The Fink Studio is Finally Finished
The Historic Studio of an Iconic Gables Architect Finds a Purpose
It has been five years now since the City of Coral Gables purchased the historic Fink Studio on Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Since then, renovations have proceeded at a snail’s pace while the city has tried to figure out what to do with the historic structure, designed in 1925 by H. George Fink.
Fink was one of the city’s first and most prolific architects for the city’s Mediterranean style. He occupied the building as his home office and studio until 1932. It has changed hands many times since but finally was purchased by the city in 2016 for $2.6 million. Since then it was eased to become home to the Spanish Culture Center, but that never came to fruition.
Now the building will become the home of the city’s Economic Development Department, with the front part housing art displays, open to the public. Late last month the renovated building was inaugurated in a ribbon cutting ceremony by Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli and a coterie of city officials. “We promise to be good stewards of this building and respect its historic value,” remarked Julian Perez, director of the Economic Development Department. His team is expected to move in before summer.