Displaying items by tag: norman braman

After getting bogged down in red-tape for months, Miami zoning officials have approved plans for Miami hedge-fund manager Bruce Berkowitz to build a private museum on Biscayne Boulevard, thus further cementing Miami's place on the culture map.

Renowned Miami art patrons Norman Braman and Martin Margulies have been instrumental in encouraging the aspiring museum builder to pursue his dream of a brand new "fortress-like" museum in Miami, Florida, according to the Miami New Times.

When auto magnate Norman Braman and developer Craig Robins laid the groundwork last year to build a new home for the Institute of Contemporary Art, they envisioned the private institution carving a cutting-edge niche in Miami’s arts scene and serving as the crown jewel of the city’s luxury shopping mecca.

But only half the museum campus is actually in the Design District.

Norman Braman, the auto dealership magnate, has just uttered the words every contractor dreams of hearing: “Whatever the cost is, we will be building it, period.”

Sitting with his wife, Irma, on the patio of their Indian Creek Island home, off Miami Beach, he has been outlining their plans to single-handedly fund the design and construction of South Florida’s newest major museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami. It could be a cultural game changer in a city crowded with four significant private museums, two more on the way and three public ones all focused on contemporary art.