When George Neary arrived in Miami in 1991 from New York, he began volunteering at the Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL), started in 1976 by Barbara Baer Capitman in an effort to preserve and save the Art Deco architecture in Miami Beach.
鈥淪he was the voice for the architecture, for the buildings, for this whole neighborhood,鈥� said Neary.
鈥�(In 1991) Nancy Liebman was the executive director,鈥� he recalled, 鈥渁nd then she decided to run for the city commission, and she won. The job became open and I was already there and a seasoned professional.鈥�
From 1991 to 1998, Neary served as MDPL鈥檚 executive director.
Now history is repeating itself. The League鈥檚 director for eight years, Daniel Ciraldo, resigned in March after he filed to run for Miami Beach Commission. Neary is returning to serve as its interim executive director.
鈥淚 came out of retirement and I鈥檓 back on fabulous Ocean Drive where I belong,鈥� said Neary, who added that he is going to 鈥渉elp them get through the next few months鈥� until a full-time director is hired.
READ MORE: Residents face off against Miami's oldest church in battle over more concrete in Brickell
He retired as associate vice president of Cultural Tourism for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) in 2018, a position he held for 20 years.
Neary said while it has been almost 30 years since he headed the league, he鈥檚 still very familiar with everything the organization does and oversees.
鈥淩ight now, I鈥檓 watching a group of tourists go on one of our Miami Design Preservation League Tours, which we run every week. We have the Welcome Center, and the museum, and gift store, and a lot more. And we put on the world-famous Art Deco Weekend, which just finished in January, which we鈥檝e done every year since 1978.鈥�
He said he鈥檚 already been making the rounds on behalf of the League 鈥� meeting with, he said, the Ocean Drive Association, neighborhood association SoBe Safe and the Art Deco Neighborhood Association.
鈥淎nd I also visited with the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council, which I helped found in 1998, so it鈥檚 kind of interesting to be back and attending their meetings. There鈥檚 just a lot going on and it鈥檚 just wonderful to be focusing on the architecture, the history, the culture, preservation and also a lot of tourism. I worked in tourism all those years with the convention bureau, so you get a twofer with me 鈥� the tourism and the preservation.鈥�
He said his goal to stay on as interim is four to six months. 鈥淭hey wanted someone here to make sure things didn鈥檛 fall by the wayside 鈥� with grant money and lots of other things and that someone would also be the face of the organization,鈥� said Neary.
On Thursday, April 17, Neary will be joined by Melissa Berthier, director, marketing and communications for the City of Miami Beach, for the League鈥檚 lecture series on the topic, 鈥淭he Art of Architecture: 100th Anniversary of the 1925 Art Deco Exposition in Paris.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 from that exposition that all Art Deco architecture and style came from that we celebrate throughout the Art Deco district of Miami Beach.鈥�
As interim, Neary doesn鈥檛 plan on just holding down the fort until someone new comes in.
鈥淚鈥檒l be giving lectures, bringing in new people, some new ideas to focus on preservation and design, and then the outreach to the community. When I worked at the GMCVB, I worked with every museum, every theater, every dance company, so I can pick up those relations and we can partner more 鈥� do some additional collaboration with the community. Create some excitement and just make sure that we are at the forefront in Miami and Miami Beach with preservation, with history, with Art Deco and well, just looking forward to continuing to shine.鈥�
IF YOU GO
What: 鈥淭he Art of Architecture: 100th Anniversary of the 1925 Art Deco Exposition in Paris鈥�
When: Thursday, April 17, 6:30 p.m., museum opens at 6 p.m. through 9 p.m. for Culture Crawl
Where: Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
Cost: Free; reservation suggested
Information: mdpl.org
is a nonprofit news partner of SA国际传谋, providing news on theater, dance, visual arts, music and the performing arts.
