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Board approves Versailles Hotel lobby finishes, endorses restored porch terrazzo pattern
Summary
The Historic Preservation Board approved final finishes and a reinterpreted historic porch terrazzo pattern for the Versailles Hotel lobby, concluding years of review for the complex renovation and new adjacent construction.
The Historic Preservation Board on Jan. 10 approved final design details for the lobby and front porch of the Versailles Hotel, endorsing a revised terrazzo pattern informed by historic photographs and the retention of four original lobby columns.
Staff told the board this item was the last remaining certificate of appropriateness step for the consolidated Versailles project, and that the project team had found additional historic documentation that allowed them to refine the front porch inlay pattern. The property is a contributing building in the Collins Waterfront Historic District and the board heard extensive presentation material from the design team.
Applicant representatives described the design as a restoration that highlights the surviving historic fabric while introducing carefully developed finishes and fixtures. Denniston, the interior architect for the Aman/Versailles work, presented proposed materials including marble, terrazzo, timber ceilings and brass trim. The design retains the four original round columns in the lobby and uses cove lighting and a period‑appropriate floor motif. The design team distributed revised drawings and asked the board to adopt the updated front porch plan as part of the final order.
Staff and the Miami Design Preservation League said they supported the proposal. During the public comment period, preservation and design stakeholders again voiced support for moving the project forward. One commenter raised a sequencing question about completing certain restoration elements before the new tower receives a certificate of occupancy; the applicant replied the hotel restoration work must be completed before occupancy for the tower and that the Jack Stuart mural is being conserved separately.
Board members praised the level of detail and the preservation of surviving material. One member suggested removing a proposed potted bonsai from the central lobby plan because movable furnishings do not require board approval; staff clarified that the board's review focused on permanently attached architectural elements and finishes rather than movable furniture or planters.
The board voted to approve the design package and the edits to the consolidated order as proffered by the applicant, with the motion carrying on roll call.
Votes and formal actions: Motion to approve the lobby finish plan and the applicant's proposed corrections to the consolidated order passed by roll call (majority approval recorded).
