Coconut Grove Playhouse saga drags on — again. Delays put some funds at risk
The ongoing saga of the Coconut Grove Playhouse revival is dragging into yet another act.
The city of Miami this week appealed a December Florida appellate court ruling that reinvigorated a 2019 Miami-Dade County lawsuit seeking to overturn a veto by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez of the plan to renovate the historic but long-closed playhouse. The county quickly filed a response.
At issue is whether Suarez’s veto was legally and procedurally appropriate. The matter is now before the Miami-Dade circuit appellate court.
The playhouse has been closed since 2006.
While the state of Florida owns the defunct playhouse, it is controlled by the county and Florida International University under a long-term lease agreement. Because the 1927 playhouse is designated as a city historic landmark, the city must approve any renovation plan. Both the county and city commissions have given it formal approval. In a previous proceeding on the matter, the county prevailed.
Underlying the legal wrangle is a debate about the theater’s size. The county plan, designed by Arquitectonica, calls for restoring the historic facade, and building a new 300-seat theater auditorium that would incorporate the original double-arch proscenium, with a rear exterior that would replicate the form of the existing crumbling theater. County Commissioner Raquel Regalado and Knight Foundation President Alberto Ibarguen told the Miami Herald this week that the 300-seat size is financially viable but a larger theater favored by some opponents is not. Some preservationists have also argued that the entire current theater should be retained.
The county has reshaped some aspects of the plan to incorporate more neighborhood-friendly elements, including a pocket park, and reduce traffic impact to nearby residences, Regalado said. Under the county proposal, the Coconut Grove Playhouse would be home to the acclaimed resident theater company GableStage, which would be renamed Grove Stage.
The $23 million plan is fully funded, thanks in part to a $2 million contribution from the Knight Foundation. Ibarguen told the Herald that Knight will consider redeploying the funds if the matter isn’t resolved soon.
“This is not a threat, but we can put the money to better use if this continues,” he told the Miami Herald Editorial Board recently.
The county shares control of the Grove Playhouse with Florida International University under a long-term lease agreement with the state of Florida, which owns the property. Substantial changes to plan would require state approval, which experts believe would be unlikely under the current administration.
This story was originally published July 9, 2021 at 11:26 AM.
