Historic District approvals: Versailles project allowed to drop exterior lattice and consolidate guard houses

The Historic Preservation Board on Sept. 16 approved proposed modifications to a previously permitted redevelopment at 3425 Collins Ave. The project — which combines restoration of the historic Versailles Hotel facade with construction of a new 16‑story residential tower — is already under construction; the applicant sought administrative approval to modify two elements of the approved design.

The first modification eliminates the western guard house and consolidates guardhouse functions into the eastern guard house, reducing curb cuts and improving pedestrian sightlines on Collins Avenue. Staff supported this change, saying it will enhance Collins Avenue’s pedestrian experience and remove an approved driveway exit that would have impeded sight lines.

The second, more debated change is the applicant’s request to remove a previously approved vertical lattice screen along the residential tower. The design team, including facade and structural consultants from Lindner Group, presented engineering analysis showing that the originally approved slender, decorative lattice profiles would have required much larger, heavier sections and complex attachment brackets to meet wind and vibration standards for a beachfront, high‑rise façade. Consultants said that to achieve the necessary stiffness the members would have to be thickened and supplemented with heavy stainless‑steel connections, which would change the architectural intent, obstruct glazing maintenance and create safety and operational issues for façade cleaning.

"This lattice is too weak as originally proposed and would bend or even break under environmental stresses," a Lindner Group engineer told the board, summarizing the technical reports supplied to staff. Engineers also showed that the stiffer sections needed to meet code would significantly increase visual bulk and interfere with window cleaning equipment, creating safety and maintenance problems.

Design staff reviewed the updated engineering materials and concluded the building’s overall architectural concept — a folded, refined paper‑like massing — reads better without the applied lattice. Staff recommended approval of the modification to remove the vertical profiles and said the structure’s materiality and folded geometry would remain legible and coherent.

Public comment included support for saving and restoring the historic Versailles façade while some preservation advocates expressed regret that the lattice element — a signature of the newer architect’s concept — would be removed. "We believe these design elements were fundamental to the approved design’s character," one preservation advocate said. The project team noted that restoration of the historic façade and the substantial temporary steel support system around the historic tower are expensive and technically difficult; project leaders described extensive deep‑soil mixing, micropile work and a temporary 870‑ton steel exterior skeleton that supports the original Versailles façade while the building below is excavated and constructed.

The HPB approved the consolidated order (with one staff‑requested administrative edit: removal of a previously listed $225,000 mitigation payment that had already been paid). Debbie Tackett recused herself from the item because of a disclosed conflict. The roll call recorded affirmative votes from a majority of board members present; Miss Camargo recused herself and staff noted Ms. Lehi recused earlier. (Transcript shows the motion carried and the consolidated order approved.)

Why it matters: The decision balances preservation of the Versailles historic fabric with practical engineering and maintenance constraints for a complex new tower being built directly behind the historic façade. The board approved changes that staff says preserve the project’s architectural intent while addressing real‑world hazards and upkeep concerns.

Ending: Construction continues on the site with the modifications approved; staff and the applicant said they will continue to refine façade details during the building‑permit process and the city offered to coordinate site visits for board members to observe the extensive work underway.