Coral Gables Historic Designers

Coral Gables is home to many large and beautiful homes, mansions, and churches that reflect architecture from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Some of the homes, or portions of their structures, have been created from coral rock and shells. The Biltmore Hotel is also filled with history. The City of Coral Gables alone has eleven resources which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, one of which is also designated as a National Historic Landmark.  We are proud to say this nonetheless because being listed within the National Register is a huge honor. Here is a little piece of all the history you can find in Coral Gables…

MacFarlane Residence was developed by Coral Gables founder George Merrick and stands today as a Historic District that was listed in the National Register in 1994 for its significance in the areas of Architecture, Community Planning and Development, along with its Ethnic Heritage. It is the only historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places within the City of Coral Gables.  The land was purchased in 1925 and the first houses constructed in 1926. Building permit records indicate that most of the houses within the MacFarlane Homestead subdivision were built between 1926 and 1939. The private residences within the MacFarlane Homestead Subdivision, most of which were built during the late 1920s and 1930s, are representative of a wood frame vernacular type of architecture not seen elsewhere in Coral Gables.

Biltmore Hotel National Historic Landmark was designed by Schultze and Weaver, who also designed New York’s Grand Central station and Waldorf-Astoria, Palm Beach’s Breakers, and Miami’s Ingraham Building and Miami News Tower. The 26-story tower is a replica of the Giralda Bell Tower of the Cathedral of Seville, Spain. The grand opening in January of 1926 hosted two deluxe trains carrying 1000 VIPs from New York. Venetian gondolas traveled from the hotel through the Coral Gables waterway to Tahiti Beach. Guests also enjoyed a polo field, two golf courses, tennis courts, a bridle path, fox hunting, a casino, and a gigantic pool. During the 1940s, the War Department used the building as an army hospital. The U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs operated the hospital until 1968 and the City acquired the Biltmore in 1972. Sitting vacant for almost 20 years, the Biltmore was restored in 1987 as a luxury hotel.

Coral Gables City Hall was constructed from 1927 through 1928.  The building was designed in what has come to be known as the Mediterranean Revival style, utilizing the native oolitic limestone. When George Merrick commenced the planning and development of Coral Gables, he envisioned it as a cohesively designed Mediterranean inspired city. The design of City Hall conformed to Merrick’s Mediterranean ideals, and is an excellent example of the period’s architecture which blended elements commonly used in Spanish, Moorish, and Italian architecture. From the time of its opening in 1928 through today, it has served as the community’s City Hall and been associated with the lives of each of Coral Gables’ political and municipal leaders.

Coral Gables Elementary was sold by George Merrick to the Dade County School Board for $10,000 in July of 1923. The school was designed by Kiehnel and Elliott and this Mediterranean Revival style elementary school has classrooms with wide doors rimmed by arcaded loggias, two impressive central courtyards and a large auditorium. In 1983, George Merrick’s wife, Eunice P. Merrick, was on hand to participate in the dedication of a courtyard to commemorate her role in establishing the school.

Coral Gables Congregational Church was donated by George Merrick whose father was a Congregational minister.  This church was also designed by Kiehnel and Elliott, and was patterned after a cathedral in Mexico.  It was the first church built in the city. It was dedicated on Palm Sunday, April 5, 1925 and included an out-of-door pulpit. He and his wife also donated the Spanish sconces seen in the sanctuary. The interior of the church retains many of its original features and is a good example of 1920s Coral Gables-style interior design.

Cocoplum Woman's Club was designed by R.G. Howard and E.A. The clubhouse was built in 1926 in the Early Mediterranean Revival style at a cost of $75,000. While the club began meeting in 1912, it was officially incorporated as the Coco Plum Woman’s Club in 1926. The building has been a community landmark since its construction. Its prominent Mediterranean architectural features include a tower, elaborate window and door surrounds, bas relief ornament, a decorative chimney cap, barrel tile roof, and exposed rafter tails. The organization has been dedicated to community service since Coral Gables’ early days. Programs they have been involved in include the first mobile library in the State of Florida, and hosting events including the Fine Arts Festival, Jeweled Egg show, Coral Gables Crime Watch.  The Coral Gables Woman’s Club had their original headquarters in the Douglas Entrance, where they opened the first free public library in 1927.  The Woman’s Club continued to operate the public library until 1954, and in 1969 the library joined the Miami-Dade Public Library system and moved into its current location on Segovia Street. Still, today the building continues to be operated by the Coral Gables Woman’s Club.

Coral Gables Old Police and Fire Station (Coral Gables Museum) was designed by Phineas Paist.  This building is an excellent example of coral rock architecture. It was built by the Works Project Administration to provide a public safety headquarters as well as to create jobs for local construction workers and artisans during the depression. The three bays on the west side originally housed the fire trucks. Above these bays are sculptures depicting two Coral Gables firemen and a typical family they protect. These were sculpted by Theresa Keller, a sculptress professionally known as Jon Keller. Today the building serves as the Coral Gables Museum and the offices of the City’s Historical Resources Department.

Merrick House is significant for its association with the Merrick Family and remains as the perfect example of the community’s early vernacular architecture utilizing native coral rock. It was home to the Reverend Solomon G. Merrick, Althea Fink Merrick, and their six children. George, their eldest son, founded and developed the City of Coral Gables. Upon its completion in 1910, the Merricks named it “Coral Gables” and the surrounding groves the “Coral Gables Plantation.”  The Merrick House’s design represents the adaptation of the period’s prevailing architectural styles from the northeastern United States to the South Florida environment, utilizing local building materials and adding features to impart a regional identity. The early use of coral rock in the construction of the residence influenced the naming of the community, the city, and their home “Coral Gables.” In the construction of their family home, the Merrick family set the design precedents of material and forms which would be replicated throughout the City in the following years. The Merrick House is currently operated by the City as a house museum, with tours given by volunteer docents.

Venetian Pool was designed by Denman Fink and Phineas Paist.  Originally serving as a rock quarry pit from which the oolitic limestone used in many of Coral Gables earliest buildings was mined.  Upon its construction it was dubbed “the world’s most beautiful swimming hole.” It is the municipal swimming pool of the City and resembles a Venetian lagoon featuring a tall limerock outcropping, a waterfall, Venetian posts, and a small island connected to the Casino by a Venetian bridge.

Douglas Entrance (Douglas Road and SW 8th Street) was designed by Walter DeGarmo, Phineas Paist and Denman Fink in the Mediterranean Revival style.  Of the eight planned entrances, only four were completed. The Douglas Entrance, also known as La Puerta del Sol, is one of the most elaborate. It was originally planned as part of a larger complex of shops, apartments, and townhouses. The entrance was built between 1925 and 1927 and the entrance was the only part of the larger complex which was constructed. It is reminiscent of the architecture of and entrances to walled Spanish hill towns.