MCM files Chapter 11, but Carlos Gimenez pals have other firms

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The collapse of the FIU pedestrian bridge and the lawsuits that followed seem to have pushed one-time Miami-Dade County darlings Munilla Construction Management to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

But that doesn’t mean that Pedro Munilla, an insider and longtime member of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez‘s friends and family plan, can’t do any more municipal business. Munilla — who is related to Gimenez’s wife Lourdes and, as such, also to Miami-Dade School Board Member Mari Tere Rojas — owns at least 10 other active companies with his brothers and Frank Lopez, according to the Florida Division of Corporations.

In fact, MCM Construction of Florida LLC — which a month earlier was Munilla Construction Management LLC — changed its name in December to Magnum Construction Management LLC. At least they don’t have to spend a lot of money on new letterhead or a logo.

And the Gimenez sons — who have either worked for or lobbied for Munilla Construction — likely have jobs forever in one or the other company.

The most recent of the new companies, 315 Sunny Management LLC, was formed in December of last year, nine months after the bridge collapse and before the bankruptcy filing. Munilla’s partner there is Frank Lopez, who is also his partner at Shopping Plaza Corp., one of his first companies, incorporated in 1986, and earlier versions of Sunny Management.

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The Miami Herald and the Real Deal reported on Friday that MCM had sent a press release announcing the bankruptcy in order to put creditors off so they can reorganize. A spokesman has said that the company will continue to operate and has enough capital to finish projects it has already started.

The company could also use the time to negotiate settlements to lawsuits filed by survivors and family members of the six who died when the pedestrian bridge over Southwest 8th Street collapsed March 15. A federal investigation indicated that design flaws led to the cracks in the bridge’s foundation. While MCM partner FIGG Bridge Group designed the FIU pedestrian bridge, MCM supervised the construction and could be liable.

But MPM is not. And neither is Advanced Realty Management. Or 7501 Medley Civil LLC. Or Sunny Management LLC.

So before you start feeling bad for Mr. Munilla, know that he’s got options.

  Carlos Gimenez, FIU, Munilla Construction