#77 [In Community] - Making Magic City | Tony Cho (Metro 1)

On the second episode of the [in Community] series, I’m speaking to my friend Tony Cho, an unconventional real estate developer in Miami. Tony grew up in the Kashi Ashram, where he was adopted by his grandmother, the guru Ma Jaya, and has gone on to work on innovative projects inspired by the joie de vivre of Burning Man.

On the show we talk about magic and place, from the ashram to Argentina and from Wynwood Arts to Magic City. We discuss gentrification and how to listen and learn from the communities you serve. Tony shares why he’s focusing on regenerative cities and also developing an eco-retreat center beside the ashram where he once slept on the temple floor.

Tony Cho, is the founder and CEO of Metro 1, dedicated to revitalizing neighborhoods in the urban core of South Florida. He is one of the original pioneers of the Wynwood Arts District that helped popularize street art in Miami. He is the founder of Magic City, an innovation district in Little Haiti, as well as ChoZen, a retreat center on the St. Sebastian River.

LINKS
Magic City Innovation District: https://magiccitydistrict.com/
ChoZen Retreat Center: https://www.chozenretreat.com/
Metro 1: https://www.metro1.com/

TIMESTAMPS
:05 - Community and service from the Ashram to Argentina
:15 - What skills does it take to create community wherever you go
:16 - A love of magical spaces
:21 - The story of Magic City in Miami
:29 - Gentrification and inclusion
:37 - Why Tony is investing in cities
:44 - Creating a life like a festival in a regenerative city
:55 - What would Tony’s grandmother guru think of his work and life today?