Coral Gables,
The City Beautiful
Coral Gables City Hall
Coral Gables City Hall was constructed from 1927 through 1928, during one of South Florida's most difficult financial periods. Phineas Paist, the Supervising Architect of Coral Gables, and Denman Fink, the Art Director of Coral Gables, designed the building.
The building was designed in what has come to be known as the Mediterranean Revival style, utilizing the native oolitic limestone. 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.
Biltmore Hotel
Spanning over 150 acres of tropical landscape, the Biltmore Hotel, a national register of Historic Places designated site, features spectacular Mediterranean architecture with Italian, Moorish, and Spanish influences. The resort’s amenities include 271 rooms, a restored Donald Ross 18-hole, 71-par championship golf course, tennis courts, a European Spa, a modern fitness center, and the largest hotel pool on the East Coast of the United States.
Notable points from the hotel’s history:
-
In 1924, George Merrick, the founder of Coral Gables, joined forces with hotel magnate John McEntee Bowman at the height of the Florida land boom to build and create the Biltmore Hotel. On January 15, 1926, the Miami Biltmore Country Club opened. From its opening through 1942, the Biltmore was one of the most fashionable resorts in the entire country.
-
In 1942, with the onset of World War II, the War Department converted the Biltmore into a hospital. Afterwards, it was the early site of the University of Miami’s School of Medicine and remained a Veteran’s Administration hospital until 1968.
-
In 1973 the City of Coral Gables was granted ownership of the hotel through the Historic Monuments Act and Legacy of Parks program. Today, the Biltmore is one of just six National Historic Landmarks in Miami-Dade County and is the backdrop to many historical and cultural events throughout the city.
-
In 1987, the Biltmore was restored as a luxury hotel.
The Coral Gables Congregational Church
Designed by Kiehnel and Elliott, this church was patterned after a cathedral in Mexico and was the first church built in the city. It was dedicated on Palm Sunday, April 5, 1925 and included an out-of-door pulpit. George Merrick, whose father was a Congregational minister, donated land for the church and dedicated the building to him. 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.
Coral Gables Elementary
In July 1923, George Merrick sold the site where Coral Gables Preparatory Academy (formerly Coral Gables Elementary) now sits to the Dade County School Board for $10,000. Designed by Kiehnel and Elliott, 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.
The Douglas Entrance
This grand entrance was originally named after the central plaza in Madrid, La Puerta del Sol (The Gate of the Sun) and was completed in 1927. Architects Phineas Paist and Walter De Garmo designed the gateway along with Denman Fink. Cars would enter from Douglas Road or S.W. 8th Street and travel under its archway flanked by buildings containing art galleries, residential apartments and retail space.
Historic Villages
There are seven villages in the City Beautiful that were planned by city’s founder, George Merrick. Merrick’s plans to build more villages were derailed by the 1926 hurricane, That said, 80 homes were built. The villages were constructed to add diversity to the city’s predominantly Mediterranean character. The villages include Dutch South African, Chinese, French Normandy, Florida Pioneer Village, French Country, French City and Italian Village. With 17 Italian-style homes, the Italian Village is the largest of the villages.
MacFarlane Homestead
This historic district was listed in the National Register in 1994 for its significance in the areas of architecture, community planning and development, and ethnic heritage. It is the only historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places within the City of Coral Gables.
The MacFarlane Homestead subdivision was developed after Coral Gables’ development had reached its zenith. The land was purchased in 1925 and the first houses constructed in 1926. St. Mary’s Baptist Church, a focal point of the community, was built in the same year. The district’s name pays homage to Flora McFarlane, the area’s first solo female homesteader and its first schoolteacher. 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.
Merrick House
Perched gracefully on 1.3 acres of enchanting gardens and serene ponds, the Merrick House, the childhood home of the city’s founder George Merrick, invites visitors to experience the grandeur of the 1920s and stands as a lasting tribute to the vision and determination of its creators. Designed by George Merrick’s mother, Althea Fink Merrick, and completed in 1910, the house gave its official name, “Coral Gables,” to our City Beautiful.
Designated a historic landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1973, the house has been meticulously restored to its 1925 splendor by the City of Coral Gables. The 14-room residence is surrounded by captivating grounds featuring a historic grotto teeming with ten species of fish, the charming Heritage Garden, and a tranquil lily pond. Its expansive wraparound porch, embraced by vibrant floral landscapes, creates a picturesque backdrop for photographs and a serene setting to appreciate the timeless elegance of this architectural gem.
Alhambra Water Tower
The Alhambra Water Tower was built in 1924 to conceal a steel water tank. It was designed by H. George Fink and Denman Fink, to look like a lighthouse. The water tank was used as part of the city's water system until 1931, when the city began purchasing water from the City of Miami. Another water tower located in the area of Indian Mound Trail was destroyed by the Hurricane of 1926. The Alhambra WaterTower was rehabilitated in 2011-2012. It is located within the Alhambra Circle Historic District.
Coco Plum Woman's Club
Designed by R.G. Howard and E.A. Early, the Mediterranean Revival style club house was built in 1926 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.
Coral Gables Woman's Club
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 library and Woman’s Club’s expansion prompted the construction of this building from 1936 to 1937, as their own clubhouse and library. 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. The building continues to be operated by the Coral Gables Woman’s Club today and operates a children’s dental clinic from its space.
Coral Gables Old Police and Fire Building
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.
The Venetian Pool
As the city’s top attraction with more online searches than any other page on the Coral Gables website, the Venetian Pool was opened in 1924 as the Venetian Casino. The pool was a result of the grand plan that Merrick had for a city that would embody true hometown living. The pool, also included in the National Register of Historic Places, is the only swimming pool to have such a designation.
This spring water aquifer-fed pool is drained and filled fresh each day in the warm weather seasons. Built in 1923 from a coral rock quarry, it holds 820,000 gallons. With waterfalls, a lifeguard station atop a curved red Venetian bridge, historic lookout towers, and cave-like grottoes you can swim into, this expansive pool is lined with lush palm trees.
In its early days, the Venetian Casino was a destination for the high society of the day. Movie Stars Johnny Weismuller and Esther Williams both appeared there to large crowds. The pool was also a site for orchestra concerts. The pool would be emptied and the orchestra would then perform on the pool floor.
University of Miami
In 1925 Coral Gables founder George Merrick gifted 160 acres of land and $5 million toward a $15 million endowment to establish the "Pan American University" that he and his colleagues felt was essential for the development of their young and growing community. Denman Fink's renderings, which were in keeping with Merrick's Mediterranean Revival aesthetic, "staggered our imagination," according to Judge William Walsh, chairman of the Board of Regents.
Supporters of the institution believed that the community offered unique opportunities to develop inter-American studies, to further creative work in the arts and letters, and to conduct teaching and research programs in tropical studies. When Merrick visited the campus in the early days, he addressed the student body and felt encouraged by what he saw as well as the enthusiastic response he received. A few days later, students named him the official "Father of the University" and honored him with a dance at the Country Club. In his later years, Merrick remarked that he considered the University of Miami his greatest legacy.
Coral Gables Golf & Country Club
Built in 1922 as the city’s first public building, the Coral Gables Golf & Country Club entertained prospective buyers from the structure’s distinctive tower while large crowds gathered to bid on undeveloped land in Coral Gables. In its heyday, the venue would attract large crowds that danced to the music of renowned bandleaders from an open-air bandshell located on the famous palm patio. Although much of the original building was lost to a fire in 1983, the original six coral rock arches were preserved. Today, the recently restored 40,000-square-foot facility serves as the ultimate backdrop to community events for future generations to enjoy.
The Miracle Theatre
Built between 1947-1948, the theatre is a prime example of the Art Moderne style, one of the few examples of the style in Coral Gables. Its interior and exterior reflect the streamlined design born of an industrial age. Originally designed as a movie theater, it was the fourth motion picture theatre to open in Downtown Coral Gables at the time. Nearly 3,000 people attended the theatre’s pre-dedication ceremony in 1948. “The Return of October” was the first film to be shown at the venue. In 2023, the theatre celebrated its 75th anniversary and is currently one of the pre-eminent cultural venues in the City Beautiful. It is home to the Actor's Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre.
Contact us
Stay connected
Coral Gables City Hall
405 Biltmore Way
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Tel: 305-446-6800