CORPORATE EVENTS
A VERY HAPPY (COUPLE OF) HOURS
C3TS employees were invited to relax and unwind at the end of a long week, recently. Some drank, some danced but, all of us got to sit back, chat and enjoy each other’s company. It was a great way to start the weekend!
WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM
I scream… you scream… we all scream for ice cream! It was late in the afternoon and a sugar need was kicking in, when C3TS employees were treated to ice-cream bar and sandwiches as this month’s token of appreciation.
C3TS TOOK US OUT TO THE BALLGAME
The stadium was full! The crowds were loud! The cheers, impossible to stop! Even though the Marlins did not win over the Cubbies on August 15th, 2008, C3TS’ spirit was in full swing! The loss was tough but everyone had a great time.
PASTRY BREAKFAST
Here are some C3TS employees enjoying breakfast pastries as a small token of thanks for their hard work & dedication.
BE A KID AGAIN
The C3TS monthly appreciation treats continue… here we are enjoying popsicles on a hot summer day!
PICNIC 2008
A sky full of clouds could not keep this year’s picnic at Tropical Park from being a big success! Whether it was the bounce houses, laser tag, softball, football, volleyball or basketball games, or the great food and people – everyone had a fabulous time! Congratulations to our first ever C3TS Picnic MVP – Angela Bernace! She played every sport (and won games), spoke to everyone, and tasted everything! A true picnic professional! Even the Principals let loose jumping into the bounce houses and playing games of laser tag. Thanks to Jackie Pontillo and Dayana Hernandez in HR for setting up the event.
GOING NUTS FOR SUMMER
As you know, 2008 celebrates our 20th Anniversary year. In our continuing efforts to show our appreciation to all of our valued employees, we distributed “pick-me-up” snacks during the month of May. Here are some pictures...
LEJEUNE ROAD RIBBON CUTTING & GRAND OPENING
C3TS was very proud to attend and play a major role at the grand opening for the new LeJeune Road & MIC-MIA Interchange. The new roadway and interchange not only decongests one of the most traveled areas in the County but also provides a direct access to and from Miami’s #1 Economic Engine: Miami International Airport. Among attendees were Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, and County Commissioners Angel Gonzalez, Rebeca Sosa, and Jose “Pepe” Diaz. Thanks to the C3TS volunteers (Vicky, Angie, Jessica, Ricky, Oscar, Jackie P., Marta P., Karen, Laeti, Xiomara, Bob, and Miriam) who provided the goodies and made sure everything ran smoothly for the event. Congratulations to Liz Fernandez (Public Information Manager) for the completion of such an important project and for making this event a success!
BLACKBEARD’S BEACH RIBBON CUTTING & GRAND OPENING
At long last Blackbeard’s Beach Aquatic Center at Grapeland Park opened its doors on May 14th. C3TS was proud to be there for the ribbon cutting ceremony & unveiling, along with RDC (the project contractor), City of Miami officials, County Commissioners, and many residents of the area. Not only is this the first water park in the City of Miami, but this is the only project in Miami with artwork specially created by Romero Britto. Mr. Britto is an internationally famous artist whose whimsical and colorful, cartoon-style art can be found on murals, sculptures & product logos around the world. He created sculptures which can be seen at the entrance and throughout the park.
CORPORATE RUN 2008
The Mercedes Benz Corporate Run is an annual event with a mission to promote physical health in its participants, thereby helping them better handle stress. This race creates a spirit of friendly competition amongst teams of runners within corporations, government agencies, and financial institutions. All proceeds are donated to the South Florida chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. C3TS participates annually and takes this opportunity to bring all employees from our four branch offices together under one tent to exercise, eat, and socialize with other companies.
RUN… WALK… PARTY!
After walking/running the 5K stretch of this year’s Corporate Run, participants made it back to the C3TS tent for a great time with fellow co-workers, family and friends. Everyone enjoyed some snacks and celebrated with m-o-j-i-t-o-s! A special thanks to Jackie and Dayana for delivering the feast as well as handling all the details of the event. Also, thank you to Elena and Ricky who helped organize & set everything up. Congratulations to Angela Bernace for coming up with a great t-shirt design celebrating our 20th anniversary!
CRANDON BOULEVARD RIBBON CUTTING
On April 10, 2008 the Village of Key Biscayne held a ribbon cutting celebration for the Crandon Boulevard Master Planning project. The project encompassed the traffic engineering design for a 4-lane divided road, improved public safety, easing of traffic congestion, traffic calming, pedestrianization, improved mass transit, streetscape improvements, sidewalks, lighting, and a round-about. The project was divided into three phases and will provide the Village with a reference for the traffic and public safety impacts of future development or redevelopment of properties fronton Crandon Boulevard and its side streets.
The event was held on Crandon Boulevard in honor of the new and beautifully completed Crandon Boulevard. Among the attendees were Village of Key Biscayne officials Mayor Robert Vernom, Village Manager Genaro “Chip” Iglesias, Jacqueline Menendez (former Village Manager), Council members Michael Davey, Stephen Leidman, Enrique Garcia, Dr. Jorge Mendia, Crandon Boulevard Master Plan Implementation Committee members Dr. Henny Gröeschel-Becker, Andrew Lemke, Shayna Varkas, Miguel Vila of M.Vila & Associates, and Ernesto Cercas of Skyline Management.
Ramon Castella, P.E. and Javier F. Salman, AIA represented C3TS as the lead designers of the project. In honor of the event, C3TS placed an ad in The Islander News, the Village’s local newspaper congratulating Key Biscayne on the completion of this very prestigious project.
C3TS TURNS 20
C3TS is extremely proud to have celebrated its 20th anniversary on March 28, 2008!! We started the day very “Sweetly” by sharing some cake with everyone.
Our celebrations continued at the end of the day with a 20th Anniversary Kick-Off Happy Hour at the Wyndman Hotel. Employees from all offices gathered together to enjoy the festivities with drinks, food, and music. It was a wonderful way to acknowledge and be proud of all the achievements C3TS has made over its 20 years. President & CEO Robert Carballo thanked everyone for their efforts in making C3TS the success it is today. Additionally, there was further reason to celebrate as the Principals announced that several employees would be honored as new Associates to the firm. These individuals are:
- Xavier Arroyo, P.E., Senior Engineer (Orlando office)
- Sean Compel, P.E., Senior Engineer (Coral Gables office)
- Patrick Leung, P.E., Senior Engineer (Boca Raton office)
- Matilde Reyes, P.E., Senior Architect (Coral Gables office)
- Hector Seiglie, P.E. Director of Building Services (Coral Gables office)
Congratulations to the newest Associates, and we look forward to another very succesful 20 years!
SOUTH MIAMI PROJECT GROUNDBREAKING
On Thursday, April 3, 2008 the City of South Miami held a groundbreaking celebration for the Sunset Drive Improvements (Phase I). It marked the beginning of this long awaited project to restore and beautify Sunset Drive from US-1 to SW 62nd Avenue (on the west side of US-1). C3TS developed the project with the City from the conceptual phase through final design, which includes streetscape & infrastructure improvements along Sunset Drive that will incorporate public spaces and facilities and create an enhanced civic and community space. The centerpieces of the project are a stunning clock tower and entrance feature fountain at City Hall designed by our architecture department. Attendees at the groundbreaking included South Miami’s Mayor, City Commissioners, and City staff, as well as Ramon Castella, P.E., Javier F. Salman, AIA, Richard Blanco, P.E., and Sean Compel, P.E., from C3TS all who have worked with the City for many years.
Mayor Horace G. Feliu opened the ceremony with welcoming remarks which were followed by the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, and the entrance of the honor guard. Additionally, C3TS’s own Richard Blanco, P.E. read a poem he wrote specifically to mark the occasion (“Photo of a Man on Sunset Drive – circa 1914, circa 2008).
Photo of a Man on Sunset Drive, circa 1914, circa 2008
 And so it began: the earth torn, split open
by a dirt road cutting through palmettos and wild tamarind trees defending the land against the sun. Next to the road, a shack leans into the wind, on the wooden porch, white chickens peck at the floor boards beside crates of avocados and key limes, a man under the shadow of his hat, stares into the camera. It is 1914. He doesn’t know
that in a lifetime the unclaimed land behind him will be cleared of scrub and sawgrass, the soil will be turned, made to give back what the farmers wish, their lonely houses will stand acres apart from one another, jailed behind the boughs of their orchards.
He’ll never buy sugar at the grocery store, mail love letters at the post office, or take a train at the depot of the town that will rise out of hundred-million years of coral rock on promises of paradise. He’ll never ride a new Model-T puttering down the dirt road that will be paved over and stretch farther, farther west into the horizon, reaching for the setting sun after which it will be named.
He can’t even begin to imagine the shadows of buildings rising taller than the palm trees, the street lights glowing like counterfeit stars dotting the sky above the road, the thousands that will take the road everyday, that will also
call this place home less than a hundred years after the photograph of him that today hangs in city hall as testament. He’ll never meet me, the engineer hired to transform the road again, to bring back the tree shadows and birdsongs,
to build another promise of another paradise that will last another forever. He will never see me, the poet standing before him, trying to read his mind across time, wondering if he was thinking what I’m thinking today as I look at him looking down the same road
that will live on for years after I too am gone.
Richard Blanco, P.E.
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