Daniel Ciraldo, disgraced former executive director of the Miami Design Preservation League, claims he is a successful preservation activist whose accomplishments are the best reason for voters to elect him a Commissioner.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Possessing a massive ego and boundless ambition, Ciraldo, cynically or delusionally, posted a picture of himself wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with “Local Hero.” This begs the question, a hero of what? Demolition?

Due to a fire, The Deauville Hotel closed July 25, 2017. Its owners then allowed it to become more and more open to the elements, overrun with homeless who caused countless fires. A demolition order was finally issued on January 7, 2022, the fabled hotel’s fate was sealed, with its subsequent implosion on November 13, 2022.

It didn’t have to happen.

Five years of demolition by neglect by the City, coupled with Ciraldo and MDPL’s self-described leadership led to this historic preservation disaster.

Ciraldo would only become energized when the TV cameras and the bulldozers arrive.

In the accompanying spreadsheet, you can see that Ciraldo was much more of a success raising tremendous sums of money from developers than saving historic buildings from the wrecking ball.

Miami Design Preservation League Donors.
PartialList, Obtained From Public Records Request.

2/23/23		13th Floor	$ 5,000
11/17/16	8701 Collins Development	$10,000
9/12/22		Aman Partnership	$25,000
11/22/23	Boucher Brothers	$ 5,000
12/19/16	Comras Company		$ 9,000
12/12/17	Comras Company		$ 9,000
12/15/18	Comras Company		$ 9,000
10/4/17		Galbut Family Foundation	$10,000
12/17/12	Galbut Family Foundation	$ 5,000
12/15/16	Kobi Karp Architecture		$10,000
12/18/17	Kobi Karp Architecture		$10,000
3/22/19		Kobi Karp Architecture		$10,000
5/11/22		Michael Larkin	$10,000
11/16/23	Michael Shvo	$  5,000
12/2/24		Michael Shvo	$  5,000
11/21/23	New National Hotel Hotel	$ 5,000
12/2/24		New National Hotel Hotel	$ 5,000
1/22/18		Pacific Star Capital, LLC	$10,000
3/21/22		Setai Hotel Acquisition		$25,000
9/9/24		Setai Hotel Acquisition		$ 5,000
10/9/17		Victor Hotel Group	$10,000
3/22/19		Victor Hotel Group	$10,000
11/9/23		Victor Hotel Group	$ 5,000

Then, Ciraldo would speak on a project’s appropriateness at commission meetings, failing to disclose the financial relationship with him, MDPL, and the developer.

The lack of disclosure and the failure to register as the lobbyist as required by law is the reason why the Inspector General got involved.

Thanks to the lack of leadership by the City, Ciraldo, and MDPL, we lost a landmark, while the Deauville Hotel’s former owners cried all the way to the bank.

The loss of the Deauville Hotel is one of the best reasons not to vote for Ciraldo. There are many more.

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Monica Matteo-Salinas for Miami Beach Commissioner, Group 1.

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