Florida’s luxury real estate market is heating up like a jet ski on a hot summer day. And three smart South Florida neighbors decided to cash in on that.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Jorge Luis Garcia, former owner of Orlando Family Physicians, and his adjoining neighbors, Juan Miguel Almeida and Adria Adrian Almeida are listing their Palm Island properties for a combined $150,000,000.
The three waterfront properties — adjacent to each other — are located on the 82-acre gated Palm Island, a man-made island in Biscayne Bay, Florida famous for its Latin Quarter nightclub, which was owned by Barbara Walters’ father, Lou, and is said to have been frequented by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Jane Russell.
Garcia reportedly owns two of the $50 million properties, with his neighbors owning the other, and they’re selling them as a package deal. But even if they were to list independently, the asking prices stand out for the area, as Palm Island’s record sale price for a single-family residence is $32 million.
But combining the properties definitely adds to the appeal of the offering.
Beyond bringing their ocean frontage up to 300 feet, the offering allows the right buyer to acquire several existing, already-built properties together — an option that’s becoming increasingly rare in greater Miami.
So let’s take a closer look at each of the three South Florida properties, currently offered as a package deal for a whopping $150 million.
#1 190 Palm Ave, Miami Beach
The largest of the three residences, 190 Palm Avenue offers 12,386 square feet of luxuriously appointed living space.
With a total of 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and 3 half bathrooms, the stately house pairs Mediterranean-style architecture with elegant, modern interiors.
#2 198 Palm Avenue, Miami Beach
While just a tad smaller than the neighboring house, at 11,650 square feet, 198 Palm Avenue is equally luxurious.
This one comes with 8 bedrooms, 9 full baths and 2 half baths, and sits on a 30,000-square-foot lot.
#3 210 Palm Avenue, Miami Beach
The third and last house has similar characteristics, clocking in at 11,349 square feet, with 6 bedrooms, 8.5 bathrooms, and a 30,000 sq. ft. lot.
Just like its neighbors, it has 100 feet of ocean frontage and has been meticulously appointed with the finest luxury finishes.
And while the trio of properties currently stands as one of the priciest residential listings in all of Florida, surpassed only by $187 million newly built mansion in Palm Beach, they wouldn’t set a new state record even if they were to sell at full ask.
The record for the most expensive home sale in Florida is held by billionaire Larry Ellison’s $173 million purchase of the Gemini mansion, the former Ziff family estate in Manalapan.
Nevertheless, the future sale will likely set a record for Palm Island, and bring this Miami Beach enclave into the spotlight, alongside more hyped areas like Star Island or Indian Creek, both holding headlines recently due to notable sales. Spearheading the efforts to make that a reality is Cesar Powell with Coldwell Banker Realty Miami Beach, who holds the listing.
And while the sellers aren’t at all interested in splitting it into three separate listings, we’d be remiss if we didn’t ask: Which one of the three properties do you like the most?
The article Three neighboring properties in Miami Beach eye $150 million sale first appeared on Fancy Pants Homes.
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An oasis of sandy beaches, nature preserves and restaurants with stunning views, Key Biscayne offers all the allure of South Florida on a tiny sliver of land.
Just minutes from downtown Miami, Key Biscayne feels a world away from the city’s bustle and South Beach’s party vibe. The tiny island is home to 2 state parks, as well as quiet, palm-tree-fringed beaches, bike paths, and high-end accommodations (including the sprawling Ritz-Carlton on Key Biscayne).
The homes that line Key Biscayne’s streets are just as impressive as the natural beauty that surrounds them.
And one in particular — which hit the market just a couple of weeks back — embodies the ‘Island Paradise’ vibe of Key Biscayne to perfection.
The $20 million Mariner Dr. property was custom-built built in 2013 by world renowned architect Cesar Molina of CMA Design Studio, known for his signature “tropical modern’ designs.
Molina combines the clean lines and muted color palette of contemporary design with the warm, natural materials of exotic woods and stones typically found in island environments, and incorporates wellness and resort-like amenities into his projects.
The Key Biscayne house on Mariner Dr. is no exception, featuring beautiful natural stone and wood throughout, and incorporating the perfect amenities to make residents feel like they’re living in their own private resort.
The waterfront home sits on a canal with ocean access, and offers resort-style living at its finest — including 9 covered balconies, 4 covered terraces, and infinity lap pool, and even a private yacht dock behind the house.
With a generous 5,760 square feet of elegant living space, including a two-story living room, 5 bedrooms, 6 full baths and 1 half bath, the Key Biscayne house was fully refreshed and rejuvenated in 2022 with many upgrades and luxury finishes.
It’s now being offered for sale with a $20 million price tag. Carmen D’Ambrosio with Coldwell Banker Realty, Key Biscayne holds the listing.
And we wouldn’t be at all surprised if a celebrity moves in. The area is quite popular among A-listers, who’ve been flocking to South Florida in recent years.
Rapper Rick Ross recently splurged $37 million for a waterfront home in the nearby Star Island, and rumor has it that soccer superstar Lionel Messi is also looking at Key Biscayne as a place to settle down following his move to Miami.
Messi is no stranger to Key Biscayne. Just a couple of years back, he rented a 5-bedroom waterfront mansion here, the former Matheson estate, known as the Mashta House — the most expensive house in Key Biscayne, which last sold for $47 million. Let’s hope the $20 million Mariner Dr. house is on his radar!
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At what point after graduating college do we let go of collapsible dinner tables and high-end knock-offs? For interior designer Charlie Ferrer, the answer is ASAP. The Chelsea-based creative founded his own interior design studio and gallery in 2012, offering a plethora of furniture, lighting, and art by both notable and emerging designers. The joint practice has been the go-to agency for fellow creatives and private collectors who appreciate his eclectic eye. Here, Ferrer discusses his personal favorite artists, the importance of supporting smaller talent, and the secret to putting together a tasteful interior.
CULTURED: What do you think makes the New York art scene distinct?
Charlie Ferrer: The density of resources. New York has the highest concentration of galleries, dealers, institutions, working artists, curators, advisors, conservators, and, not least, collectors. This proximity of people and talent, money and ideas, breeds a highly productive atmosphere.
CULTURED: You’ve been billed as a “millennial designer.” What do you think this generation is doing right and wrong in their homes?
Ferrer: There are plenty of young collectors participating in the art and design markets at advanced levels, and that’s great. I wish for more participation at the emerging level. There is a vast world of young people making art. Where are their collector counterparts? I would love to see the coalescence of a larger community of “emerging collectors,” a group that supports their artist contemporaries, choosing art and design purchases as frequently as other discretionary categories like fashion and travel. The spend can be modest—it’s less about money and more about curiosity, education, a shift in focus. I rarely walk into the home of a 30-year-old or even a 38-year-old to find a handful of thoughtfully collected pictures or objects. I find this reality disappointing.
This same wish extends to interiors and collectible design. Millennials tend to consume commodified retail products. Why choose formless sectionals, poorly knocked-off Scandinavian design and Pierre Jeanneret reproductions when there are so many opportunities for an individualized expression of taste? Historical design and specialty goods for the home are more accessible now than ever.
CULTURED: How does a client’s art collection impact your vision for their interiors? How did you build your space around your own?
Ferrer: I am selling collected environments. When a client comes to me with an existing collection of art and/or design, we make space for it. I prefer that every room I touch contains art and objects, but I do not necessarily design rooms for art or the inverse—select art for specific rooms. I suppose large-scale works are one exception. If a work requires a massive wall, a special path of access into the space, etc, we plan for that early on in our process.
Philosophically, I believe in collecting for the sake of a collection and creating interiors that support and dialogue with that collection. I build spaces through an iterative process of layering in which every object is something of meaning on its own. As a project evolves, an assemblage of cool things grows. The vision for the project as a whole eventually takes form. The sum of its parts feels eclectic and organically collected because it is. The best projects are never really finished, they keep evolving, even if just in small ways.
When it comes time to install art, I do like to hang densely, often asymmetrically and sometimes unconventionally, so long as the client is on board.
David Morehouse worked at the Hammer during our years there. Through David, I enjoyed a lot of exposure to artists and collectors and dealers—artists like Mark Bradford, Mark Hagen, Elliott Hundley; collectors Eugenio López, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Bill Bell, Alan Hergott and Curt Shepard; dealers Shaun Regen, Hannah Hoffman, Nino Mier, David Kordansky. The art world in LA 10 plus years ago felt like a small club. That period in my life was vastly eye-opening. It clued me into a world I did not know. Though I had a gallery for a year where we showed furniture and art (featured in CULTURED‘s Spring 2013 issue), I don’t think I actually acquired any art for myself until I left for New York.
CULTURED: What is the first piece you ever bought?
Ferrer: An abstract painting by Shinpei Kageshima from Take Ninagawa at NADA, Miami Basel in 2011. That was an exciting moment for me—being at a busy fair, finding a work by a young artist that spoke to me, shown by a dealer who had come from so far away, offered at a price I could conceivably afford.
CULTURED: Which work provokes the most conversation from visitors?
Ferrer: A mixed media piece composed of used socks, silicon, and pigment on canvas called A Rag of Sorts by Jesse James Thompson. It is appealingly tactile and fetishistic. The colors are beautiful and so is the bronze frame I had made for it. I bought the work out of a group show of MFA candidates put on by Edsel Williams at The Fireplace Project in East Hampton.
CULTURED: Which artist are you currently most excited about and why?
Ferrer: Kevin Beasley, in particular his figurative sculptures, for their rich materiality and the palpable emotion they embody for me. Pretty much anything is shown by Gordon Veneklasen at Michael Werner. The quality of their program is impeccable. On the design side, I am impressed by what Alex May is doing with SIZED out of Los Angeles. The shows are broad and ambitious. They inspire me.
CULTURED: What was the most challenging piece in your personal collection to acquire?
Ferrer: For lovers, maybe, but for art I’m not one to play the hard-to-get game. I just don’t have the bandwidth to get involved at that level personally. I suppose for me the toughest acquisition was my César sculpture because it was a matter of finding the funds when I found the piece. Sometimes, I stretch my limits to get a work I know I want. There is a distinctive gut feeling, a reflex. I imagine others can relate… The timing was right enough for the César. Thankfully, the gallery was patient, and it worked out. I am very fond of that piece.
CULTURED: Is there one piece that got away, or that you still think about?
Ferrer: One of Christopher Wilmarth’s ethereal glasswork sculptures at Craig Starr Gallery. Craig put on a show in 2020 that I continue to daydream about.
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The Fountainbleau has crested the wave of Miami glamour for more than 50 years.
The iconic building, widely recognized as one of the most historically and architecturally significant hotels on Miami Beach, has long been captivating locals and travelers with its distinctive design — which bears the signature of renowned architect Morris Lapidus. Lapidus’s neo-baroque style came to define the 1950s and ’60s resort-hotel design and has since become synonymous with Miami and Miami Beach.
Ever since the Fountainbleau Miami first opened its doors in 1954, the famed curvilinear resort has been a magnet for the biggest names in Hollywood.
Back in the ’50s and ’60s, guests staying at the hotel could rub shoulders with some of the most famous names in the entertainment industry like Elvis Presley, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, and Judy Garland, who often stayed at the resort when in town.
Stellar performances have also been at the heart of Fontainebleau since Frank Sinatra made it the headquarters of his Rat Pack in the Fifties, and that element is just as relevant today. The resort’s nightclub, LIV, is considered one of the top clubs in the U.S., often frequented by some of the biggest celebrities in the world.
Following a massive $1 billion renovation completed in 2008, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach significantly expanded its footprint with the addition of two new luxury all-suite towers (Trésor and Sorrento) to the existing original structures, Chateau and Versailles.
Now, one of the penthouses set atop the Trésor building is up for grabs — with a price tag that matches the caliber of the building it’s set in.
Listed for a whopping $22 million, Penthouse North is one of only two penthouses in the tower (which consists of 462 units, but half of them are studios, the other half one-bedroom apartments, with just two penthouses) and sits on the 37th floor of the Fontainebleau II / Trésor building.
Michele Redlich with Coldwell Banker Realty holds the listing. A true expert in everything Fontainebleau, Michele has sold around 460 apartments at the famed Miami resort, far more than any other Miami area real estate agent. Currently, there are 13 active listings in the building, and she holds 10 of them, including the Penthouse North unit which — at $22 million — is now the priciest in the building.
Penthouse North spans 4,500 square feet and offers 5 bedrooms and 5 full baths, and is anchored by a light-flooded great room with high ceilings and soaring windows with uninterrupted ocean views.
Related: Mar-a-Lago Neighboring Mansion Sells for a Whopping $50 Million
The unit’s square footage is extended by the generous outdoor space, which includes a huge terrace with mesmerizing views, as well as a private pool and shower.
The penthouse can also serve as a passive income driver, as future owners can enroll in the hotel rental program, and earn income while not occupying the property.
And the Fontainebleau Resort’s endless list of upscale amenities can definitely help attract short-time tenants. Fontainebleau guests and residents enjoy 22 oceanfront acres of amenities like award-winning restaurants, the famous LIV night club, a marina to keep their yachts, the Lapis spa and fitness center, and on-site services like valet and daily free breakfasts in the owners lounge.
Now, if the pictures got you thinking that the building looks familiar (even though you’ve never been to Miami), there’s a good reason for that.
The Fontainebleau Miami is more than just a celebrity favorite; it has also long been a go-to filming location, with major productions like Goldfinger (James Bond, 1964), The Bellboy (1960), Scarface (1983), The Specialist (1994), and The Bodyguard (1992) filming scenes at the Fontainebleau.
It’s also one of the best-rated resorts and hotels in all of Miami, so make sure to add it to your roadmap the next time you find yourself in the Magic City.
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The stars have aligned for you to read this article.
There’s no denying that the stars above can significantly influence our preferences and styles, especially in the world of decor. Your zodiac sign offers valuable insights into your unique tastes, making it worthy of understanding. Whether you’re a fiery Aries seeking bold hues or a dreamy Pisces leaning towards serene shades, let the stars be your guide to turn your bedroom into an aligned area that helps fulfill your astrological destiny. Start your transformation journey with these bedroom color ideas.
Curating your celestial vibe through color
The history of the zodiac is wide and vast. However, what has remained through its evolution is the integral part it plays in many cultures. It’s viewed as a captivating lens through individuals’ personalities, relationships and destinies based on the stars’ placement on their birthdays.
It’s important to understand that the zodiac signs are connected with four elements: air, fire, water and earth. These elemental associations play a crucial role in shaping the unique traits and overall vibe of each sign, making it easier to associate colors with concepts. We frequently refer to their corresponding element as a key factor influencing their nature. Zodiac signs also have symbols which you’ll see in parathesis next to each sign.
Bedroom color ideas to try, by zodiac sign
Note: Make sure to clear painting your walls with your landlord first before diving into decorating.
Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned astrologer, uncovering your zodiac sign is the first step to gaining insights into your personality. If you’re unaware of your sign, look for your birthday below to determine your zodiac sign and paired bedroom color.
Aries (Ram): March 21–April 19: Scarlet red
As a fire sign, Aries are celebrated for their spark and bold personality. Embracing the principles of color theory, the vibrant hue of scarlet red, which symbolizes motivation and ambition, is perfect for Aries. This color captures the dynamic nature of this sign and is sure to further ignite the preexisting fire of an Aries.
Taurus (Bull): April 20–May 20: Olive green
Nature inspires Taurus, an earth element sign, and brings them comfort. Because of this appreciation for comfort and nature, a calming olive green shade is the perfect addition to their bedroom. This particular hue of green promotes relaxation and harmony, which are the exact emotions Taureans need to feel in their space.
Gemini (Twins): May 21–June 21: Yellow or Millennial pink
The symbol of a Gemini is twins, which makes it fitting to pick a color duo or at least give two options for their representative bedroom. Yellow, a color believed to bring luck to the lively Geminis, perfectly complements their curious and witty nature. The vibrant hues of Millennial pink capture the essence of their vivacious character, making their bedroom come to life.
Cancer (Crab): June 22–July 22: Sky blue
Cancer is a water sign, and sky blue reflects the calming and healing properties of water. This color creates a connection to the natural element of water, enhancing the sense of emotional flow and fluidity in the room. This soothing color also calms and regulates highly emotional and sensitive individuals, such as Cancers.
Leo (Lion): July 23–August 22: Sienna orange
Ever so confident Leos deserve a bedroom color that reflects the boldness they exude. Sienna orange is a bold and attention-grabbing color, just like Leo’s natural ability to be the center of attention. It reflects their confidence and self-assuredness.
Virgo (Virgin): August 23–September 22: Sage green
Virgos are known for their practicality and appreciation for minimalism. Sage green is almost neutral, with its green-gray tones, that create a soothing and understated backdrop, allowing them to focus on other essential elements in the room without overwhelming their senses. Arguably the most organized and meticulous sign, this muted green contributes to a visually clean atmosphere as well.
Libra (Scales): September 23–October 23: Pastel wallpaper
Libras have an eye for beauty and aesthetics, so you have more room to play with Libran bedroom color ideas. Pastel wallpaper offers a wide range of visually pleasing colors, such as soft pinks, blues, greens and lavenders, which appeal to their refined taste. This creates a bedroom space that aligns with their appreciation for elegance and artistic sensibilities.
Source: flooringinc.com
Scorpio (Scorpion): October 24–November 21: Vermillion red
Scorpios are known for their passionate and intense nature. Vermillion red, being a deep and vibrant shade of red, reflects their fiery and powerful personality. Red is an energizing color, and vermillion red could provide Scorpios with an extra boost of energy.
Sagittarius (Archer): November 22–December 21: Indigo
Sagittarians, famously associated with adventure and risk-taking, are known for their explorative nature. This dark shade of purple evokes a sense of mystery and intrigue, creating an environment that encourages their curious spirit. Creating a space that is equally inspiring and calming is important for them.
Capricorn (Goat): December 22–January 19: Cream
A grounded earth sign, Capricorns are notoriously hard workers. Hard work leads to stress, making a calming, clean-looking place for this sign to unwind imperative. Cream is a calming color that promotes relaxation and tranquility, making it the ideal hue for this practical and disciplined sign.
Aquarius (Water Bearer): January 20–February 18: Seafoam green
Contrary to “aqua” being in their name, Aquarius is a sign ruled by air. They’re best known for their imaginative and creative nature with an emphasis on strong mental focus and unapologetic pursuit of whatever quirky hobby catches their attention. Seafoam green pairs well with this sign because it evokes a dreamy and ethereal ambiance, which can inspire and further advance their creative thinking.
Pisces (Fish): February 19–March 20: Very Peri
Pisces, as a water sign, associates with the element of water. Periwinkle’s blue tones align well with this element, symbolizing flow, adaptability and emotional depth. The gentle and nurturing vibe of periwinkle can support their emotions while encouraging relaxation and destressing.
Your celestial chamber awaits
Your bedroom should be a reflection of your true self, a space that resonates with your soul and brings you comfort and joy. The beauty of embracing zodiac signs lies in the opportunity to connect with something greater than oneself and to incorporate elements that make you feel the most like you.
While these bedroom color ideas are great options, individual preferences vary, as zodiac signs cover a wide range of personality traits. Let the stars inspire you to find your most authentic self through apartment decor today!
Wesley is a Charlotte-based writer with a degree in Mass Communication from the University of South Carolina. Her background includes 6 years in non-profit communication and 4 years in editorial writing. She’s passionate about traveling, volunteering, cooking and drinking her morning iced coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her relaxing with family or exploring Charlotte with her friends.
The stars have aligned for you to read this article.
There’s no denying that the stars above can significantly influence our preferences and styles, especially in the world of decor. Your zodiac sign offers valuable insights into your unique tastes, making it worthy of understanding. Whether you’re a fiery Aries seeking bold hues or a dreamy Pisces leaning towards serene shades, let the stars be your guide to turn your bedroom into an aligned area that helps fulfill your astrological destiny. Start your transformation journey with these bedroom color ideas.
Curating your celestial vibe through color
The history of the zodiac is wide and vast. However, what has remained through its evolution is the integral part it plays in many cultures. It’s viewed as a captivating lens through individuals’ personalities, relationships and destinies based on the stars’ placement on their birthdays.
It’s important to understand that the zodiac signs are connected with four elements: air, fire, water and earth. These elemental associations play a crucial role in shaping the unique traits and overall vibe of each sign, making it easier to associate colors with concepts. We frequently refer to their corresponding element as a key factor influencing their nature. Zodiac signs also have symbols which you’ll see in parathesis next to each sign.
Bedroom color ideas to try, by zodiac sign
Note: Make sure to clear painting your walls with your landlord first before diving into decorating.
Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned astrologer, uncovering your zodiac sign is the first step to gaining insights into your personality. If you’re unaware of your sign, look for your birthday below to determine your zodiac sign and paired bedroom color.
Aries (Ram): March 21–April 19: Scarlet red
As a fire sign, Aries are celebrated for their spark and bold personality. Embracing the principles of color theory, the vibrant hue of scarlet red, which symbolizes motivation and ambition, is perfect for Aries. This color captures the dynamic nature of this sign and is sure to further ignite the preexisting fire of an Aries.
Taurus (Bull): April 20–May 20: Olive green
Nature inspires Taurus, an earth element sign, and brings them comfort. Because of this appreciation for comfort and nature, a calming olive green shade is the perfect addition to their bedroom. This particular hue of green promotes relaxation and harmony, which are the exact emotions Taureans need to feel in their space.
Gemini (Twins): May 21–June 21: Yellow or Millennial pink
The symbol of a Gemini is twins, which makes it fitting to pick a color duo or at least give two options for their representative bedroom. Yellow, a color believed to bring luck to the lively Geminis, perfectly complements their curious and witty nature. The vibrant hues of Millennial pink capture the essence of their vivacious character, making their bedroom come to life.
Cancer (Crab): June 22–July 22: Sky blue
Cancer is a water sign, and sky blue reflects the calming and healing properties of water. This color creates a connection to the natural element of water, enhancing the sense of emotional flow and fluidity in the room. This soothing color also calms and regulates highly emotional and sensitive individuals, such as Cancers.
Leo (Lion): July 23–August 22: Sienna orange
Ever so confident Leos deserve a bedroom color that reflects the boldness they exude. Sienna orange is a bold and attention-grabbing color, just like Leo’s natural ability to be the center of attention. It reflects their confidence and self-assuredness.
Virgo (Virgin): August 23–September 22: Sage green
Virgos are known for their practicality and appreciation for minimalism. Sage green is almost neutral, with its green-gray tones, that create a soothing and understated backdrop, allowing them to focus on other essential elements in the room without overwhelming their senses. Arguably the most organized and meticulous sign, this muted green contributes to a visually clean atmosphere as well.
Libra (Scales): September 23–October 23: Pastel wallpaper
Libras have an eye for beauty and aesthetics, so you have more room to play with Libran bedroom color ideas. Pastel wallpaper offers a wide range of visually pleasing colors, such as soft pinks, blues, greens and lavenders, which appeal to their refined taste. This creates a bedroom space that aligns with their appreciation for elegance and artistic sensibilities.
Source: flooringinc.com
Scorpio (Scorpion): October 24–November 21: Vermillion red
Scorpios are known for their passionate and intense nature. Vermillion red, being a deep and vibrant shade of red, reflects their fiery and powerful personality. Red is an energizing color, and vermillion red could provide Scorpios with an extra boost of energy.
Sagittarius (Archer): November 22–December 21: Indigo
Sagittarians, famously associated with adventure and risk-taking, are known for their explorative nature. This dark shade of purple evokes a sense of mystery and intrigue, creating an environment that encourages their curious spirit. Creating a space that is equally inspiring and calming is important for them.
Capricorn (Goat): December 22–January 19: Cream
A grounded earth sign, Capricorns are notoriously hard workers. Hard work leads to stress, making a calming, clean-looking place for this sign to unwind imperative. Cream is a calming color that promotes relaxation and tranquility, making it the ideal hue for this practical and disciplined sign.
Aquarius (Water Bearer): January 20–February 18: Seafoam green
Contrary to “aqua” being in their name, Aquarius is a sign ruled by air. They’re best known for their imaginative and creative nature with an emphasis on strong mental focus and unapologetic pursuit of whatever quirky hobby catches their attention. Seafoam green pairs well with this sign because it evokes a dreamy and ethereal ambiance, which can inspire and further advance their creative thinking.
Pisces (Fish): February 19–March 20: Very Peri
Pisces, as a water sign, associates with the element of water. Periwinkle’s blue tones align well with this element, symbolizing flow, adaptability and emotional depth. The gentle and nurturing vibe of periwinkle can support their emotions while encouraging relaxation and destressing.
Your celestial chamber awaits
Your bedroom should be a reflection of your true self, a space that resonates with your soul and brings you comfort and joy. The beauty of embracing zodiac signs lies in the opportunity to connect with something greater than oneself and to incorporate elements that make you feel the most like you.
While these bedroom color ideas are great options, individual preferences vary, as zodiac signs cover a wide range of personality traits. Let the stars inspire you to find your most authentic self through apartment decor today!
Wesley is a Charlotte-based writer with a degree in Mass Communication from the University of South Carolina. Her background includes 6 years in non-profit communication and 4 years in editorial writing. She’s passionate about traveling, volunteering, cooking and drinking her morning iced coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her relaxing with family or exploring Charlotte with her friends.
High above the Las Vegas Strip, solar panels blanketed the roof of Mandalay Bay Convention Center — 26,000 of them, rippling across an area larger than 20 football fields.
From this vantage point, the sun-dappled Mandalay Bay and Delano hotels dominated the horizon, emerging like comically large golden scepters from the glittering black panels.Snow-tipped mountains rose to the west.
It was a cold winter morning in the Mojave Desert. But there was plenty of sunlight to supply the solar array.
“This is really an ideal location,” said Michael Gulich, vice president of sustainability at MGM Resorts International.
The same goes for the rest of Las Vegas and its sprawling suburbs.
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Sin City already has more solar panels per person than any major U.S. metropolis outside Hawaii, according to one analysis. And the city is bursting with single-family homes, warehouses and parking lots untouched by solar.
L.A. Times energy reporter Sammy Roth heads to the Las Vegas Valley, where giant solar fields are beginning to carpet the desert. But what is the environmental cost? (Video by Jessica Q. Chen, Maggie Beidelman / Los Angeles Times)
There’s enormous opportunity to lower household utility bills and cut climate pollution — without damaging wildlife habitat or disrupting treasured landscapes.
But that hasn’t stopped corporations from making plans to carpet the desert surrounding Las Vegas with dozens of giant solar fields — some of them designed to supply power to California. The Biden administration has fueled that growth, taking steps to encourage solar and wind energy development across vast stretches of public lands in Nevada and other Western states.
Those energy generators could imperil rare plants and slow-footed tortoises already threatened by rising temperatures.
They could also lessen the death and suffering from the worsening heat waves, fires, droughts and storms of the climate crisis.
Researchers have found there’s not nearly enough space on rooftops to supply all U.S. electricity — especially as more people drive electric cars. Even an analysis funded by rooftop solar advocates and installers found that the most cost-effective route to phasing out fossil fuels involves six times more power from big solar and wind farms than from smaller local solar systems.
But the exact balance has yet to be determined. And Nevada is ground zero for figuring it out.
The outcome could be determined, in part, by billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
The so-called Oracle of Omaha owns NV Energy, the monopoly utility that supplies electricity to most Nevadans. NV Energy and its investor-owned utility brethren across the country can earn huge amounts of money paving over public lands with solar and wind farms and building long-distance transmission lines to cities.
But by regulatory design, those companies don’t profit off rooftop solar. And in many cases, they’ve fought to limit rooftop solar — which can reduce the need for large-scale infrastructure and result in lower returns for investors.
Mike Troncoso remembers the exact date of Nevada’s rooftop solar reckoning.
It was Dec. 23, 2015, and he was working for SolarCity. The rooftop installer abruptly ceased operations in the Silver State after NV Energy helped persuade officials to slash a program that pays solar customers for energy they send to the power grid.
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“I was out in the field working, and we got a call: ‘Stop everything you’re doing, don’t finish the project, come to the warehouse,’” Troncoso said. “It was right before Christmas, and they said, ‘Hey, guys, unfortunately we’re getting shut down.’”
After a public outcry, Nevada lawmakers partly reversed the reductions to rooftop solar incentives. Since then, NV Energy and the rooftop solar industry have maintained an uneasy political ceasefire. Installations now exceed pre-2015 levels.
Today, Troncoso is Nevada branch manager for Sunrun, the nation’s largest rooftop solar installer. The company has enough work in the state to support a dozen crews, each named for a different casino. On a chilly winter morning before sunrise, they prepared for the day ahead — laying out steel rails, hooking up microinverters and loading panels onto powder-blue trucks.
But even if Sunrun’s business continues to grow, it won’t eliminate the need for large solar farms in the desert.
Some habitat destruction is unavoidable — at least if we want to break our fossil fuel addiction. The key questions are: How many big solar farms are needed, and where should they be built? Can they be engineered to coexist with animals and plants?
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And if not, should Americans be willing to sacrifice a few endangered species in the name of tackling climate change?
To answer those questions, Los Angeles Times journalists spent a week in southern Nevada, touring solar construction sites, hiking up sand dunes and off-roading through the Mojave. We spoke with NV Energy executives, conservation activists battling Buffett’s company and desert rats who don’t want to see their favorite off-highway vehicle trails cut off by solar farms.
Odds are, no one will get everything they want.
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The tortoise in the coal mine
Biologist Bre Moyle easily spotted the small yellow flag affixed to a scraggly creosote bush — one of many hardy plants sprouting from the caliche soil, surrounded by rows of gleaming steel trusses that would soon hoist solar panels toward the sky.
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Moyle leaned down for a closer look, gently pulling aside branches to reveal a football-sized hole in the ground. It was the entrance to a desert tortoise burrow — one of thousands catalogued by her employer, Primergy Solar, during construction of one of the nation’s largest solar farms on public lands outside Las Vegas.
“I wouldn’t stand on this side of it,” Moyle advised us. “If you walk back there, you could collapse it, potentially.”
I’d seen plenty of solar construction sites in my decade reporting on energy. But none like this.
Instead of tearing out every cactus and other plant and leveling the land flat — the “blade and grade” method — Primergy had left much of the native vegetation in place and installed trusses of different heights to match the ground’s natural contours. The company had temporarily relocated more than 1,600 plants to an on-site nursery, with plans to put them back later.
The Oakland-based developer also went to great lengths to safeguard desert tortoises — an iconic reptile protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, and the biggest environmental roadblock to building solar in the Mojave.
Desert tortoises are sensitive to global warming, residential sprawl and other human encroachment on their habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has estimated tortoise populations fell by more than one-third between 2004 and 2014.
Scientists consider much of the Primergy site high-quality tortoise habitat. It also straddles a connectivity corridor that could help the reptiles seek safer haven as hotter weather and more extreme droughts make their current homes increasingly unlivable.
Before Primergy started building, the company scoured the site and removed 167 tortoises, with plans to let them return and live among the solar panels once the heavy lifting is over. Two-thirds of the project site will be repopulated with tortoises.
Workers removed more tortoises during construction. As of January, the company knew of just two tortoises killed — one that may have been hit by a car, and another that may have been entombed in its burrow by roadwork, then eaten by a kit fox.
Primergy Vice President Thomas Regenhard acknowledged the company can’t build solar here without doing any harm to the ecosystem — or spurring opposition from conservation activists. But as he watched union construction workers lift panels onto trusses, he said Primergy is “making the best of the worst-case situation” for solar opponents.
“What we’re trying to do is make it the least impactful on the environment and natural resources,” he said. “What we’re also doing is we’re sharing that knowledge, so that these projects can be built in a better way moving forward.”
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The company isn’t saving tortoises out of the goodness of its profit-seeking heart.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management conditioned its approval of the solar farm, called Gemini, on a long list of environmental protection measures — and only after some bureau staffers seemingly contemplated rejecting the project entirely.
Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife show the bureau’s Las Vegas field office drafted several versions of a “record of decision” that would have denied the permit application for Gemini. The drafts listed several objections, including harm to desert tortoises, loss of space for off-road vehicle drivers and disturbance of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail, which runs through the project site.
Separately, Primergy reached a legal settlement with conservationists — who challenged the project’s federal approval in court — in which the company agreed to additional steps to protect tortoises and a plant known as the three-corner milkvetch.
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The company estimates just 2.5% of the project site will be permanently disturbed — far less than the 33% allowed by Primergy’s federal permit. Regenhard is hopeful the lessons learned here will inform future solar development on public lands.
“This is something new. So we’re refining a lot of the processes,” he said. “We’re not perfect. We’re still learning.”
By the time construction wraps this fall, 1.8 million panels will cover nearly 4,000 football fields’ worth of land, just off the 15 Freeway. They’ll be able to produce 690 megawatts of power — as much as 115,000 typical home solar systems. And they’ll be paired with batteries, to store energy and help NV Energy customers keep running their air conditioners after sundown.
Unlike many solar fields, Gemini is close to the population it will serve — just a few dozen miles from the Strip. And the affected landscape is far from visually stunning, with none of the red-rock majesty found at nearby Valley of Fire State Park.
But desert tortoises don’t care if a place looks cool to humans. They care if it’s good tortoise habitat.
Moyle, Primergy’s environmental services manager, pointed to a small black structure at the bottom of a fence along the site’s edge — a shade shelter for tortoises. Workers installed them every 800 feet, so that if any relocated reptiles try to return to the solar farm too early, they don’t die pacing along the fence in the heat.
“They have a really, really good sense of direction,” Moyle said. “They know where their homes are. They want to come back.”
Primergy will study what happens when tortoises do come back. Will they benefit from the shade of the solar panels? Or will they struggle to survive on the industrialized landscape?
And looming over those uncertainties, a more existential query: With global warming beginning to devastate human and animal life around the world, should we really be slowing or stopping solar development to save a single type of reptile?
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Moyle was ready with an answer: Tortoises are a keystone species. If they’re doing well, it’s a good sign of a healthy ecosystem in which other desert creatures — such as burrowing owls, kit foxes and American badgers — are positioned to thrive, too.
And as the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, human survival is inextricably linked with a healthy natural world.
“We take one thing out, we don’t know what sort of disastrous effect it’s going to have on everything else,” Moyle said.
We do, however, know the consequences of relying on fossil fuels: entire towns burning to the ground, Lake Mead three-quarters empty, elderly Americans baking to death in their overheated homes. With worse to come.
The shifting sands of time
A few miles south, another solar project was rising in the desert. This one looked different.
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A fleet of bulldozers, scrapers, excavators and graders was nearly done flattening the land — a beige moonscape devoid of cacti and creosote. The solar panel support trusses were all the same height, forming an eerily rigid silver sea.
When I asked Carl Glass — construction manager for DEPCOM Power, the contractor building this project for Buffett’s NV Energy — why workers couldn’t leave vegetation in place like at Gemini, he offered a simple answer: drainage. Allowing the land to retain its natural contours, he said, would make it difficult to move stormwater off the site during summer monsoons.
Safety was another consideration, said Dani Strain, NV Energy’s senior manager for the project. Blading and grading the land meant workers wouldn’t have to carry solar panels and equipment across ground studded with tripping hazards.
“It’s nicer for the environment not to do it,” Strain said. “But it creates other problems. You can’t have everything.”
This kind of solar project has typified development in the Mojave Desert.
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And it helps explain why the Center for Biological Diversity’s Patrick Donnelly has fought so hard to limit that development.
The morning after touring the solar construction sites, we joined Donnelly for a hike up Big Dune, a giant pile of sand covering five square miles and towering 500 feet above the desert floor, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The sun was just beginning its ascent over the Mojave, bathing the sand in a smooth umber glow beneath pockets of wispy cloud.
On weekends, Donnelly said, the dune can be overrun by thousands of off-road vehicles. But on this day, it was quiet.
Energy companies have proposed more than a dozen solar farms on public lands surrounding Big Dune — some with overlapping footprints. Donnelly doesn’t oppose all of them. But he thinks federal agencies should limit solar to the least ecologically sensitive parts of Nevada, instead of letting companies pitch projects almost anywhere they choose.
“Developers are looking at this as low-hanging fruit,” he said. “The idea is, this is where California can build all of its solar.”
We trekked slowly up the dune, our bodies casting long shadows in the early morning light. When we took a breather and looked back down, a trail of footprints marked our path. Donnelly assured us a windy day would wipe them away.
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“This is why I live here, man,” he said. “It’s the most beautiful place on Earth, in my mind.”
Donnelly broke his back in a rock-climbing accident, so he used a walking stick to scale the dune. He lives not far from here, at the edge of Death Valley National Park, and works as the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity’s Great Basin director.
As we resumed our journey, the wind blowing hard, I asked Donnelly to rank the top human threats to the Mojave. He was quick to answer: The climate crisis was No. 1, followed by housing sprawl, solar development and off-road vehicles.
“There’s no good solar project in the desert. But there’s less bad,” he said. “And we’re at a point now where we have to settle for less bad, because the alternatives are more bad: more coal, more gas, climate apocalypse.”
That hasn’t stopped Donnelly and his colleagues from fighting renewable energy projects they fear would wipe out entire species — even little-known plants and animals with tiny ranges, such as Tiehm’s buckwheat and the Dixie Valley toad.
“I’m not a religious guy,” Donnelly said. “But all God’s creatures great and small.”
After a steep stretch of sand, we stopped along a ridge with sweeping views. To our west were the Funeral Mountains, across the California state line in Death Valley National Park — and far beyond them Mt. Whitney, its snow-covered facade just barely visible. To our east was Highway 95, cutting across the Amargosa Valley en route from Las Vegas to Reno.
It’s along this highway that so many developers want to build.
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“We would be in a sea of solar right now,” Donnelly said.
Having heard plenty of rural residents say they don’t want to look at such a sea, I asked Donnelly if this was a bad spot for solar because it would ruin the glorious views. He told me he never makes that argument, “because honestly, views aren’t really the primary concern at this moment. The primary concern is stopping the biodiversity crisis and the climate crisis.”
“There are certain places where we shouldn’t put solar because it’s a wild and undisturbed landscape,” he said.
As far as he’s concerned, though, the Amargosa Valley isn’t one of those landscapes, what with Highway 95 running through it. The same goes for Dry Lake Valley, where NV Energy’s solar construction site is already surrounded by energy infrastructure.
What Donnelly would like to see is better planning.
He pointed to California, where state and federal officials spent eight years crafting a desert conservation plan that allows solar and wind farms across a few hundred thousand acres while setting aside millions more for protection. He thinks a similar process is crucial in Nevada, where four-fifths of the land area is owned by the federal government — more than any other state.
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If Donnelly had his way, regulators would put the kibosh on solar farms immediately adjacent to Big Dune. He’s worried they could alter the movement of sand across the desert floor, affecting several rare beetles that call the dune home.
But if the feds want to allow solar projects along the highway to the south, near the Area 51 Alien Center?
“Might not be the end the world,” Donnelly said.
He shot me a grin.
“You know, one thing I like to do …”
Without warning, he took off racing down the dune, carried by momentum and love for the desert. He laughed as he reached a natural stopping point, calling for us to join him. His voice sounded free and full of possibility.
Some solar panels on the horizon wouldn’t have changed that.
Shout it from the rooftops
Laura Cunningham and Kevin Emmerich were a match made in Mojave Desert heaven.
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Cunningham was a wildlife biologist, Emmerich a park ranger when they met nearly 30 years ago at Death Valley. She studied tortoises for government agencies and later a private contractor. He worked with bighorn sheep and gave interpretive talks. They got married, bought property along the Amargosa River and started their own conservation group, Basin and Range Watch.
And they’ve been fighting solar development ever since.
That’s how we ended up in the back of their SUV, pulling open a rickety cattle gate off Highway 95 and driving past wild burros on a dirt road through Nevada’s Bullfrog Hills, 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
They had told us Sarcobatus Flat was stunning, but I was still surprised by how stunning. I got my first look as we crested a ridge. The gently sloping valley spilled down toward Death Valley National Park, whose snowy mountain peaks towered over a landscape dotted with thousands of Joshua trees.
“Everything we’re looking at is proposed for solar development,” Cunningham said.
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Most environmentalists agree we need at least some large solar farms. Cunningham and Emmerich are different. They’re at the vanguard of a harder-core desert protection movement that sees all large-scale solar farms on public lands as bad news.
Why had so many companies converged on Sarcobatus Flat?
The main answer is transmission. NV Energy is seeking federal approval to build the 358-mile Greenlink West electric line, which would carry thousands of megawatts of renewable power between Reno and Las Vegas along the Highway 95 corridor.
The dirt road curved around a small hill, and suddenly we found ourselves on the valley floor, surrounded by Joshua trees. Some looked healthy; others had bark that had been chewed by rodents seeking water, a sign of drought stress. Scientists estimate the Joshua tree’s western subspecies could lose 90% of its range as the world gets hotter and droughts get more intense.
But asked whether climate change or solar posed a bigger threat to Sarcobatus Flat, Cunningham didn’t hesitate.
“Oh, solar development hands down,” she said.
Nearly 20 years ago, she said, she helped relocate desert tortoises to make way for a test track in California. One of them tried to return home, walking 20 miles before hitting a fence. It paced back and forth and eventually died of heat exhaustion.
Solar farms, she said, pose a similar threat to tortoises. And at Sarcobatus Flat, they would cover a high-elevation area that could otherwise serve as a climate refuge for Joshua trees, giving them a relatively cool place to reproduce as the planet heats up.
“It makes no sense to me that we’re going to bulldoze them down and throw them into trash piles. It’s just crazy,” she said.
In Cunningham and Emmerich’s view, every sun-baked parking lot in L.A. and Vegas and Phoenix should have a solar canopy, every warehouse and single-family home a solar roof. It’s a common argument among desert defenders: Why sacrifice sensitive ecosystems when there’s an easy alternative for fighting climate change? Especially when rooftop solar can reduce strain on an overtaxed electric grid and — when paired with batteries — help people keep their lights on during blackouts?
The answer isn’t especially satisfying to conservationists.
For all the virtues of rooftop solar, it’s an expensive way to generate clean power — and keeping energy costs low is crucial to ensure that lower-income families can afford electric cars, another key climate solution. A recent report from investment bank Lazard pegged the cost of rooftop solar at 11.7 cents per kilowatt-hour on the low end, compared with 2.4 cents for utility solar.
Even when factoring in pricey long-distance electric lines, utility-scale solar is typically cheaper, several experts told me.
“It’s three to six times more expensive to put solar on your roof than to put it in a large-scale project,” said Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems researcher at Princeton University. “There may be some added value to having solar in the Los Angeles Basin instead of the middle of the Mojave Desert. But is it 300% to 600% more value? Probably not. It’s probably not even close.”
There’s a practical challenge, too.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has estimated U.S. rooftops could generate 1,432 terawatt-hours of electricity per year — just 13% of the power America will need to replace most of its coal, oil and gas, according to research led by Jenkins.
Add in parking lots and other areas within cities, and urban solar systems might conceivably supply one-quarter or even one-third of U.S. power, several experts told The Times — in an unlikely scenario where they’re installed in every suitable spot.
Energy researcher Chris Clack’s consulting firm has found that dramatic growth in rooftop and other small-scale solar installations could reduce the costs of slashing climate pollution by half a trillion dollars. But even Clack said rooftops alone won’t cut it.
“Realistically, 80% is going to end up being utility grid no matter what,” he said.
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All those industrial renewable energy projects will have to go somewhere.
Sarcobatus Flat may not be the answer. Federal officials classified all three solar proposals there as “low priority,” citing their proximity to Death Valley and potential harm to tortoise habitat. One developer withdrew its application last year.
Before leaving the area, Cunningham pointed to a wooden marker, one of at least half a dozen stretching out in a line. I walked over to take a closer look and discovered it was a mining claim for lithium — a main ingredient in electric-car batteries.
If solar development didn’t upend this valley, lithium extraction might.
On the beaten track
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The four-wheeler jerked violently as Erica Muxlow pressed her foot to the gas, sending us flying down a rough dirt road with no end in sight but the distant mountains. Five-point safety straps were the only things stopping us from flying out of our seats, the vehicle leaping through the air as we reached speeds of 40 mph, then 50 mph, the wind whipping our faces.
It was like riding Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds — just without the Yeti.
Ahead of us, Muxlow’s neighbor Jimmy Lewis led the way on an electric blue motorcycle, kicking up a stream of sand. He wanted us to see thousands of acres of public lands outside his adopted hometown of Pahrump, in Nevada’s Nye County, that could soon be blocked by solar projects — cutting off access to off-highway vehicle enthusiasts such as himself.
“You could build an apartment complex or a shopping mall here, and it would be the same thing to me,” he said.
To progressive-minded Angelenos or San Franciscans, preserving large chunks of public land for gas-guzzling, environmentally destructive dirt bikes might sound like a terrible reason not to build solar farms that would lessen the climate crisis.
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But here’s the reality: Rural Westerners such as Lewis will play a key role in determining how much clean energy gets built.
Not long before our Nevada trip, Nye County placed a six-month pause on new renewable energy projects, citing local concerns about loss of off-road vehicle trails. Similar fears have stymied development across the U.S., with rural residents attacking solar and wind farms as industrial intrusions on their way of life — and local governments throwing up roadblocks.
For Lewis, the conflict is deeply personal.
He moved here from Southern California more than a decade ago, trading life by the beach for a five-acre plot where he runs an off-roading school and test-drives motorcycles for manufacturers. His warehouse was packed with dozens of dirt bikes.
“This is my life. Motorcycles, motorcycles, motorcycles,” he said, laughing.
Lewis has worked to stir up opposition to three local solar farm proposals. So far, his efforts have been in vain.
One project is already under construction. Peering through a fence, we saw row after row of trusses, waiting for their photovoltaic panels. It’s called Yellow Pine, and it’s being built by Florida-based NextEra Energy to supply power to California.
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Lewis learned about Yellow Pine when he was riding one of his favorite trails and was surprised to find it cut off. He compared the experience to riding the best roller-coaster at a theme park, only to have it grind to a halt three-quarters of the way through.
“I don’t want my playground taken away from me,” he said.
“Me neither!” a voice called out from behind us.
We turned and were greeted by Shannon Salter, an activist who had previously spent nine months camping near the Yellow Pine site to protest the habitat destruction. She and Lewis had never met, but they quickly realized they had common cause.
“It’s the opposite of green!” Salter said.
“On my roof, not my backyard,” Lewis agreed.
Never mind that conservationists have long decried the ecological damage from desert off-roading. Salter and Lewis both cared about these lands. Neither wanted to see the solar industry lay claim to them. They talked about staying in touch.
It’s easy to imagine similar alliances forming across the West, the clean energy transition bringing together environmentalists and rural residents in a battle to defend their lifestyles, their landscapes and animals that can’t fight for themselves.
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It’s also easy to imagine major cities that badly need lots of solar and wind power — Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix — brushing off those complaints as insignificant compared with the climate emergency, or as fueled by right-wing misinformation.
But many of concerns raised by critics are legitimate. And their voices are only getting louder.
As night fell over the Mojave, Lewis shared his idea that any city buying electricity from a desert solar farm should be required to install a certain amount of rooftop solar back home first — on government buildings, at least. It only seemed fair.
“Some people see the desert as just a wasteland,” Lewis said. “I think it’s beautiful.”
The view from Black Mountain
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So how do we build enough renewable energy to replace fossil fuels without destroying too many ecosystems, or stoking too much political opposition from rural towns, or moving too slowly to save the planet?
Few people could do more to ease those tensions than Buffett.
Our conversation kept returning to the legendary investor as we hiked Black Mountain, just outside Vegas, on our last morning in the Silver State. We were joined by Jaina Moan, director of external affairs for the Nature Conservancy’s Nevada chapter. She had promised a view of massive solar fields from the peak — but only after a 3.5-mile trek with 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
“It’ll be a little StairMaster at the end,” she warned us.
The homes and hotels and casinos of the Las Vegas Valley retreated behind us as we climbed, looking ever smaller and more insignificant against the vast open desert. It was an illusion that will prove increasingly difficult to maintain as Sin City and its suburbs continue their march into the Mojave. Nevada politicians from both parties are pushing for legislation that would let federal officials auction off additional public lands for residential and commercial development.
Vegas and other Western cities could limit the need for more suburbs — and sprawling solar farms — by growing smarter, Moan said. Urban areas could embrace density, to help people drive fewer miles and reduce the demand for new power supplies to fuel electric vehicles. They could invest in electric buses and trains — and use less water, which would save a lot of energy.
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“As our spaces become more crowded, we’re going to have to come up with more creative ideas,” Moan said.
That’s where Buffett could make things easier.
The billionaire’s Berkshire Hathaway company owns electric utilities that serve millions of people, from California to Nevada to Illinois. Those utilities, Moan said, could buck the industry trend of urging policymakers to reduce financial incentives for rooftop solar and instead encourage the technology — along with other small-scale clean energy solutions, such as local microgrids.
That would limit the need for big solar farms — at least somewhat.
Berkshire and other energy giants could also build solar on lands already altered by humans, such as abandoned mines, toxic Superfund sites, reservoirs, landfills, agricultural areas, highway corridors and canals that carry water to farms and cities.
The costs are typically higher than building on undisturbed public lands. And in many cases there are technical challenges yet to be resolved. But those kinds of “creative solutions” could at least lessen the loss of biodiversity, Moan said.
“There’s money to be made there, and there’s good to be done,” she said.
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It’s hard to know what Buffett thinks. A Berkshire spokesperson declined my request to interview him.
Tony Sanchez, NV Energy’s executive vice president for business development and external relations, was more forthcoming.
“The problem for us with rooftop solar,” he said, is that it’s “not controlled at all by us.” As a result, NV Energy can’t decide when and how rooftop solar power is used — and can’t rely on that power to help balance supply and demand on the grid.
Over time, Sanchez predicted, a lot more rooftop solar will get built. But he couldn’t say how much.
Rooftop solar faces a similarly uncertain future in California, where state officials voted last year to slash incentive payments, calling them an unfair subsidy. Industry leaders have warned of a dramatic decline in installations.
As we neared the top of Black Mountain, the solar farms on the other side came into view. They stretched across the Eldorado Valley far below — black rectangles that could help save life on Earth while also destroying bits and pieces of it.
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Moan believes the key to balancing clean energy and conservation is “go slow to go fast.” Government agencies, she said, should work with conservation activists, small-town residents and Native American tribes to study and map out the best places for clean energy, then reward companies that agree to build in those areas with faster approvals. Solar and wind development would slow down in the short term but speed up in the long run, with quicker environmental reviews and less risk of lawsuits.
It’s a tantalizing concept — but I confessed to Moan that I worried it would backfire.
What if the sparring factions couldn’t agree on the best spots to build solar and wind farms, and instead wasted years arguing? Or what if they did manage to hammer out some compromises, only for a handful of unhappy people or groups to take them to court, gumming up the works? Couldn’t “go slow to go fast” end up becoming “go slow to go slow”?
In other words, should we really bet our collective future on human beings working together, rather than fighting?
Moan was sympathetic to my fears. She also didn’t see another way forward.
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“We really need to think holistically about saving everything,” she said.
The sad truth is, not everything can be saved. Not if we want to keep the world livable for people and animals alike.
Some beloved landscapes will be left unrecognizable. Some families will be stuck paying high energy bills to monopoly utilities, even as some utility investors make less money. Some tortoises will probably die, pacing along fences in the heat.
The alternative is worse.
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A massive 17,602-square-foot home that sits on Highland Beach’s largest oceanfront lot has recently hit the market in Palm Beach County, Florida and has the potential to set a new real estate record.
The trophy property delivers over 150 feet of private manicured beachfront on nearly 2 acres in the ”Estate Section” of Byrd Beach, minutes away from Atlantic Avenue and Boca Raton.
It also sports a price tag worthy of its countless attributes: the mansion is listed for $59.9 million, making it the most expensive home for sale in Highland Beach and the priciest listing in the greater Boca Raton area.
If it sells anywhere near its asking price, the Ocean Blvd. property will become the most expensive home ever sold in the area.
RELATED: Florida’s most expensive house ever: Larry Ellison’s $173 million Gemini estate
“This estate is one of the nicest houses in Highland Beach,” says Coldwell Banker Realty agent Jonathan Postma, who holds the listing. “It’s a trophy property that is becoming increasingly hard to find in Florida, especially with two acres and 150 feet of private ocean frontage.”
Interestingly enough, the previous record holder is this very property. The same Ocean Blvd. home sold in April 2022 for a whopping $45 million, a deal that marked the highest sale in the Highland Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Gulf Stream, and Ocean Ridge area, per the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The owner, identified by The Real Deal as an Omaha businessman, bought the property in 2022 in an off-market deal, and has since done extensive maintenance/repairs, while also revamping the interiors of the massive 17,602-square-foot mansion.
Featuring modern French-Eclectic architecture, transitional interiors by Marc-Michaels, and fortress-like construction by Mark Timothy Luxury Homes, the $59.9 million Ocean Blvd. house is the epitome of luxury.
SEE ALSO: Serena Williams’ house in Florida has many unique features, but no living room
With 8 bedrooms, 10 full baths and 3 partial baths, the mansion has intricate details throughout, creatively blending an atmosphere of grand-scale entertaining and comfortable beach living.
Inside, some of the standout features of the privately gated estate include a gourmet kitchen with a large center island, double ovens and pantry; an oversized master bedroom with en suite and massive walk-in closet; a home theatre; and a fitness area, among others.
Adding to its beach living appeal, the Ocean Blvd. estate also features a heated pool/spa area with a cabana, outdoor shower, built-in grill, and summer kitchen.
Ultra-high-end real estate in Boca Raton, Florida is on a stratospheric rise, breaking record sale prices every year for five consecutive years. According to a CNBC report, mansions in the Boca Raton area are commanding Miami Beach prices, with the price per square foot of the area’s top-end homes now on par with Miami Beach pricing.
“People tend to think of Miami when the subject turns to high-end South Florida real estate,” Douglas Elliman real estate agent Senada Adzem told CNBC, “But Boca Raton is, without question, one of the region’s premier luxury residential markets.” And the spectacular $59.9 million Highland Beach mansion we covered today is clear proof of that.
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Billionaire Rick Caruso’s namesake real estate firm Caruso has said it will accept bitcoin as rent payment at its residential and retail properties.
The company said it is both investing in, and accepting bitcoin as a form of payment. It has partnered with Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange, in order to facilitate those payments.
Caruso validated his belief in the fact that cryptocurrency is here to stay during an interview on CNBC’s Power Lunch show.
“We believe that bitcoin is the right investment for us,” Caruso said. “We’ve allocated a percentage of what would normally go into the capital markets into bitcoin.”
Caruso’s portfolio of properties includes numerous luxury apartments, outdoor malls, mixed-use properties and more. In a statement, the company said that it is committed to bringing decentralized retail payment options to its guests via “uncomplicated, efficient, and safe transactions protected by blockchain technology.”
Caruso stressed in the interview that he believes bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will play “an important role in our collective feature”, adding that the partnership with Gemini will add “real value” to its guests.
“We envision a myriad of opportunities where we can better engage our guests and enhance their experience on properties like introducing blockchain-enabled rewards and enabling cryptocurrency payments,” he said. “Partnering with Gemini on consumer applications will bring endless options, but we also see a future for how this technology will bring people together.”
Bitcoin has seen its value surge in recent months even as some critics continue to preach against it, arguing that its volatility makes it an unsafe store of value. Bitcoin recently hit a new record high of more than $60,000 per coin, up from around $11,000 in October 2020.
Caruso is the latest in a number of companies that are accepting bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment, including Tesla, Morgan Stanley, and PayPal.
But as regulations continue to evolve in the space, less than 5% of public companies are likely to invest in bitcoin over the next 12 to 18 months, Daniel Ives, a Wedbush analyst, told Insider. Still, there’s a “growing shift for companies to accept this digital currency as a form of payment,” Wedbush says. “Bitcoin mania is not a fad in our opinion, but rather the start of a new age on the digital currency front.”
Mike Wheatley is the senior editor at Realty Biz News. Got a real estate related news article you wish to share, contact Mike at [email protected]
We have a job opportunity to share from a member of the GEM, Gemini Ventures, a Venture Studio and Fund that conceives, builds, and scales companies at the intersection of real estate, finance, and technology: Vice President of Growth.
Responsibilities:
Create and implement “0 to 1” go-to-market strategies for each company we launch, ensuring they have a clear path to attracting their first customers, generating revenue, and securing strategic partnerships.
Collaborate closely with our startup founders to develop their “1 to 10” go-to-market strategies, teams, processes, and tooling that will allow them to scale effectively into their Series A round.
Develop and operationalize Gemini’s brand strategy, positioning us as a leading venture studio in terms of equity value creation, technical craft and ecosystem quality.
Help qualify and validate company ideas, systematize and productize our internal processes and tools, and amplify our network with yours.
Required Capabilities & Experience:
10+ years of experience in marketing leadership roles, preferably with diversity of experience across company stage (startup, growth, scale), end customer (B2B, B2C, B2B2C), funnel outcome focus (awareness, consideration, trial, conversion, repeat, loyalty), business model (SaaS, marketplace, D2C) and tactical approach (marketing-driven, sales-driven).
Proven track record of developing and implementing successful go-to-market strategies, ideally in “first marketing/growth hire” and/or “0 to 1” settings, including sales and marketing strategy / development / execution.
Deep and practical understanding of B2B marketing strategies and tactics, including product marketing, content marketing, demand generation, lead generation and conversion, partnerships, and digital marketing. B2C and B2B2C experience is relevant and valued, but secondary to B2B experience.
Hands-on experience using marketing technology and CRM platforms to drive marketing effectiveness and efficiency.
Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to use data to inform marketing strategy and decision-making.
Experience managing and growing high-performing marketing teams, including a deep relationship network.
Strong collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to interact and work effectively with cross-functional partners, founders and their teams, investors, industry partners and other audiences.
Experience in tech is required; real estate and/or fintech experience and/or knowledge is a bonus but not required.
Required Values & Behaviors:
Entrepreneurial Spirit: You’re comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change; you’re able to take initiative and make things happen in a fast-paced, “0 to 1” startup environment.
Strategic Thinker: You’re able to see the big picture, think long-term, and translate strategic objectives into actionable marketing plans.
Collaborative: You’re a team player who can work effectively with people across the organization. You value diverse perspectives and strive to create an inclusive environment.
Results-Oriented: You’re focused on delivering measurable results and are always looking for ways to improve performance.
Integrity: You conduct yourself with honesty and operate ethically in all aspects of your work. You’re reliable and uphold commitments to the team and the company.
Continuous Learner: You’re always looking to learn and grow, staying current on the latest marketing trends and constantly seeking ways to improve your skills and knowledge.
Comp, benefits, and location:
Gemini Ventures is well funded by a network of top investors, and offer competitive cash comp in addition to equity in their portfolio of startups and comprehensive benefits (including health, vision and dental insurance, generous PTO / sick leave and 401(k)). The majority of their team lives in Boston, with others in New York, Colorado, and California. They work in a hybrid mode, with in-person collaboration when needed – usually a few days a week for the Boston crew and full-team on-sites every 6-8 weeks. While they prefer a Boston-based candidate, they are open to candidates in other locations – ultimately, they’re seeking the best possible person for the role.