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Local and national preservation groups partner to highlight a current threat to architectural history in Doral, Florida
In late 2017, PepsiCo sold its offices and bottling plant in Doral, Florida to local developers Terra and Terranova Corp. for just over $40 million. The 23.7 acre property, a highly visible landmark along the Palmetto Expressway, includes a 232,919-square-foot bottling plant from 1964 as well as offices and a unique, Brutalist-style theater reminiscent of a soda bottle cap. A large portion of the site is undeveloped. Local advocates report that the new owners submitted an application to demolish all of the buildings on the property. They do not believe the permit has been approved yet, so there may still be time to influence their decision. Preservation groups are hoping to convince the developers to preserve and incorporate at least some of the buildings, especially the theater, into any new construction.
Thanks to some detective work on the part of Jeff Carowitz of Houston Mod, who recognized the building and then found a newspaper clipping from the day of the plant’s ground breaking ceremony, one learned that the building was designed by the architectural firm Daverman Associates of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The firm was one of Michigan’s key midcentury architectural firms, and lots of their work remains to be catalogued, although Michigan Modern has made a good start. Miami architect Robert J. Boerema supervised the project. Boerema served as chairman of the National American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Public Architecture, and President of the Florida Association of AIA, and a Fellow of the AIA.
Doral does not have many significant buildings worth preserving, but this one is easily one to love.
The location of this property is at 7777 NW 41 Street, Doral, Florida. Please visit and share this story.
What You Can Do
Contact Sarah Cody, Chief of Historic Preservation for Miami Dade County at scody@miamidade.gov to express your support for preserving the PepsiCo buildings.
Contact the Doral, Florida City Council members to ask that they oppose demolition and seek a solution that preserves this modern resource. Go to https://www.cityofdoral.com/government/
Follow the Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables [HPACG] on Facebook for updates
If you are interested in becoming more involved in the Florida chapter of Docomomo US, please contact us at info@docomomo-us.org.
