Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Katz.
Hi Nick, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself and telling us about your history in the skateboard world. What’s the story behind Lot 11 Skatepark and how that project came together?
My Name is Nick Katz, I am a Miami native, born and raised. When I was 10 years old, I got my first skateboard and after that first ride down the sidewalk, I was hooked. I graduated from Miami Palmetto High School in 2008 and went off to Los Angeles to study Undergrad.
There I stumbled upon the Idea of DIY skateparks at Cherry Park in Long Beach, CA and when I transferred back to Miami in 2010 to Attend the New World School of the Arts I began thinking about how I could bring one of these DIY parks to my community. When I got back to Miami, I got a job at Grand Central, a legendary Miami event space, and I got taken under the wing of a guy named Brad Kneoffler and his business partner Aramis Lorie.
The two of them were involved in developing a passive park project for the Park West neighborhood and I asked them if I could build a DIY skatepark as part of the project. They agreed and Grand Central Skatepark was born. After a few months of operations and 1000’s of users had come and skated our small skate spot, the media began to take notice.
From there, I was introduced to some local politicians and space makers and the Idea for a permanent world-class skate park came to mind.
With professional skater Danny Fuenzalida and Local businessman Richie Effs, both avid Grand Central Skatepark visitors, I would start the non-profit Skate Free in 2012 with the hope of creating the City of Miami’s first concrete skatepark.
We worked diligently for 7 years, creating partnerships in the city, most notably with the Miami Parking Authority, the Florida Department of Transportation, and the City of Miami Dais of Commissioners, to eventually create what is now Lot 11 Skatepark in 2019.
Lot 11 opened to huge fanfare and became Miami’s first concrete skatepark and one of the best skate facilities in the World boasting an impressive 48,000 square feet of skate area with some of the most advanced skate terrains you can find in the US. The County even gave us our own day, November 16th is Lot 11 day, now and forever.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This project was never a smooth road. I don’t come from a background in project development or space-making. I learned on the fly and I was persistent above all else. The path to get to Lot 11 was filled with a lot of no’s, more resistance for a project about creating a safe space for children and families than I could have ever imagined.
But, my team and I stayed the course, we moved mountains, and we never took no for an answer. After 8 years, 2 million dollars raised, 1 commission hearing, countless fundraisers attended, 100’s of meetings, 10 design drafts, and 9 months of hard construction, we opened the doors of Lot 11 on November 16th, 2019, and changed the city forever.
None of this would be possible without the support of our partners, the MPA (especially Art Noriega, now City Manager), the FDOT, the commissioners of the City of Miami, including now mayor Francis Suarez, now County Commissioner Keon Hardemon, and now Congressional Candidate Ken Russell, and my parents, Sandra James and Barry Katz, for their incredibly generous financial support.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Apart from being the President of Skate Free, I am the Co-Owner of Andrew, a Miami-based skate brand and skate shop located in Downtown Miami.
So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is Miami, skateboarding, my Andrew team, my family, and my amazing wife Tiffany.
These are the things that define who I am.
I am so proud to be part of the legacy of Miami’s history. It’s really hard to be first, and I don’t take that for granted. I will continue to work hard, every day, to continue putting our city on the map.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.skatefree.org www
.andrewdowntown.com - Instagram: @Lot11skatepark @andrewdowntown
