Coral Gables Museum

Coral Gables, “The City Beautiful,” was developed during Miami’s 1920s land boom and quickly became an icon of the Florida lifestyle. Designed in 1936 by Phineas Paist, one of the city’s original architects, the former Coral Gables Fire and Police Station is distinguished by its solid ashlar coral stone construction, cast-stone ornament, and interior Cuban Tile elements. The historic building was restored and adapted for use as the Coral Gables Museum.

Years of moisture infiltration had deteriorated the porous coral stone and interior Cuban tiles, while the exterior had accumulated extensive soiling, biological growth, and vegetation. EverGreene’s conservators surveyed and assessed the exterior masonry, analyzed deterioration mechanisms, and developed and tested treatments to address water infiltration while preserving the character of the unusual stone.

Following extensive testing and mock-ups, EverGreene cleaned the exterior masonry; removed and patched inappropriate anchors; and rebuilt and sculpted losses to cast-stone elements. A specially developed lime-based parge was applied to reduce water infiltration while remaining recessed enough to preserve the distinctive texture of the coral stone. Interior conservation included scagliola repairs to the Cuban Tile wainscoting and selective finishes investigations that revealed historic graffiti within the former jail cells.

Low-toxicity and natural materials were prioritized throughout the LEED-certified restoration, balancing improved building performance with the preservation of the structure’s distinctive historic fabric.