Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Robins.
Scott, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Miami graduating from Miami Beach Senior High School. I then went to the University of Florida where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the School of Building Construction, one of the finest in the country. I graduated with honors in 1985. I was recruited out of college to work for The George Hyman Construction Company in Bethesda, Maryland, one of the largest construction companies in the country at that time. There I worked for 2 years as a field engineer on a project in Georgetown, Washington D.C. During my time in D.C. I came to the realization that big corporate life was not for me and I decided to move back to Miami to start my own construction business.
After a brief stint with a large local contractor, where I attempted to become a partner, I decided to go on my own and start my career in Miami Beach. At the time my brother Craig had just started working in Miami Beach and he and I decided to share office space and focus on developing what became known as South Beach.
I became a certified General Contractor and for the next ten years, starting in 1988, my brother and I collaborated on many projects, throughout South Beach, where we would buy and renovate buildings; he would handle the management and leasing aspects and I would handle the construction.
We were lucky enough to have great partners like Tony Goldman and Chris Blackwell who taught us a lot about business on many different levels. These successful relationships included projects throughout Miami Beach including the remaking of Ocean Drive, Collins Ave, Washington Ave, Lincoln Road and Miami’s Design District.
During this time we bought, developed and sold many buildings throughout all of these areas, mindful of the international acclaim we were receiving.
In 1999 my brother and I decided to go in separate directions and I started my own development company called Scott Robins Companies. I left my relationship with my brother with my share of commercial buildings that he and I acquired over the years, which included some very noteworthy properties mostly in South Beach and a few in downtown Miami.
Since starting my own company, I have developed numerous commercial projects including office buildings, parking garages, retail buildings and hotels throughout South Florida where I have acted as developer, contractor, leasing agent, and management company. Today I own over 400,000 square feet of commercial space with very few partners and very little debt.
Just recently, with my partner Philip Levine, who is presently the Mayor of Miami Beach, I completed the gentrification of what was once a light industrial district in Miami Beach into a commercial neighborhood serving enclave with new retail, restaurants, and other service oriented businesses. This new area is called Sunset Harbour and has become the destination of choice for most of the locals. The area has also become a regional draw boasting many of Miami’s top restaurants and fitness businesses.
Another of my most recent projects was the renovation of Española Way, Miami Beach’s oldest commercial district. There I renovated a 1920’s historic building into a 71-room hotel, now called El Paseo Hotel, which has over 15,000 square feet of commercial space. In collaboration with the City of Miami Beach, the entire street in front of the building was restored and upgraded, creating a beautiful pedestrian-only boulevard that has become one of Miami Beach’s top attractions. With over 15 restaurants and retail shops, Española Way has recently become a go-to destination for experiencing food, culture, and ambiance, not to mention world-class people watching.
In addition to my own company and real estate developments, I also work on improving the community at large. Most recently, the Mayor appointed me as the Chairman of his newly formed Mayors Blue Ribbon Task Force on Climate Change and Sea Level Rise.
Over the past 4 years I have spearheaded Miami Beach’s approach to protecting the city from the effects of sea level rise while making the city more resilient in the face of climate change, including adapting new regulations to reduce the city’s carbon footprint.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road is never smooth. Over the years I have experienced many business and personal challenges.
Surviving partnerships and relationships is never easy and always requires a lot of work. World events also play a major role that shape your career. The Great Recession was an extremely difficult time where all the rules of business changed overnight. Banks weren’t lending, tenants could not pay their rent, and business in general had come to a screeching halt. Survival was the name of the game and luckily, I had positioned my business and myself so that we were able to survive.
I have learned there is no substitute for experience and honest self-reflection. I have learned many lessons over the years, which have made me a better person in both business and with my personal relationships.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Scott Robins Companies story. Tell us more about the business.
What I am most proud of is the many neighborhoods we have changed. The many lives we have impacted along the way. For me, it was never only about making money but about doing something important, life changing. If that were not the case, I would have built big condo towers, made a ton of money, and moved on. Instead, I have created neighborhoods where people come and enjoy their everyday lives. That is incredibly fulfilling to me as a builder, developer and as a person. I hope to leave behind a better place than the one I came into.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.robinscompanies.com/
Image Credit:
World Red Eye
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