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Historic Preservation board and city staff spar over proposed location for reconstructed Gondola Building; commission approves staff plan with letter to state
Summary
Historic Preservation Board urged reconstruction of the 1925 Gondola Building at its original canal site. City staff recommended moving it to a more visible, accessible site on the Biltmore property; the commission approved the staff-recommended location and directed staff to send a formal letter to the state seeking reconsideration.
The Coral Gables City Commission on Sept. 25 approved a staff recommendation to relocate the reconstructed 1925 Gondola Building from its original canal location to an alternative site on the Biltmore Hotel property — while asking staff to send a formal letter to state officials requesting reconsideration of the proposed placement.
Why it matters: The Gondola Building, originally built in 1925 as part of George Merrick’s Mediterranean-inspired plan for Coral Gables, is an architectural element of the Biltmore complex. Preservation advocates argued the historically accurate approach is reconstruction on the original site. City staff and the Biltmore have argued a relocated site will be safer, more accessible to the public, and reduce risks to construction and operations on an active golf course.
What the preservation board said: Alejandro (Alex) Silva, vice chair of the Historic Preservation Board, urged the commission to retain the original location, citing the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and the building’s historic relationship to the canal. Silva said moving the building “severs this connection” and would create “a false sense of historical development.”
What staff argued: Public Works Director Hermes Diaz said the proposed relocated site would be more accessible from Burr Road, reduce construction impacts on golf course operations, and lower the risk to patrons and golfers during and after construction. City staff said the Biltmore Hotel supports the new site and that the State Division of Historical Resources had been consulted.
Commission action and next steps: The commission voted to approve the staff proposal to relocate the reconstructed building while adding a direction that the city manager and staff draft a detailed letter to the state and the city’s legislative champions outlining safety, access, sea-level and operational concerns and asking the state to consider alternate locations that provide greater public access. Staff said the reconstructed building’s design will be adaptable to any approved site and that construction could begin once site-plan issues are finalized; staff estimated work could start in early 2026 if approvals are secured.
Ending: Commissioners emphasized the need to preserve the building’s design integrity even if the final location changes, and asked staff to pursue both regulatory approvals and additional outreach to state legislators and the Division of Historical Resources.
