Detail: 808 Collins Ave Miami Beach Florida: RuskinARC™

Basics

Resource Category:

Building

Resource Type:

domestic building

Location

Address:

808 Collins Ave

City:

Miami Beach

County:

Miami-Dade

State/Province/Region:

Florida

Zip/Postal Code:

33139

Country:

USA

Other Address or Location Information:

Parcel/Tax number or land unit:

02-4203-004-0480

Local place name:

Setting/Landscape/Site Features:

Acreage, parcel, land unit size:

7,000 SQ FT

Quad/Map name and date:

Date

Township/Range/Section:

54S / 42E / 03

Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Historical Information

Historic name:

Whitelaw Hotel

Current name:

Whitelaw Hotel

Construction Date (range/estimated):

1930-1939

Construction Date Certainty:

documented

Known Construction Date:

1936

Source for Known Construction Date:

City of Miami Beach Building Department records

Architect/Designer:

Albert Anis

Developer:

Builder:

Sam Ravitz

Significant Owner(s):

Ritab Holding Company (original)

Historical Summary:

Extant Status:

Not Demolished

Architectural Style and Form

Plan/Footprint Shape:

rectangular

Building Form or Plan Type (core plan):

Collins Avenue Hotel

Style, Primary:

Art Deco

Style, Secondary:

Notes on architectural style, form, distinguishing features:

Symmetrical tripartite primary facade; Stepped ziggurat parapet roofline; Slightly protruding central bay, with center of that protruding as well to also create a ziggurat effect in the horizontality of the building; Horizontal banding from wave line bas relief beneath second and third floor level windows (ocean-line motif); Fluted cornice along top of outer bays; Eyebrow rounded at corners above primary entryway; Decorative sculptural panels at center of central bay; Fluted panels frame center of central bay and emphasize verticality

Architectural Elements and Features

Number of Stories:

Bays:

Structural System:

Cement blocks

Foundation:

Reinforced Concrete

Basement:

Building Size:

40' x 135'

Square footage/meters:

16,000 (approximate)

Roof Configuration:

Flat with parapet

Roof Material

replacement

Roof remarks/description:

Eave Type:

Eave Ornamentation:

Dormer Count:

Dormer Configuration:

Exterior Wall Material (primary):

stucco

Exterior Wall Material (secondary):

Notes on exterior materials:

Principal Windows::

replacement aluminum

Window Panes/Lights:

Window Type:

Jalacy Casement

Window remarks:

Chimney remarks/description:

Chimney Count (first):

Chimney Placement 1:

Chimney Count (second):

Chimney Placement 2:

Porch description, characteristics, details:

Porch spans the full length of the east elevation, with the entrance to the porch directly at center; Metal railing with curvature in the design; Tile flooring; Porch extends out from underneath building at first floor level

Porch Height, Stories:

single-story

Porch Configuration:

full-span

Porch Type:

open porch

Porch Roof Shape:

integrated (under the main)

Porch Roof Material:

Porch Columns/Posts (upper or only):

square stuccoed posts on

Porch Piers (lower):

square stuccoed piers

Primary entryway:

Primary entryway is centered on the east elevation, on the front porch; Wooden double doors with a fixed window above; Two square columns precede the doorway; "Whitelaw Hotel" signage and an eyebrow rounded at the corners sit on the east elevation of the building, just above the primary entryway

Function and Use

Historic Function:

Domestic: Hotel

Present Function:

Domestic: Hotel

Function remarks:

Along with the property adjacent to the north, 820 Collins Avenue, functions as one hotel and restaurant.

Listed, Designated, or Protected Status

Status Code:

Listed at the national level?

Individually Listed: No
Contributes to a District: Yes
Landmark: No

Date, name, remarks:

Miami Beach Architectural District, 1979

Designated at State/Province level?

Individually Listed: No
Contributes to a District: No
Landmark: No

Date, name, remarks:

Designated Locally?

Individually Listed: No
Contributes to a District: Yes
Landmark: No

Date, name, remarks:

Ocean Drive/Collins Avenue District, 1986

Protected by ordinance or regulation?:

Yes

Protection status, remarks:

1985

Evaluation of Potential Eligibility

Rating or Rank

Recommended as a potential landmark?

Criteria:

C. Embodies distinctive physical characteristics of design, construction, or form.

Significance and Context

Theme(s)

Period of significance

Significance/Context Remarks

Area(s) of Significance

Architecture
Community Planning and Development

Ancillary Structures / Outbuildings

Number of ancillary structures / outbuildings:

Secondary structure type

Contributing to primary property?

Ancillary structures remarks or description:

Condition and Alterations

Character of modifications:

Sympathetic alterations or restoration

General Condition:

Good

Moved or Relocated?:

Date moved or relocated:

Relocation remarks:

Alterations?

Yes

Date of major alterations:

1956

Nature of alterations:

Remodeling of 18 hotel rooms into 9 one-bedroom/two-bathroom apartment units (Gerard Pitt, architect

Additions?:

Date of major additions:

Addition Height:

Addition Placement:

Addition Type:

Nature of additions:

Endangered / Threatened

Endangered by:

Endangered/Threatened remarks:

Recommendations:

Contact:

Tourism / Featured Destination

Open to the public:

Yes

Contact information, Hours, and Amenities:

For Sale, Rent, or Lease

Property Classification:

Sale status:

Sale remarks:

Owner

Ownership type:

Name of Owner:

Owner Mailing Address:

Legal Description of Property/Comments:

Survey and Recorder

Authorized Resource Number or ID :

Optional Tracking or Sequence Number:

Alternate Resource ID or Key:

Survey Date:

1/30/2013

Surveyed By:

Melinda Agron

Report Name, or Reason for Survey:

Re-survey of the district

Level of Survey:

reconnaissance

Sources, References, Bibliography

Previously Surveyed?

Yes

Name of Previous Survey:

Additional Research Recommended?

Other Sources of Information:

Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser
City of Miami Beach Planning Department records
Miami Design Preservation League records

General Remarks:

Custom / Extra Information

Finished Floor Elevation (NAVD88):

Latitude:	25.7784326013331830
Longitude:	-80.1322861919960000
UTM:	Zone 17R 587003.1077 mE, 2851433.5502 mN
Datum	WGS84

Whitelaw Hotel east elevation (view when facing west on Collins Avenue)

Porch along Collins Avenue at the Whitelaw Hotel

Attached Files

808_COLLINS_AV.pdf

808 Collins Ave Miami Beach, Florida USA

Attached Files

Located in