity to highlight artwork that is truly indicative and evocative of an underrepresented and often misunderstood community,” said Michael Liu, Director of Miami-Dade County’s Public Housing and Community Development Department.

Miami-Dade County and Related Urban have set aside three units at Liberty Square specifically for participating artists, including one four-bedroom/two-bath apartment and two two-bedroom/one-bath units. Rent will be discounted, with artists in residence paying well below market rate.

“We are making history through this program,” said Albert Milo, President  of Related Urban. “Our artists in residence will serve as the voice of our community, telling the story of the South’s oldest public housing development, built for African Americans in the 1930’s, and further documenting its transformation and rise. This is a program we hope is replicated across the nation.”

To commemorate the new program, local artist Addonis Parker will be opening his latest and final exhibit at the Historic Liberty Square Community Center. Titled “Where We Stand,” the exhibit encompasses a positive but spiritual view of the Black community’s silent protest. The grand opening will take place on the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 30.

“Countless times, artists in our community used art as therapy to rehabilitate our dreams because of broken promises,” said Parker. “To understand our plight, you must live through the fight. Our forefathers and mothers sacrificed so much to help us get where we are. As such, we must present a united front and chart a new path forward.”

Attending Media RSVP to Mackenzie Martin at relatedgroup@antennagroup.com

WHEN:

The Grand Opening of “Where We Stand” will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Media tours and interviews available upon request.

WHERE:

1310 NW 67th St., Miami, FL 33147

WHO:

VIPs in attendance will include:

• Albert Milo, President, Related Urban

• Michael Liu, Director of Public Housing, Miami-Dade PHCD

• Addonis Parker, Fine Art Painter and Muralist

MORE DETAILS:

About Liberty Square:

First built in the 1930s, Liberty Square is among the oldest and largest public housing developments in the southeastern United States. Originally made up of a total of 709 public housing units, the ground-up renovation marks the first large-scale implementation of a mixed-income, mixed-use format in South Florida and incorporates residential units across a variety of price points — including public, affordable, workforce and market-rate — as well as diverse retailers and numerous community-focused amenities. Through this novel approach, the new Liberty Square is attracting residents across the economic spectrum and helping bring new opportunities to Liberty City’s local economy.

Once complete, the new Liberty Square will span more than 60 acres and include more than 1,455 public, affordable and market-rate units, as well as a variety of community amenities. This includes recent renovations to the historic Liberty Square Community Center, a new educational campus, healthcare facilities, a national grocer, ample green spaces and more.

About Related Urban:
Related Urban — the affordable housing arm of development powerhouse Related Group, is dedicated to providing equitable and high-quality housing solutions, communities can feel proud of. Led by industry luminaries Jorge M. Pérez and Albert Milo, RUDG consistently delivers projects that not only far exceed expectations, but also revitalize entire communities through a variety of economic growth initiatives, public art installations, ongoing educational programs and more.

Focused primarily on serving the State of Florida’s most underprivileged residents, including at-need families and fixed-income seniors, RUDG has developed, rehabilitated and managed well over 10,000 public, affordable and workforce units since being founded in 2009. The team is currently overseeing 20 projects throughout South and Central Florida, making RUDG one of the state’s leading workforce housing developers.

Notable projects include the 1,455-unit, mixed-income Liberty Square, developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Miami-Dade County; the River Parc 2,500-unit mixed-income mixed-use redevelopment of 23 acres on the Miami River; Tampa Bays’ 1,600-unit West River development, developed in partnership with the Tampa Housing Authority; a new 465-unit affordable and workforce housing development, Gallery at West Brickell  in partnership with Miami-Dade County and several other transformative projects.