Preservation Board deadlocks on Alcazar porch, approves Milan garage demolition

By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The Coral Gables Historic Preservation Board left a proposed porch enclosure on Alcazar Avenue unresolved after a failed vote on April 23, then unanimously approved demolition of an original detached garage at a 1925 Milan Avenue landmark despite staff opposition.

Alcazar porch vote falls short

An application to enclose the open front porch at 547 Alcazar Avenue — a contributing resource within the Alcazar Avenue Historic District — ended without resolution after a motion to approve failed on a 4-2 vote, one short of the majority required.

The applicant sought to install impact-resistant windows and doors across the full front porch, which spans the entire front facade of the home. Board member Ana Alvarez, who voted no, argued that the porch’s character as an open, exterior space was precisely what made it a defining feature of the property. “Once you enclose that space, it’s no longer exterior,” she said, “and they would rightfully be able to change things on the interior — as would a subsequent owner.”

The discussion surfaced a broader concern about the city’s ability to monitor changes to historic properties after approvals are granted, with board members and staff acknowledging that interior alterations to a property that is no longer flagged as exterior may not automatically trigger historic review. City Attorney Cristina Suarez suggested that a condition of approval could note the original exterior wall status of the features in question and require any future alterations to return to staff or board review.

The motion, made by board member Dona Spain and seconded by board member Cesar Garcia-Pons, failed 4-2, with two board members voting no. Under city code, the item is automatically continued to the May 21 meeting, where a full board may produce a majority vote in either direction. A denial, if it occurs in May, would be subject to appeal to the City Commission.

Chairperson Michael Maxwell, addressing the applicants before moving on, offered a conciliatory observation. “Your porch is gorgeous,” he said. “It really is. I would encourage you to embrace it — it’s a sequence from the outside to the inside. That’s how it was designed and it’s a beautiful feature of your home.”

Milan garage demolition approved

The meeting’s most substantive deliberation concerned a local historic landmark at 1144 Milan Avenue, a 1925 home designed by Martin L. Hampton. The applicant sought design approval for a 1,255 square-foot two-story addition, a new carport, and — most contentiously — demolition of the original detached garage.

City preservation officer Anna Pernas told the board that staff supported the addition and carport but had concerns about the demolition. “The removal of original historic fabric is considered drastic action,” she said, noting that the detached garage is an original structure that has been minimally altered and constitutes a character-defining feature of the site. Staff recommended approval conditioned on working to restore and repurpose the garage rather than demolish it.

The applicant’s architect, Leo Bellon of Bellon Architecture, argued that the garage’s condition made retention impractical. The structure is 10 feet wide by 18 feet long — too small to accommodate a modern vehicle — and three Poinciana trees planted adjacent to it had caused foundation damage and structural uplift. An arborist report was submitted in support of demolition.

Board members expressed general reluctance to approve garage demolitions on historic properties while acknowledging the specific circumstances. “As a general rule, I am not in favor of these detached garages being demolished,” said board member Kelley Schild. “I believe there are generally opportunities to repurpose, but in this circumstance, looking at everything that’s going on with the property, I think I would agree — I’m okay in this unique circumstance.”

Additional board discussion focused on the design of shed roofs on the second-floor addition, which members felt were inconsistent with the home’s original architectural character. The board ultimately approved the application unanimously with conditions that removed staff’s garage repurposing requirement, approved the demolition, and added two new conditions directing the applicant to work with staff to replace the second-floor shed roofs with flat or parapet roofs, and to replace the proposed barrel tile roof on the new gazebo structure with a flat roof.

Other applications advance

Four additional applications were approved without significant opposition.

At 1139 Venetia Avenue, a local historic landmark, the board approved additions, alterations, and sitework, along with two variances — one allowing a driveway that does not provide direct access to a garage or carport, and a second allowing a three-foot separation between the main building and an accessory structure where five feet is required. The motion passed unanimously.

At 1233 Anastasia Avenue, a designated historic landmark, the board approved additions, alterations, and sitework, along with a variance to expand a non-conforming structure and allow a side setback of approximately eight feet rather than the required fifteen. Board discussion included neighbor concerns about the impact of the addition on adjacent properties. The motion passed unanimously with a condition directing the applicant to work with staff to address those concerns.

At 1015 Sevilla Avenue, a contributing resource within the Coral Rock Residences Thematic District, the board approved demolition of an existing auxiliary structure, construction of a new detached garage, and additions and alterations to the residence, along with a variance for a reduced rear setback at the new garage structure. The motion passed unanimously with a condition directing the applicant to work with staff on the driveway design.

At 826 Medina Avenue, a local historic landmark, the board approved demolition of a wood-frame auxiliary structure, additions and alterations to the residence, and a variance to eliminate the requirement for off-street covered parking. The motion passed unanimously on all five votes present.

The board also noted that the local historic designation case for 1315 Genoa Street, which had been scheduled for this meeting, was deferred to the May 21 meeting. The board is scheduled to make a National Historic Preservation Month presentation to the City Commission on May 5.

Author: Coral Gables Gazette News Staff