Mary Brickell Village inks deal with Italian consortium

A little bit of Tuscany is coming to Miami-Dade County, just not where everyone expected – especially the city of Coral Gables.

Toscana Divino, an Italian restaurant concept with ties to the city of Florence, just inked a lease to take 3,500 square feet at Miami’s up-and-coming Mary Brickell Village.

The restaurant is a joint venture between the city of Florence and Toscana Divino LLC, which is led by restaurateur Stefano Cavinato, owner of Piola restaurant.

Kerry Newman of Koniver Stern Group , who brokered the deal, said the space is on the ground floor, under Taverna Opa, which is relocating its South Beach restaurant to Mary Brickell Village, with plans to open in early 2012.

“This is our most prominent space,” Newman said. "We held it off the market for a long time, and when Toscana Divino came to us, it was what we were looking for to set us apart from other projects."

The project grew out of discussions dating back to 2008, after the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce accompanied the Beacon Council on a mission to Italy.

Last year, Coral Gables officials announced that the project, then called The Wine&Fashion Florence Café, would take 4,211 square feet of city-owned space at 220 Aragon Ave., across the street from Books & Books.

The concept was a retail showroom selling fashion, accessories and other high-quality goods produced in Tuscany; fashion shows; and a café selling wine, coffee and high-end tapas, city records indicate.

Cavinato said he came in after initial talks to bring the concept to Coral Gables with another group fell apart.

“There was never anything signed," he said. "We had a different idea in mind and we proceeded with the Brickell location."

Wine&Fashion Florence is a public/private partnership created by the Consorzio Terre Del Levante Fiorentino, which represents more than 17 cities and more than 70 local companies.

Pamela Fuertes, VP of international programs for the Beacon Council, said the organization worked hard to convince Wine&Fashion Florence to come to Miami, instead of New York or Los Angeles.

“We said we have a local community that’s very international,” Fuertes said.

Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce President Mark Trowbridge said the concept shifted gears when Cavinato came on board.

“When that happened, they started looking at a different location that might have been more supportive of the restaurant,” Trowbridge said.

And, while he said it would have been a great draw, there are other opportunities he expects will grow out of the city’s relationship with Wine&Fashion Florence.

“What’s great about working with folks through this initiative is that they cover a lot of real estate,” Trowbridge said. "There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle, and Americans have a tremendous romance with Italian products."

The newly inked deal provides for a more upscale Italian restaurant with an executive chef. It will serve as a platform to promote Florence and other Tuscan cities.

About 2,500 square feet of the 3,500 square feet inside will serve as the restaurant; the remaining 1,000 square feet will provide the consortium with retail and display space. There is also an additional 3,000 square feet of outdoor space. The restaurant will seat 200 inside and outside.

“We like Brickell because of the demographics, it’s good food and entertainment and shopping,” Cavinato said, referring to the area’s hip, younger crowd. “We also think we have the best location in the mall.”

“It’s the center of Brickell and gives them the exposure they want to tourists and residents," Newman said. "Plus, there is a wonderful courtyard patio."