1674-26 Gerry Sanchez rims Herald/Sunday.Jul.' r't. 'Ra':
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ANCHEZ/ com 1B rY =";:,•`y M.r . «�� • }R terr ' �t t',
•e Leslie open. V '� • L , FY i•.14-... ... :• .•• W.I.
Then along came Sanchez. Anda ,' t a. �� a i�I'`I • Jll ' * ,
rw, following right behind him, '+ ''•*' ''.� r' :, Gr},r '
•
+o other New Yorkers, Tony • • ,. '\ '� �, "`r y na X7}tai ,}+ 3F�.
>Idman and Arthur Leeds, have ! e ",, l't' � _�, `s
_ ' y '... Y • t mad •l ,/i �• ±•a
eight five hotels among them. '- � �` s !° at tl . �� Xi s�.,� "fit-
Said Beach Commissioner Stan- i .`•f1h p s ay �.l j ° •
y Arkin of Sanchez: "He's the "' r •~., - •
/Y ``r
ow that has started the snowball I7.7....440-,„,,,,
t: •- r s `• ai. s}' 2 kF-:7� ``
Ilio , .z ' rJ�I r f4 !.
g =4-•"N 4 • ,-.,,,...._;:_:.-.........,..4.?,...,... . aaa
The fast-walkin fast-talking e� a ! +?r. t,t ,. i
nchez makes no retensl of -.rl,
f!
ing the South Beach savior — .aaar tis r _ ,&......---•••`:.`7rpr ,.i t '� ,,,,,• .,,T c •� i ; ri`1°• ��ti •'"x�•,v.
'rn merely the agent i,,2 . as«"y , -.• , < / - q s Y.•'•:: et ,:;••••3..-7., e�•t• I k•.,,�
ovocateu merely
And his bottom line 'e: '`cy,q 1, d i "3� .. •+� .ii.: ,I - k . ,r ` ••• a 1. ; i, 1 �,x 4
the bottom line. ` .*C G 1 .x+.3}1 �,- ''.6 :,
tut in Sanchez. Miami Beach 17.01:!;•:44:4•14.,1< yct ','. : tP as., } .Y sfeQ t' , .r s : ' .. t /S ii;:, :s r
s acquired a manic worker, a ..ir.'ip� �v s,F- a ."••• *.....1..-"..r �° �' tVirfk,„,,ft.,,,,11.,
s } er, ?,.'' s t '- ��`' .,
lorful character and a man who ':i'"-s" ' i ` m; * xt' � -
�• 2.1s ,r t '..rt 'f -s'°ta s R 0,lorf for the to a^ -i „7,,A. •4y.��'? did a. ', a ,, '' ... 3. .,t... `�F {1Y• t par 1 'a rL_,�� 1 r 3 4>0 !~s��•44., .S7 r • a7�.3i�7' '• �'y
He's so quirky that he moved to r a • a.t. r.• {,„>� .c „2r •w ••.v eHar, r- a'� '
de County expressly o buy , 'f' 1�ti,•t s 'rt• 'iS 's, '!a' +a'•-i�e1 �•ii 'zr;.,• ••41`24Na v rL •�.y r+
r+ r.),• .Ya= ,...NO"
,..i.4 . s gar,o7U,'1„ret a�- , - " F�
chard Nixon's winter house on i„ ✓�,bP ''' ',�z '• s } ° 'y3;:f.� .'• •,-^�s. .. O"rr x t``3 _!a ,-S. ti �} ti .
y Biscayne — in which Nixon t ., t ee.;--. .- 4 y "`'r-.*i .Fra--------v r��`x+'•,. 'r .� r . 1 ^�*J.f r• i. ,,y
ed, behind bullet-proof 'win• � �*'�"`' � �'�"' �;" -+'�r '�""'---� �" ��'f` � +'+' • -
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r• r >.e- .,•.,, "'b'I.-';,n a •i t4;. .. ,, r .a tai, • ': a s•Z 'fi�'S3 �' '/{.n�13: �, r -- -
ws, surrounded by Secret Ser. r.s. ,raj •;s'ffi"!s ,` �*a/'?i ac 4R�r r•�rs . -x:•; i x" } iaC <,+y,11= .5•'ef �,� `. �".err- 4
e paraphernalia,untS the S an- i,i,X,t.� :' `h;u ,'a'`'ta'', ; 'N `s 4 q s 2 ._ a� 1 a�y� .``.ii'' I' .• ...„--,--t
singer Rafael bought it from "g? r� �- -••+ s-f ., «.`-.r a4. •.¢z -C yr a . +� ,;+ r•�
'�'", '► Y,.i' e,..r' .'a, Jy - r T r ^` •-;',...•+f .i„r �.t�,� ;4'54.1.:‘,.., ;;;-t:
n for SI.S million, almost two �e ��y , s` r }
1 a half times what Sanchez s ' .fix.w 'cS,r� .r fe . ,,a4 <c c: 4,,;?...„, iK *4 i.�°qc A•
. .. : '..'
d. r t' ie 6> ,t,t .t....;;..11•--,;;•t.:,-4z.4";. •,,'c 'Z'c_>x'°FO rtti ., ;Yr> `•••,.,,,, ,i-le`� Via.
• a .Ya' .�.'-st�rri .s' '�.r.h,�` `' '� !•'1 T` titrE ` Ott :.7T�r • i �' -�Y; 1r3.,.. T
•low he rents Kirk Douglas'
se's so compulsive that he calls itis ..�q` 't.� 'a t`•IF r 9±” •.'4:4,-.•:i....,,om' ' ``+' ` �: .*" ` 't r a1
P t.^is ,,2 - •x ,y; ...i �� .s..•'t 4e.-.;;....,..4.•• � � "' _
•
his partners at J a.m."when he ' !i• '�0:0.41W y�'syr'' b yy '+.,: ,. °
7x3,ty' .r.... • wT 1•k aid •-s121-'`ns;:----:•.:•71,, ,
s an idea. And he has just that
d of charisma,that he actual!: Gcrr RANGY Bat E.HORE 1 rwi,.nf H,nra Stan
s you to wake up and listen,' Y Sanchez climbs the scaffolding erected for renovation of the Breakwater Hotel.
1 Todd Tragash, an architect istration at Pace University and of RESTORE."That's why Polonia He expected to be fed. He wasn't. Resnick, (or cae, is hesitant to
o works with Sanchez. law at the City University of New gets some of the best contracts "So there I am peeling eggs. pat Sanchez of the back for
le's such a dreamer that — at York. around." I
same time as he drapes His studies took him to theEveryc . third egg I peal, I eat. 1 wass investing inSouth teach.
Amongk those contracts:the Newy sick. I almost die. That I
:noes with the name of his firm. University of Warsaw for a year. York Public Library. Trinity enough of Miami Beach for me.•. "it's good for the community.
onia, across hotel porches in ile loved the country, naming his Church, the New York Stock ( still smell eggs around here." bat it's not a question of courage.**
ah Beach —Sanchez is trying company. Polonia, after it. gee*
Exchange, the U.S. Embassy in W Resnick said. ''He's a serious
convince the government of Pala-i,; ',eon r not pricked his interest in the
s-.• a realty corn- Warsaw a •'. c•_:rea:iy, the U.S. city -imor. and he mows what he's
is to let him restore the Tajin i't 'i. was a conference sponsored doing, but it's tike playing the
pans' time when 'ha Naval Base in Guantanamo. Cuba. by the nonprofit Miami Beach
iai. financial crisis in New Work City With such proierts come stories. Development Corp. market for hi H? knows the
nd even as Polonia workers was almost at-its worst and real There was, for example, the "I couldn't believe my very game."
'ring bright yellow slickers estate •.a'as cheap. He bought up time that he was restoring the eyes.All this oceanfront Meanwhile. Sanchez
;hvdown the enormous�rem Bne k - lldrd buildings dingianann own sri'aaofd facade of the New York Stock I smelled money in :he breeze of ing out into other parts ofrDade
chez has his on the I p e.: a Exchange. w'o:k r.g.as is his style, the sea." County: working as a contractor
eyesn, C hired contractors to around the clock. Late one night. restoring the Florida National
ican. restore them. lie didn't like their his workers shot?.circuited the He had a vision or Ocean Drive
If it's not famous or historic. work. as a Bourbon Sr,ee; tint •in Coral •Gables. bidding to
So he, tail Street ruildirg's power.The by theand to'cita Hotel and train
:et It," Sanchez said. set out to learn the art of computers stooped.
Atlantic. He also knee• a taxi buy the j
I LI
incaet'a expectations have h st>rt: r s::':t..,a hi ores(. tie shelter—owing to the tars credits station, and loottidg for financing
"Oh. my God. We could have d to buy the Freedom Tower in
.vn with his business, which took a 10-month course at'P.IE• hien sued ail over tete world.I was Scanted preservationist; — when
•counts 500 employees In New STORE. a nonprofit traininghe saw one. He se; v!f lull s ted downto'he .`•tiarti.
P pro• praying,"Sanchez said."We man• p '
k, New Jersey, San Francisco gram in masonry preservation for aged to solve the problem.And the ahead. What he most Beach however. ;
Miami. people already working in the market was up ti..e next day." is money seed hopping flush viiy.
e grew up in Havana, working building trade.. ntin the feSar• e ace otiates Andtand with one
thing
bank auditor there and,alter Now"he's one of the hest in the Sanchez nee: intended to spend continues, as Sanchet, negotiates back then Sanchez•.v ant sone thing
emigrated in 1961, in New field,certainly in'facade work.No an time in MiamiBeach. with the owners of at least Beachh from the cit.:. he said.
<. He studied'bankingat the one Fe had enough of the city one more Commissionerio —including w "You knowat last hats Park?
:rican Institute of Banking, him inn clewing" historic tbuilds just
a :i eyda.fr ag2 yea said.He took had ownshe yAbeere Resnick,nir , who shouldel I want !east Withit of it. e
unting and business admin• in ' t' jobs n the k from oCf
and a owns the shuttered Bancroft IIo• spec b±Gar:.Park. all due
g<. mase Jan Anderson. founder job in;h: kitchen 9f a:8racti rote!. lei.
respect to Mr. Lummas." •
I 'i
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