By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The operators of the Biltmore Hotel and Golf Course are looking to give its picturesque 17th hole a facelift, almost literally, with plans to replace a dilapidated wood retaining wall with a stone structure. But those plans have been put on hold by the city’s Board of Architects over concerns that the proposed stone replacement is not consistent with Coral Gables’ architectural character.

A wall in need of replacing

At its June 25 meeting, Dennis Shultz of Flynn Engineering presented an application to replace the aging wood bulkhead separating the Coral Gables Waterway from the sand bunker at the historic 17th green with a stacked stone bulkhead. While board members agreed the deteriorating wall needed replacement, they questioned whether the proposed materials and design were appropriate for one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

Shultz told the board the existing timber wall dates to the 1990s and has begun rotting and bulging after more than 25 years in service. The replacement, he said, would not alter the topography of the hole or require work within the waterway itself. The South Florida Water Management District exempted the project from additional review because the work would remain above the water line. One board member noted that before the wood bulkhead was installed, the edge of the green simply sloped naturally into the water.

Concern over the stone choice

It was the appearance of the proposed stacked rock wall—not the need for the project—that generated the most discussion.

Several board members said the rendering presented by Flynn Engineering looked more like a northern stone retaining wall than something befitting the Mediterranean Revival architecture of the historic Biltmore and Coral Gables.

“We’re missing a properly drawn elevation,” one board member said. “The rendering isn’t doing it any favors. It looks northern. It should be stone indicative of Coral Gables materials.”

A call for Coral Gables materials

Shultz explained that the proposed wall was similar to one his firm recently designed at Riviera Country Club and said local quarries offered limited choices for golf course applications. But board members repeatedly suggested using materials more closely associated with Coral Gables, including Florida oolite or coquina stone.

“Can we request that it be Coral Gables stone?” one member asked, recommending limestone similar to materials found throughout the city.

Board member Luis Jauregui was the strongest critic of the proposal, saying the current seawall blends quietly into the landscape while the proposed stacked rock wall would become an unnecessary architectural feature.

“The existing seawall is quiet and subtle. It works very well with the historic Biltmore building,” Jauregui said. “The minute you start putting rip rap, it becomes an architectural feature, and it has nothing to do with the Biltmore. I don’t think that’s the right approach.”

Jauregui compared the proposal to past improvements at Granada Golf Course that many felt were out of character with their surroundings.

“It’s like those little golf buildings there,” he said. “All of a sudden you put a big structure there, and it’s a blob.”

Other board members agreed the proposed gray stone lacked the appearance of native South Florida limestone, although some said they could support the project if a more appropriate material and better drawings were provided. One member suggested oolitic limestone would provide a more natural appearance consistent with Coral Gables.

Sent back for revision

Rather than deny the application, the Board of Architects voted 6-1 to defer it. The board directed the applicant to return with a detailed elevation showing the size, finish and type of stone, indicate whether the top of the wall would remain level throughout, and provide photographs of the recently completed bulkhead at Riviera Country Club. The board also formally recommended the use of Florida oolite or coquina stone. Jauregui cast the lone dissenting vote.

Recent Biltmore work adds context

In 2024, renovations to portions of the Biltmore’s interior – including replacing traditional tile flooring with marble, painting over original ceiling beams and altering other historic features – sparked widespread criticism from residents and preservationists. The controversy ultimately led the city to issue a notice of default to the hotel’s operator and renewed calls for greater oversight of improvements to one of Coral Gables’ most treasured landmarks.