MG Developer, one of Coral Gables’ most active residential property development companies, hosted a charity gala at the Cardozo South Beach Hotel this month. Hosting alongside MG Developer were Emilio and Gloria Estefan, and Carolina Herrera. Kelly Blanco, Entertainment Host and Traffic Anchor, was emcee for the event. In total, more than $100 thousand was raised for the nonprofit organization FundaHigado America.

MG Developer, a subsidiary of MG Capital, provides and implements real-estate-oriented services. The firm has expertise in the design and development of luxury residential properties and rental units in Miami, Coral Gables, and Hialeah. MG Developer is a proponent of philanthropic organizations such as the Coral Gables Community Foundation and FundaHigado America.

FundaHigado America offers training in pediatric liver transplantation to healthcare professionals in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Dr. Pedro A. Rivas and Dr. Tomoaki Kato founded the organization in 2011. Alirio Torrealba, MG Developer’s CEO, is a board member of FundaHigado. He presented Emilio Estefan and Carolina Herrera with special recognitions for sponsoring the fundraising gala and for their generous contributions to the organization. “FundaHigado is an organization that is truly near and dear to my heart, and I could not be prouder than to be here with all of you tonight to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity,” said Torrealba at the event.

While Miami’s top celebrities enjoyed a four-course dinner prepared by chef Michael Calvo, Kelly Blanco helped to raise over $100 thousand in funds for FundaHigado America. The items that were auctioned at the event were donated for the cause.

To donate to FundaHigado, visit: https://fundahigado-america-foundation.networkforgood.com/projects/102866-main-giving-page.

For more information about MG Developer, visit mgdevelopermiami.com.

The post Charity Gala Hosted By MG Developer, Emilio Estefan, And Carolina Herrera Raises More Than $100 Thousand For FundaHigado America appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Queen Sophia Spanish Institute's neo-Federal style architecture.

The Queen Sofia Spanish Institute has called the six-story townhouse at 684 Park Avenue its home since 1965, after philanthropist Mary Rockefeller Strong purchased the property (as well as several neighboring homes) and subsequently donated it to the organization. The institute was founded in 1954 to promote the Spanish language and Spain’s culture (designer Oscar de la Renta is currently its chairman). Originally called the Oliver D. Filley House, the building was erected as a private mansion in 1926 by prominent architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, according to The New York Times.

Interiors feature ornate plaster moldings, oversized windows, lavish mirrors and chandeliers.

The 11,000-square-foot mansion showcases a neo-Federal style brick and wrought-iron-fenced exterior reminiscent of a Washington, D.C. embassy—down to its flying American and Spanish flags. The impressive interior features ornate plaster moldings, oversized windows, lavish mirrors, elegant winding staircases, marble fireplaces with carved mantles, and lofty vaulted ceilings decorated by tiered chandeliers. It also boasts a huge grand parlor, a distinguished library, and a courtyard terrace.

The Spanish Institute is emblazoned with bright Spanish hues (yellow walls and red carpets), high vaulted ceilings, tiered chandeliers, and marble fireplaces. – Photo Credit: Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times

Rockefeller Strong acquired the townhouses on this block to prevent them from being replaced by apartments, and thus, “saved the block from modernization,” according to The New York Times. Designated a landmark in 1970, the building appears safe from developers who have scooped up other nonprofit headquarters recently to convert to luxury residential space.

The mansion boasts a 26' x 29' courtyard terrace.

Nonprofits struggle to afford New York City’s expensive overhead so they often cash in by “selling out” for big bucks (if they own their headquarters). Recent examples include the United Cerebral Palsy, which plucked $135 million for its East 23rd headquarters, and St. John’s University, which sold a Tribeca dorm for $233 million. Now, the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute is the latest nonprofit headquarters in Manhattan to go on the block. Apparently, the “nonprofit” distinction ends at the doorstep with a wink, a nod, and an extremely generous offer.

The classic library boasting chandeliers, large windows and, of course, books.

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