Architects outline two‑year restoration plan for Coral Gables City Hall; bond financing and CMAR selected

Coral Gables—RJ Heisenbottle Architects presented a comprehensive restoration plan for Coral Gables City Hall at a Historic Preservation Board meeting, describing work on the garden courtyard, extensive exterior masonry repairs, structural stabilization of four heavily damaged columns and accessibility upgrades.

Richard J. Heisenbottle, president of RJ Heisenbottle Architects, and Ricardo Lopez, principal, told the board the project seeks to return the courtyard to its original garden plan by removing a mid‑century auxiliary building, reinstating four planters and replacing an old septic tank to improve drainage and public use. "We can reinstate the planters as green areas, which will actually help temper some of the bright light," Heisenbottle said.

The architects described a detailed existing‑conditions assessment documenting failures in limestone, cast stone and stucco across the building’s facades and cornices, and outlined repair strategies including limestone patching and selective replacement, stucco stabilization, crack injection and careful matching of original color and texture. Lopez emphasized the historic layout and materials, saying the courtyard was conceived as a garden space and noting opportunities to recover original features.

A major structural challenge centers on four columns with severe shear cracks and, according to the presenters, a lack of the internal steel reinforcement shown in original plans. "We were, to our surprise, there was no steel inside them," Heisenbottle said. He outlined a plan to temporarily shore the structure, attempt to remove and salvage the columns, core them and reinstall with concrete and steel cores where feasible. City Manager Peter Glisses told the board the building contains a large 52‑by‑14 beam that helps distribute loads and that the team will use load cells, careful shoring and surveying to avoid shifting loads during work.

Presenters also proposed interior work in the commission chamber: reorienting the dais to its historic configuration, restoring wainscoting and millwork, replicating original light fixtures and improving acoustics and seating (replacing folding chairs with theater seating) while preserving the city seal and framed portrait noted in the room.

On accessibility, the team acknowledged an existing ramp did not meet ADA standards and said the restoration will add accessible routes, reconfigure the parking lot to add handicap spaces on the north side and connect Biltmore Way to the courtyard to provide compliant access.

Funding and schedule: city officials said the city plans to pursue a short‑term bond (discussed as roughly six‑ to eight‑year maturity) to fund construction after initial budgets are developed with the selected construction manager at risk, Thornton Construction. City Manager Peter Glisses said the project is expected to begin in the third quarter of next year, with construction lasting about two years and staff and some departments temporarily relocated to Ponce Leon and Menorca Garage‑area offices.

Maintenance and matching materials: board members pressed the city on long‑term maintenance and matching historic stone. The team said a citywide maintenance matrix will be used and that they are working with a sourced quarry and specialty consultants to match limestone and cast stone color and tooling. "We've been in touch with that quarry... they have methods of machining their stone," Heisenbottle said.

Project delivery: officials emphasized the complexity of restoration work and the decision to use a construction‑manager‑at‑risk delivery model rather than a typical bid process to allow early cost input from the contractor.

Next steps: the board received the presentation and questioned the team on technical details, maintenance planning and funding; the architects and city manager said they would provide continued updates as preconstruction and budgeting with the CMAR progress. The board adjourned to a separate historic preservation workshop scheduled later that day.