Origins: The Soul, Light, and Spirit of Miami

Meet the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA

Up close and personal with SEOPW CRA Executive Director Cornelius Shiver. Learn about the mission and vision for transforming Southeast Overtown and Park West neighborhoods

Small Business Development in Overtown

The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency continues to invest in economic development and small businesses. From COVID-19 emergency grant funding to CRA Construction grants, small businesses remain at the heart of the SEOPW CRA’s community empowerment initiatives. On this episode host, City of Miami Commissioner Jeffrey Watson, spotlights the expansion of the SEOPW CRA’s latest small business construction grants awarded to two businesses in the redevelopment area. The former owners of Copper Door Bed & Breakfast, Jamila West and Akino West, will embark on an exciting new business venture for their new café and bar concept called Negra Y Fuerte. The café and bar will be located on the ground floor of the Soleste Grand Central located at 218 NW 8th Street in the Overtown redevelopment area. Additionally, Overtown staple Lil Greenhouse Grill restaurant, which recently received national recognition by Oprah Winfrey and several local awards, will expand to the ground floor of Lyric Point, a freestanding retail and office space located at 101 NW 8th Street in the redevelopment area.  Lil Greenhouse Grill, currently located at 1300 NW 3rd Avenue, is a soul-food restaurant owned and operated by Overtown resident Chef Karim Bryant who has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, and Nicole Gates. Chef Bryant previously operated a mobile restaurant located in Overtown, and he also managed the Theodore Gibson Park Concession Grill. Lil Greenhouse restaurant Co-owner Nicole Gates shares insight on what the community can expect to see with the new expansion.

The Future of Tourism/Hospitality Industry in Overtown

The Southeast Overtown/Park West  Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA) is excited to welcome Miami Spice to historic Overtown and continue the SEOPW CRA’s economic development marketing efforts to position Overtown as a South Florida culture and entertainment destination.  This year Miami Spice celebrates 20 years.  It is a two-month-long restaurant promotion (August 1, 2021-September 30, 2021), organized by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau's (GMCVB), in which participating restaurants offer three-course menus at reduced prices. Red Rooster Overtown is a Miami Spice participant for the first time since opening in the Overtown Culture and Entertainment District in December 2020. The restaurant opened in the redevelopment area as the first initiative of the SEOPW CRA’s culture and entertainment district.  Their participation is the very first for the Overtown community by any restaurant.  Tristen Epps, Executive Chef at Rooster Overtown chats with host Miami City Commissioner Jeffrey Watson about what Rooster represents for the area, his background as a chef, and what folks can continue to expect from Rooster and the evolution of their menu. In part two of this episode, host Watson interviews Connie Kinnard, VP of  Multicultural Tourism & Development at the GMCVB. Its mission is to promote the diversity of Miami's multicultural communities, attractions, and events. Many of the programs facilitated by this department are directly related and created to support business partnerships, cultural organizations, and tourist attractions in Black communities and neighborhoods like historic Overtown.

Origins: The Soul, Light, and Spirit of Miami

Miami District 5 Commissioner Jeffrey Watson hosted “Origins: The Soul, Light, and Spirit of Miami,” a three-day celebration of the 125th anniversary of the city’s incorporation showcasing historic Overtown and its cultural institutions. Commissioner Watson partnered with the Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and local organizations to present a weekend of community events paying homage to the neighborhood’s rich history and Miami’s Black pioneering community. On Thursday, July 29, 2021, Commissioner Watson kicked off the celebration with a community youth talk featuring Historian Marvin Dunn and youth from throughout District 5 to discuss what Miami means to them and the history of Miami.  The event was hosted in the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency redevelopment area at the historic Overtown Performing Arts Center. Youth groups represented included Touching Miami with Love, City of Miami Police Department PAL, Overtown Optimist, Little Haiti Soccer Club, Meyga, and the Overtown Youth Center. A special thank you to moderator Trina Harris from Touching Miami with Love for moderating the event. Listen to youth discuss what Miami means to them in light of the City’s birthday celebration. Our youth are truly the future of this great city!

Fun Things to Do in Overtown Summer 2021

On this episode of The Experience Overtown Show, Host City of Miami Commissioner Jeffrey Watson talks about technology and media career opportunities with Florida Film House CEO Marco Mall and upcoming Summer enrollment for the  1st Take Youth Film Program. Listeners explore Overtown through a new historic Overtown Legacy Trek and Tour with guest Nicole Crooks, Overtown Community Engagement Coordinator with Catalyst Miami, and Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, Executive Director of the City of Miami Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum Inc.