Little Treasures in the Gables
The Enduring Charms of the City’s Small-Scale Historic Buildings
Coral Gables has its share of grand architectural showstoppers: The Biltmore Hotel and City Hall, certainly, but also the Colonnade Building, Coral Gables Congregational Church, Coral Gables Preparatory Academy, and others too numerous to mention here. But what of the lesser-known architectural gems, the “little treasures” that are essentially hiding in plain sight on some of our most prominent thoroughfares? Surely it’s time for them to get their own standing ovation, if only for their (and their owners’) ability to withstand the vagaries and temptations of modern urban development.
The Fink Studio (seen below) is probably the standard bearer for the more intimate historic structures in Coral Gables, especially given its recent full restoration, including the exquisite Gothic-inspired window surrounds. That said, a walking or bicycle tour of the center city will yield a further treasure trove of small buildings dating to the 1920s. Best of all, and to paraphrase the late, great Stephen Sondheim, “they’re still here.”
George Merrick: Visionary, Developer, Impresario
The exterior decoration of American buildings in the late 19th century — often in collaboration with leading artists and artisans of the day — had fallen out of favor with the rise of modernism following World War I. But as some architects began designing buildings that were more organically conceived and unadorned, others heard the exuberant siren call of fashion, art, music, and a dance craze called the Charleston. Restraint was simply out-maneuvered, at least for the foreseeable future.
It was the Jazz Age after all, and an alternate building style arose in which architectural embellishment became as de rigueur as wearing pearls at the beach or walking on the wings of an airplane in flight. (Yes, such shenanigans did occur.) The resulting Mediterranean Revival style fit the zeitgeist of the era, conceived and directed by Merrick in the Gables just as masterfully as Ziegfeld produced his “Follies” on Broadway (and later in Palm Beach). The parallels are worth mentioning to better understand the symbiotic relationship between Florida real estate and wish fulfillment.
Arches & Columns & Finials, Oh My
In stark contrast to much contemporaneous architecture that looked to an idealized future, Mediterranean Revival architecture looked to the classics, adding a touch of grandeur (and perhaps a hint of syncopation) to the City Beautiful movement. The past was acknowledged but had been energized and reimagined by new cultural influencers. You can see the fruits of their labor today in unexpected places, from the colorful vintage tiles on a stair tread to the non-traditional capital atop a twisted column, from a pointed Ottoman arch to a carved stone finial.
Details mattered, even in their smallest manifestations. Today, they appear as something of an anomaly amidst a cityscape that’s increasingly new and sleek. Perhaps they still draw your attention because they embody not the shock of the new, but the comfort of the tried and true.
Little Treasures in the City Beautiful
Hotel St. Michel, 162 Alcazar Avenue
Designed in 1926 by Anthony Zink, it began life as the Karp Building and originally contained street-level shops and upper-level offices. Thereafter repurposed as the Sevilla Hotel, it was renamed Hotel St. Michel in 1979. Exuding period charm (including a vintage elevator), the restored boutique hotel is also home to Zucca, one of the city’s go-to Italian restaurants.
Cafe Demetrio, 300 Alhambra Circle
Virtually unchanged since 1926 (at least externally), the building still commands attention with its corner tower situated on one of our signature thoroughfares. Originally designed for a newspaper publishing company, the Mediterranean Revival structure was reimagined in 1994 as a European-style coffee house that stands as a notable example of adaptive reuse.
2320-2322 and 2312-2314 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
These adjacent buildings were designed in 1926 by architects J. Philip Turner and Dudley St. Clair Donnelly, whose arched entryway welcomed customers to what was originally the First National Bank of Coral Gables. Subsequently, the buildings became home to a tearoom, a furniture store, a soda shop and, today, offices and executive apartments.
Bouchon Bistro, 2101 Galiano Street
Located in the former Cla Reina Hotel building (later La Palma Hotel & restaurant), these 1924 historically designated structures have been repurposed by chef Thomas Keller and his design collaborator, Adam Tihany. Conceived by H. George Fink, the original hotel featured an open-air courtyard, which remains a signature feature in keeping with Merrick’s “garden city” ideals.
Junior League of Miami HDQ, 713 Biltmore Way
Designed in 1923 by H. George Fink, this Venetian-inspired treasure features four columns flanking the entrance, with capitals salvaged from the Casa Loma Hotel (a precursor to the Biltmore Hotel) and cypress entry doors salvaged from the First Presbyterian Church of Coral Gables. From 1941 to the 1960s, it served as the Biltmore Way Hotel & Apartments.
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Story written by Bruce Fitzgerald and Karelia Martinez Carbonell, president of the Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables. Photos by Larry Shane Photography.