HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-22-0343City of Miami
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Resolution R-22-0343
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Legislation
File Number: 12439
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Final Action Date: 9/13/2022
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CODESIGNATING
NORTHWEST 16 STREET ROAD BETWEEN 27th AVENUE AND 24TH
AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS "MANUEL BALADO AVENUE"; FURTHER
DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE HEREIN DESIGNATED OFFICES.
SPONSOR(S): Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner Joe Carollo,
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
WHEREAS, Manuel Balado ("Balado") founded Balado National Tires in Miami in 1962
at 1633 Northwest 27th Ave, six months after fleeing Cuba and thirteen years after founding the
Gomera Nacional Balado in Havana, Cuba; andtoday, there are three locations; and
WHEREAS, when Balado left Cuba in March 1962 with his wife, the late
Mercedes Balado, five months after sending his teenaged daughters to Miami, he left behind a
chain of gas stations and a tire and auto service business, Gomera Nacional Balado
("Gomera"); and
WHEREAS, Balado founded Gomera in 1949 in Havana and saw it grow into one of the
main distributors of United States based Firestone tires and was frequently honored as one of
its top salesmen; and
WHEREAS, for decades, Balado kept a yellowed 1953 photograph that appeared in the
Firestone company newspaer, on his desk that depicted him with two Firestone executives as
they toured the company's Akron, Ohio, plant; and
WHEREAS, six months after Balado's arrival in the United States, in September 1962,
he restarted Gomera, rebranded in English as Balado National Tire on Northwest 7th Avenue,
north of the Miami River; and
WHEREAS, In 1989, Balado told the Herald thathe "didn't know how far I was going to
get, but I did know I wasn't going to fail", and just a half dozen years after moving to Miami,
Balado was firmly ensconced in Miami's business community, helping to form the Latin
American Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A., serving as its President for four years, through
1972, and, in 1989, being honored by the organization as its Entrepreneur of the Year, and
being named its lifetime Honorary President; and
WHEREAS, Three years later, in 1992, the family -run company had sales of $5
million, making it one of the Top 500 Hispanic -owned businesses in the United States,
according to a Miami Herald article; and
WHEREAS, the family still maintains three locations in Miami today, including the main
outlet at 1633 Northwest 27th Avenue that he opened in 1974 and, according to grandson
Orlando Hidalgo Jr still receive "customers at the tire store who say they come to us because of
City of Miami Page 1 of 3 File ID: 12439 (Revision:) Printed On: 1011412022
File ID: 12439
Enactment Number: R-22-0343
the way el Senor Balado helped their parents and grandparents get used tires on credit when
they first arrived from Cuba"; and
WHEREAS, Balado's attitude of humbly helping others first while carving out a very
comfortable life for our family in a very competitive market is his greatest influence on his
grandson and granddaughter, Alicia Hidalgo, who said "I will forever be grateful for all of the
experiences and opportunities we were provided thanks to his wisdom, intelligence and
business sense."; and
WHEREAS, Balado's legacy is his contribution to the Miami Community, his wit and
compassion and impact on a generation of Cubans and others who came to him in need and
never walked away without a resolution to their problems; and
WHEREAS, Balado served the community through his civic involvement and his private
assistance to all who came to him, which is whyhis business founded in 1962 still thrives to this
day serving the residents of Miami and the City of Miami ("City"); and
WHEREAS, Balado did not expect the same success he achieved in Cuba when he
started over in Miami in 1962, telling the Miami Herald in 1989 that "There was no business
here. People didn't have that much money and there was a lot of unemployment" but his
entrepreneurial spirit as well as his desire to help others triumphed over the circumstances; and
WHEREAS, Balado, born January 1, 1918, passed away at the age of 98 at his Miami
home on Nov. 19, 2022; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission wishes to honor Mr. Balado's numerous contributions
to the City by co -designating Northwest 16 Street Road between 271" Avenue and 241" Avenue,
Miami, Florida, as "Manuel Balado Avenue";
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and finding contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Commission hereby co -designates that portion of Northwest 16
Street Road between 27t" Avenue and 24t" Avenue, Miami, Florida as "Manuel Balado Avenue".
Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a certified copy of this Resolution to the
Departments of Police, Fire -Rescue, Solid Waste, the Miami -Dade County Department of
Transportation and Public Works, the United States Postal Service, and, if a State of Florida
road, to the Florida Department of Transportation, District Six Secretary for sign installation
within the newly designated roadways.
Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
City of Miami Page 2 of 3 File ID: 12439 (Revision:) Printed on: 1011412022
File ID: 12439
Enactment Number: R-22-0343
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
1
Vft6ria-Vrdel, City Attor iey 812912022
City of Miami Page 3 of 3 File ID: 12439 (Revision:) Printed on: 1011412022