Recently, the Coral Gables City Commission showed a great respect for our city’s historic legacy and patrimonial heritage by rescinding, by a 5-0 decision, the Apr. 24, 2018 Resolution that “authorized the city to enter into a parking agreement with owner MML (Mirella La Salle) once the owner demolishes the structure.”
And in a second resolution, the commission asked staff to discuss with Mrs. La Salle options that would “save” the La Salle Building. Let’s hope Mrs. La Salle will consider overtures by the city to preserve this unique historical property.
The last minute push to save the property made some inroads. At least the efforts made by the groundswell of citizen support allowed for additional dialogue among City leaders, residents, and preservationists. The building (as of July 10) was given a “stay” and the city reversed its demolition/parking resolution.
Why did it get to this point? Historical designation was not approved for the La Salle Building by the city’s volunteer Historic Preservation Board. Sadly, the La Salle matter was doomed at the moment designation was rejected. And due to that decision, there is no legal recourse to stop La Salle from demolition.
The only hope — if time allows — is for the City of Coral Gables and La Salle to agree on a “saving grace” for the building — a significant historical resource in Coral Gables.
The city’s professional historic preservation officers (Historic Resources Department) presented a highly detailed, well-documented 41-page designation report to the Historic Preservation Board.
The historic preservation officers followed protocol and unequivocally recommended historic designation status to the “La Salle Building”. Equally significant in this case is that the “La Salle Building” met all four designation criteria (only one criterion is needed to warrant designation) under the city’s preservation ordinance. And according to the designation report compiled by the city’s preservation officers, the alterations to the building are 100 percent reversible. If any building should have been designated historic, it was this one.
Unfortunately, there is not much more to do unless the city and La Salle agree to negotiate a deal to keep the building. As much as citizens fought to
“save” this building, it will fall to the City of Coral Gables to do whatever it can to keep the property. How does one put a price on a one-of-a-kind historical artifact/treasure…the place where Coral Gables was founded?
As important is the premise that preservation is not a zero sum game and it should not be weighed against how many buildings are saved versus how many are sacrificed. The key word is preservation and yes every opportunity that presents itself to preserve a community’s cultural patrimony — whether private or public — should trigger the same reaction: protect the historic integrity of the resource not destroy it.
Built by founding architect H.George Fink, who was instrumental in building the City of Coral Gables along with his first cousin George Merrick, the 1923 property served as Merrick’s first office — preceding City Hall — and housed Merrick’s construction company. One can say that the building was the birthplace of the City Beautiful.
Established in 1991, Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables (HPACG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to promote the understanding and importance of historic resources and their preservation. For additional information or to become a member, visit www.historiccoralgables.org.
Karelia Martinez Carbonell is president, Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables.
It would be a real shame if this building was demolished. If it meets all the criteria of the preservation board surely something can be negotiated. It would be shameful to tear it down.