More than two dozen preservationists are calling on the City of Miami to conduct a full review and investigation into last week’s partial collapse of the playhouse.
Local preservationists are calling on the City of Miami’s building official to conduct a formal review and full investigation into last week’s partial collapse of the Coconut Grove Playhouse and the demolition work that put the entire 1926 structure at risk.
The partial collapse of the top floor of the three-story playhouse severely compromised the structural integrity of the playhouse’s roof and exterior walls, Miami building officials have said, prompting the city to shut down Main Highway over Memorial Day weekend.
Main Highway reopened to traffic on Tuesday morning after workers braced the building’s exterior walls, but questions remain over why the playhouse wasn’t braced to begin with, and whether the company in charge of the job – John Bell Construction – followed proper protocols in place for historic structures.
In the meantime, a stop-work order issued by city officials remains in place.
In a letter sent Thursday to Miami Building Official Luis Torres, more than two dozen playhouse advocates urged Torres to look into the “construction mistake” that city officials have said triggered the partial collapse of the third floor.
“Recent structural failures and subsequent stabilization efforts at the Playhouse have raised unanswered questions about whether the demolition was initiated in full compliance with the engineering and safety standards required by the Florida Building Code,” the letter states.
Specifically, the advocates asked Torres to determine whether signed and sealed demolition plans were filed with the city, whether a “shoring” plan was prepared, and whether both plans were reviewed and approved by the city or underwent peer review. The letter also asks Torres to identify the party responsible for conducting special inspections of the ongoing construction work.
“Considering the partial collapse that has occurred, we believe these questions merit urgent review to determine whether the general contractor and associated subcontractors fulfilled their responsibility for job site safety under the requirements of the Florida Building Code,” the letter says.
“We understand that the general contractor is responsible for designing and implementing all shoring and re-shoring as part of their ‘means, methods and job site safety’ responsibilities,” the letter adds. “This should have included hiring a specialized shoring engineer to ensure the stability of existing walls, roofs, and floors throughout demolition and new construction. These plans must be signed, sealed by a structural professional engineer, and filed with your department.”
The letter, delivered by email, is signed by Grove resident Marlene Erven, on behalf of 30 individuals whose names are listed on the letter (read the complete letter here)
The City of Miami has said previously that the third floor collapsed after workers on the job removed a load-bearing wall by mistake.
“During the demolition process, a load-bearing wall on the second floor was mistakenly removed, causing a partial collapse of the third floor. As a result, the roof structure has been severely compromised, and the exterior wall facing Main Highway is now unstable,” the City of Miami said in a written statement on Friday.
Construction crews worked over the long weekend to place metal bracing against the exterior walls of the playhouse facing Main Highway and Charles Avenue.
In the meantime, outrage over the construction “mistake” has grown.
On Monday, Erven and fellow advocates sent an open letter to Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo calling on the city to hire an independent structural engineer to assess the condition of the playhouse and the bracing put in place.
Pardo is expected to join Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado and city officials next week to address public concerns about the project during a virtual community meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday June 4 at 6 p.m.
Demolition work began in April after years of delay due to litigation over Miami-Dade County’s plan to reopen the playhouse as a smaller performing arts space.
The county plans to demolish the playhouse’s rear auditorium and replace it with a smaller 300-seat theater. The distinctive 1926 Mediterranean Revival building that faces Main Highway would be restored as part of the plan.
Demolition work was halted on May 21 after the front building’s third floor collapsed, showering debris onto workers below. Two workers sustained minor injuries.
John Bell Construction, the company hired by the county to perform the work, has not responded to inquiries from the Spotlight about the collapse and subsequent efforts to stabilize the building.
It’s important to push back on the misleading narrative that only “20 people” are concerned about the Playhouse demolition. In truth, thousands of residents have voiced strong opposition. A quick review of the hundreds of social media posts and blog comments reveals just how widespread the outrage is over the collapse and the county’s plan.
Also troubling is the county’s inconsistent response to recent events. They called for a police investigation over an $80 drainage sock—an item that is easily replaced—yet have shown little interest in investigating the removal of a structural wall, a decision that adds millions to the project’s cost and raises serious questions about oversight. Any contractor, even an amateur, would know that tampering with such a wall risks serious structural consequences.
Finally, there are signs all over the property stating it is under 24/7 camera surveillance. If the county truly wants answers, why haven’t they simply reviewed the footage?
The public deserves transparency—not spin.