Tax Relief for Restored Historic Properties
Historic Homes Get a Little TLC
Throughout the year, the Historic Preservation Board of Coral Gables makes pitches to the City Commission applying for Ad Valorem tax relief for restored historic properties. At the meetings, Warren Adams, the Director of Historical Resources and Cultural Arts, presents slideshows showing before-and-after pictures of the homes and details the list of renovations. Some of these take place over several years and can include everything from a new coat of paint to a second-story addition. The renovations are striking, transforming a poorly kept home with a history into an updated version that pays homage to its original features. The Ad Valorem tax relief is meant to help homeowners with the costs that come with putting loving care into these historic properties. All of the following homes were granted the tax relief unanimously by the City Commission.
A Labor of Love
936 Castile Avenue
“To say this was a labor of love is an understatement,”Commissioner Michael Mena said after viewing a slideshow showing the Castile Ave. property before and after Jorge and Kathrina Saladrigas renovated it. The project took about seven years and encompassed every part of the house from the addition of impact windows, a pool, and a deck to the restoration of the front door and rear terrace. The family also added a second balcony and a one-story addition over the garage, and refurbished the landscaping. To finish, they covered the house in a new coat of paint and replaced the original window sills.
Original Beauty
2907 Columbus Boulevard
Homeowner Ana Navarro, known for her role as a co-host on “The View,” took this Columbus Blvd. property and restored it to its original beauty with new landscaping, interior remodeling, and repair of the original stucco walls. Inside, the original wood floors were refinished, the family room expanded, and several additions made, including an octagonal breakfast nook and a butler’s pantry. Outside, a detached gazebo was added, as well as a swimming pool, pool deck, covered terrace, and a perimeter fence at the southeast corner of the property. Said Mayor Vince Lago, “It’s incredible how returning it back to its original beauty makes it look even more contemporary.” Navarro’s husband, Al Cardenas, a well-known lawyer, politician, and conservative activist, gave credit to the city saying, “When you know this program exists, you put in the extra effort.”
Mediterranean Revival
711 University Drive
If you attended the Tour of Kitchens last year, you saw firsthand how owner Rebecca Byam transformed this home on University Drive from its dilapidated state of disrepair to a tasteful, Mediterranean Revival-style home. This property required renovations from the inside out, including electrical and plumbing work, a new roof, and the demolition of later additions that were deemed inappropriate for its historic status. Byam did, however, add her own extensions: two one-story additions at the southwest corner and west side of the property. The driveway was repaved, the swimming pool restored, and all walls, fences, and gates updated. “To see this home be brought to its original glory really brings a smile to my face,” Mayor Lago said. He also recognized the enormous False Banyan tree that overhangs the property, which, according to the Coral Gables website’s tree map, is over 60-feet tall.