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Board clears interior conversion at 745 Collins for new Church & Union restaurant
Summary
The Historic Preservation Board approved interior alterations to 745 Collins Avenue allowing the Fifth Street Group's Church & Union concept to occupy a contributing building; the approval concerns interior work and a limited removal of reconstructed second-floor plate consistent with MXC rules.
The Historic Preservation Board approved a certificate of appropriateness on July 11 for interior work at 745 Collins Avenue to convert a formerly retail-converted building back to a restaurant use for the Church & Union (Fifth Street Group) concept.
Staff described the building as a contributing resource in the Ocean Drive/Collins Avenue architectural district and said an earlier renovation had removed original interior floor plates during a 1995 conversion. Staff said the current application meets the MXC zoning district's allowance (up to 20 percent) for removal of reconstructed floor plates and recommended approval.
Applicant representatives, including attorney Alan Schulman and the Fifth Street Group's Patrick Whalen, outlined plans to retain the front façade, preserve terrazzo and stairs where possible, create a double-height bar and add kitchen and back-of-house spaces on the second floor, and place rooftop mechanical equipment on the recessed third-floor addition. The applicant emphasized the conservation of exterior facades and limited nature of interior demolition.
The board voted to approve the interior changes; no public opposition was recorded. The applicant said the restaurant group seeks local sourcing for menu items and will adapt menus to the Miami market.
Votes at a glance: certificate of appropriateness for interior conversion at 745 Collins approved by roll-call (unanimous).
