Alicia Cervera

Born in Peru in 1930, Cervera was the second of three daughters of Teodosio Cabada, a Peruvian ambassador, and Alicia Cipriani, a real estate developer in her hometown of Lima.[2] In 1954, while her father was the Peruvian ambassador to Cuba, she married Javier Cervera, whose family business was centered in the Cuban sugar industry.[2][4] She embarked on her journey to Miami with her husband and their two daughters in the early 1960s, seeking safety in the United States because of the Cuban Communist regime.[2][7] Their initial years were marked by challenges and a fresh start in an unfamiliar land.[2][4]

In 1966, Cervera made a decision that would later prove to be critical when she learned of the transformation of Brickell Avenue in Miami from single-family lots to multifamily development.[1][2] Despite limited resources, she pursued and secured a property on Brickell Avenue, a move that would become the foundation of her real estate career.[1][3][4]

After her first successful real estate transaction, Cervera laid the groundwork for a career that would leave a permanent mark on Miami's real estate landscape.[1][2][3] She would eventually be seen by peers in the real estate industry as a disruptor.[1]

In 1979, she approached New York real estate developer Harry Helmsley with an innovative proposal to exclusively represent his planned 254-unit Palace on Brickell.[1][2][3] Instead of adhering to the traditional role of an in-house developer sales agent, she created a platform dedicated to servicing developer needs.[1][3] The new sales model included a highly trained team of sales professionals; and immersing herself in every aspect of the project, from meetings with architects and contractors to marketing strategies targeted to expose Miami to the world. In doing so, she paved the way for the modern-day model of development sales and marketing, which centers on a wholistic approach and has been widely emulated by brokerage companies.[1][3]

Cervera's international background played a key role in shaping her approach.[4] Her father, who served as Peru's ambassador to the United Nations and Cuba, had instilled in her the importance of understanding and respecting diverse cultures.[2] This perspective guided her vision for Miami's real estate market, which in her eyes was destined to be the foundation of a leading global city.[1][3] The real estate developer Jorge M. Pérez, referred to by some as Miami's "Condo King,"[8] would later credit Cervera for seeing what Miami had to offer buyers from around the globe, saying she was "instrumental in developing that market for the early condo developers like ourselves."[1]

Within one year of the Palace high-rise, Cervera began securing several other major jobs on Brickell Avenue, including The Atlantis (famously known for its appearance in the opening credits of Miami Vice), Villa Regina and Bristol Towers.[2][4] Ultimately, her mark on Brickell, which is Miami’s financial district, referred to as “Wall Street of the South” and considered one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city, would include more than 30 high-rise condominium towers.[1][3]  

Cervera's impact on Miami extends beyond Brickell. She has collaborated with developers to revitalize neighborhoods such as Miami Beach’s South of Fifth, downtown Miami, Coconut Grove, and Edgewater.[6] Her partnership with Jorge Pérez of Related Group transformed South Beach's "South of Fifth" district into one of the most affluent zip codes in the United States.[1][4]

To date, Cervera's career in new development sales and marketing includes more than 120 condominium high-rise towers across South Florida, the most among any real estate firm in the region.[2][6][9] Among these include notable Miami buildings, including Aston Martin Residences Miami (downtown Miami), Apogee (South Beach), the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove, St. Regis Bal Harbour, and Grove at Grand Bay (Coconut Grove) among others. She has collaborated with more than 85 developers.[1][2][3]

Cervera has been referred to in the press as the "Grand Lady of Real Estate Sales" and the "Queen of Brickell."[1][6][4] Her contributions to Miami's growth and development have earned her numerous accolades and honors, including:

• In 1991, Cervera was recognized in the Congressional Record for her achievements in real estate as an example of an immigrant businesswoman who helped make America the great country it is.
• In 2001 Cervera received the Red Cross Spectrum Entrepreneurial Award
• In 2006 CAMACOL recognized Cervera as a Successful Hispanic Businesswoman of the Year
• In 2009 the Realtor Association of Miami and the Beaches granted Cervera the "Miami Real Estate Icon Award"
• In May 2013 the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce presented Cervera with a South Florida Real Estate Achievement and Leaders Award for her Lifetime Achievement.
• In 2014 Cervera received several recognitions:
  • South Florida Executive Magazine recognized her as a “Legend” for her dedication and commitment to the South Florida community.
  • The Miami Master Broker’s Forum “Legacy Award” for her dedication to excellence in business and impact on South Florida real estate.[10]
  • The American Cancer Society Award for Inner Circle of 12.[11]

• In 2016, Miami Dade County Mayor Tomás Regalado proclaimed October 18^th “Alicia Cervera Day,” stating that “no woman other than Julia Tuttle has had a larger impact on the development of Miami than Alicia Cervera.”[5][6]

• In 2018, Cervera was invited to give a lecture about successful women in business at Columbia University.
• In 2022, Miami-Dade County dedicated a stretch of South Miami Avenue as "Alicia Cervera Way" in recognition of her efforts to revitalize existing neighborhoods and create new ones.[1][12][13]
• In 2023, Cervera was honored with the South Florida Business Journal's Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of her influence and dedication to the real estate industry.[3] Speaking about Cervera's recognition, City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said “I don’t know what Miami would look like, I don’t know what my job as mayor would be without the achievements Alicia gave to our community.”[1]
• The same year, Cervera was bestowed with the “Urban Warrior: Legacy Award” by Miami’s Center for Architecture and Design for her dedication to the development of Miami’s urban core into a vibrant cosmopolitan center.[14]

With her daughters, Veronica Cervera Goeseke and Alicia Cervera Lamadrid, actively involved in the family business since the 1980s, Cervera's legacy lives on through multiple generations.[2]

In addition to her professional achievements, Cervera is actively engaged in philanthropic endeavors, supporting various charitable organizations and community initiatives throughout Miami and her native Peru.[15]

Cervera has been a supporter of the American Red Cross and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. For the last 40-years, she has been President of Clinica San Juan de Dios Miami Foundation, a hospital for disabled children in her native Peru.[12]

In recent years, Cervera has vocalized the need to build affordable housing and believes it is one of the biggest challenges facing Miami’s community.[7]

Throughout her career, Cervera has always maintained her vision of Miami as a global city with immense potential.[1][2]

In 2023 at the age of 93, Cervera continues to participate in the company she founded. She has eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.[7]