BHA forms a unified neighborhood voice
Under founding president T. Sinclair “Tory” Jacobs, fourteen condominium associations unite around traffic, safety, noise, the environment, and beautification.
June 25, 1990
THE ARCHIVES · SINCE 1990
A neighborhood learns
to speak with one voice.
For more than three decades, Brickell residents and condominium leaders have organized around thoughtful growth, safer streets, public space, building governance, and a stronger sense of community.
THE BEGINNING
The story behind the skyline.
BHA was incorporated in 1990. Founder T. Sinclair “Tory” Jacobs worked with neighbors to give Brickell residents a collective voice as the neighborhood changed. Fourteen of sixteen condominium associations committed to join.
Early priorities were practical and persistent: protecting residential streets, responding to construction and commercial encroachment, improving sidewalks and public space, and addressing waterfront and aircraft noise.
That same model still guides BHA today—listen closely, bring neighbors together, and make sure Brickell has a seat at the table.
35+Years of neighborhood advocacy
CountlessMilestones!
1990The year BHA incorporated
MILESTONES
More than three decades of showing up.
Visible wins are only part of the story. These moments also record the steady work of residents who attended meetings, asked difficult questions, and kept neighborhood priorities in view.
1990s4 milestones
The Miami Herald
June 25, 1990
An early zoning victory
BHA successfully advocates to exclude hotels from a residential stretch of Brickell Avenue—an early example of residents shaping land-use policy.
June 2, 1991
Traffic and beautification move onto the agenda
BHA reviews median landscaping plans and presses for a traffic study at Brickell Avenue and 25th Road, connecting neighborhood appearance with everyday safety.
March 21, 1993
Residents organize for quieter skies
After years of aircraft-noise complaints, BHA leaders work through the county task force and ask airport and federal officials to consider routes with less residential impact.
December 9, 1999
2000s2 milestones
A $2.3 million streetscape project breaks ground
After more than six years of committee work, a city-funded improvement project begins with lighting, landscaping, fountains, decorative crossings, and neighborhood markers.
September 14, 2006
A founding era closes—and a new one begins
Tory Jacobs steps down after nineteen years as president. Natalia Brown becomes president as the association represents nearly 18,000 condominium units.
June 21, 2009
2010s6 milestones
A public call for pedestrian safety
BHA joins downtown partners in calling for lower speeds, safer crossings, wider sidewalks, better lighting, and a pedestrian-first approach.
November 21, 2010
Brickell honors its founding advocate
After Tory Jacobs’s death, The Miami Herald recalls two decades of neighborhood work. The City had named 25th Road in his honor.
March 30, 2011
A street-level audit puts safety first
BHA walks Brickell Avenue with city leaders and documents damaged sidewalks, missing crosswalks, absent pedestrian signals, and blocked paths.
July 1, 2014
BHA convenes a forum on condominium fraud
Residents meet with police, prosecutors, legislators, and local officials to discuss stronger condominium laws and enforcement.
May 13, 2016
Residents challenge artificial turf
After synthetic turf replaces grass on Brickell Avenue, residents press the city to reconsider. The city ultimately announces that real grass will return.
October 17, 2018
BHA challenges Ultra’s move to Virginia Key
BHA raises concerns about public process, noise, traffic, and environmental impacts. After a single year on Virginia Key, Ultra leaves the site.
May 8, 2019
2020s7 milestones · includes 2026
Southside Park moves from scrutiny to negotiation
Continued meetings around One Southside Park produce commitments for the park and fire station while keeping neighborhood access in focus.
March 11, 2021
Condominium safety becomes an urgent public mission
Following the Surfside tragedy, BHA convenes building leaders and specialists around maintenance, inspections, insurance, financing, and accountability.
October 29, 2021
Major downtown plans come before the neighborhood
BHA reviews the Hyatt Regency and James L. Knight Center proposal, continuing its role as a neighborhood forum for consequential civic projects.
October 12, 2022
BHA speaks up for Brickell’s buried history
After evidence of Tequesta settlement is found at 444 Brickell Avenue, BHA urges preservation for future generations and calls for more green space.
July 11, 2023
Public-benefit promises stay under review
As the Southside Park project enters construction, BHA recognizes later park commitments while continuing to scrutinize the public process.
April 14, 2024
Thirty-five years—and a new affordability challenge
BHA marks its anniversary as reserve funding, repair costs, safety reforms, and affordability move to the center of condominium life.
July 21, 2025
Resilience becomes a permanent priority
BHA launches a Resilience & Recovery Committee to unite building leaders, public partners, and experts around preparedness and long-term sustainability.
March 20, 2026
FROM THE NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE
BHA, in the record.
The submitted clippings trace how BHA’s priorities changed as Brickell grew. Open a decade to browse the catalog; some sources may require a Newspapers.com account.
1990s11 clippings · formation, zoning, traffic, noise
“Brickell’s Back”
A feature on a changing Brickell introduces the new homeowners group and its first campaigns.
“Concerted effort”
Fourteen condominium associations commit to the newly formed BHA.
“Brickell gets together”
A welcome to the new association and its neighborhood plans.
“Homeowners successful in bid to exclude hotels”
Coverage of BHA’s early zoning advocacy and first anniversary.
“Developer aims high: 40 stories of luxury”
A development dispute ends in a landscaping commitment and contribution to BHA.
“Brickell watches roads”
BHA presses for a state traffic study at Brickell Avenue and 25th Road.
“Brickell beautification”
Residents review median landscaping plans while officials study congestion.
“Unhappy on Brickell”
BHA rallies residents to demand improvements to a completed beautification project.
“Say goodbye to Sly”
A brief BHA comment places neighborhood safety in a widely read local story.
“High-rise builder seeks more time to appease neighbors”
BHA and neighboring buildings raise design, scale, and traffic concerns.
“Brickell residents frustrated about plane noise”
Residents press airport, county, and federal officials for relief.
2000s6 clippings · public space, safety, streetscape, leadership
“Brickell heirs, city agree on land deal”
BHA’s longtime president reflects on one of the area’s last open spaces.
“City considers banning bikes from sidewalk”
BHA argues for pedestrian safety amid debate over Brickell Avenue sidewalks.
“BHA meets onsite”
A community meeting combines hurricane recovery information with a holiday toy drive.
“Brickell Avenue gets a makeover”
Ground breaks on a $2.3 million streetscape and lighting project.
“There’s only one Brickell”
A BHA officer defends the geographic identity of Brickell Avenue.
“‘Mr. Brickell’ quits leadership post”
Tory Jacobs steps down after nineteen years and a new president takes office.
2010s4 clippings · walkability, civic legacy, development, condo law
“DOT should protect pedestrians on Brickell”
BHA and downtown partners call for safer, more walkable streets.
“Brickell activist pushed for changes”
An obituary remembers founding president Tory Jacobs and his civic legacy.
“Commissioners should approve Miami Worldcenter”
BHA weighs in on a major downtown development proposal.
“Condo fraud laws must be strengthened”
Coverage of a BHA forum with residents, police, prosecutors, and lawmakers.
2020s3 clippings · development, public benefit, condo affordability
“Proposed 62-story Brickell tower angers area residents”
BHA advocates for parks, schools, transparency, and public review.
Southside Park agreement draws scrutiny
Coverage revisits the public process and neighborhood benefits tied to the project.
Condo safety, reserves, and affordability
BHA speaks for associations navigating stricter reserve requirements and rising costs.
THE WORK CONTINUES
The next chapter is ours to shape.
Brickell will keep changing. BHA brings neighbors and condominium leaders together around safer streets, a resilient waterfront, welcoming public spaces, and a strong community voice.
Explore BHA’s priorities