CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A historic waterfront home in Coral Gables could meet the wrecking ball and city officials are blaming the state legislature for their inability to preserve it.
The property, located at 140 Arvida Parkway in the gated Gables Estates neighborhood, was built in 1963 and designed by Alfred Browning Parker.
“It’s a masterpiece,” said Karelia Martinez Carbonell, President of the Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables.
Parker is an architect of such distinction, he was the subject of a History Miami Museum exhibition.
“He is actually compared to Frank Lloyd Wright in his architectural designs and forward thinking,” said Carbonell.
The home, which once graced the cover of “Home Beautiful” in 1965, is now on the cusp of demolition.
“The legislature has passed legislation which preempts us from preserving historic properties that are near the water because of the flood zone,” said Coral Gables Commissioner Ariel Fernandez.
Said Carbonell: “He designed a home within a natural environment and this home actually was built at a higher level, where the living areas are above the flood zone, so it is ironic that it is going to be demolished because of this law.”
The home and the bigger issue of state law were the subject of a discussion at city hall.
City commissioners were unanimous in a decision to gain back historical preservation control.
Carbonell told Local 10 News she plans to appeal directly to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Right before this law was enacted, the city was considering designation for this home,” she said. “Governor DeSantis should really take a look at the law, because it is going to play havoc, not just here, but in Miami Beach, Palm Beach is being effected, many other municipalities. I am delivering a personal overture to the governor because he is the only one who can create an exception for this home. I think the implications were not really thought through and not when it comes to the cultural and architectural heritage of a place.”
Miami Beach officials cited that law when they said they were powerless to stop the demolition of famed mobster Al Capone’s old Palm Island home.
The city of Coral Gables said that as of now, a demolition permit has not been issued for the property.
Local 10 News reached out to the property owner for a statement but have not heard back at the time of this story’s publishing.
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