Gaedeke Holdings XII Rechristens Miami Landmark To Brickell Arch – The Gateway to the Americas

Gaedeke Holdings XII has selected "Brickell Arch" as the new name for its recently acquired Espirito Santo Plaza in Miami's Financial District to create a readily identifiable brand for financial and commercial markets worldwide.

"Every major city has a well-known business address. When you hear Brickell, you know it's Miami," says Sabine Gaedeke Stener, CEO of the Dallas-based investment group. "And when you hear Brickell Arch, you'll know which building it is in the Financial District."

As part of the acquisition, Gaedeke was required to rename the 36-story, 266,692-rsf landmark, which sits on an entire block at the southern end of Brickell Avenue – the "Wall Street" of Latin America. The challenge was creating a name that would resonate in international circles, particularly for those businesses and financial institutions in Brickell Arch's diverse tenant mix.

"Gaedeke is only the second owner of the property. It was an enormous responsibility to come up with a name that would be meaningful and have a lasting impression," says Kirk Fetter, Gaedeke's vice president of leasing. "Brickell Arch is short, descriptive and memorable."

Developed in 2004, the 505-foot Brickell Arch fronting 1395 Brickell Ave. is a simple, elegant, sculptural design by Kohn Pederson Fox Associates. Its concave figural arch symbolizes the Gateway to the Americas, a feature patterned after the St. Louis Arch. That and Miami's reputation as "the Gateway to Latin America" weighed heavily on Gaedeke's final decision as did Brickell Avenue's dominance as the major financial district for the city and South America.

Settled in the mid-1800s, Brickell became known as Miami's "Millionaire's Row" by the early 1900s. The genesis for Brickell's 21st century success began in the 1970s, when a development boom replaced the historic mansions with office towers, hotels and apartments.

Today, Brickell lined with office high rises and condominium towers is the city's most elite address for business, finance and high-net wealth individuals and investors. Miami boasts more than 1,250 multinational corporations with Latin American divisions, 121 banks or banking divisions, 25 foreign trade offices, 64 consulates and 40 bi-national chambers of Commerce.

Gaedeke's new holding, Brickell Arch, was named to the AIA Florida Chapter's list of "Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places" in 2012.

Gaedeke Group, founded in 1995, is a full-service real estate firm that provides investment, acquisition, management, leasing construction management and portfolio management services. Headquartered in Dallas, Gaedeke's current portfolio encompasses 3.2 million square feet of class A office properties in Arizona, Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C.