Iconic Grove Playhouse ‘stabilized’ after partial floor collapse during interior demolition
The historic Coconut Grove Playhouse has been safely shored up a week after a construction accident during interior demolition work caused a partial floor collapse that threatened the 1927 building’s structural stability, city of Miami building officials say.
Work on the building remains stopped except for debris removal and additional bracing work, Assistant City Manager Asael Marrero said in an email to City Commissioner Damian Pardo and Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado this week. An independent structural engineer has been brought in to ensure the building is stable, he said.
“The site will remain closed until the interior structure is stabilized and the project engineer certifies that demolition can safely resume,” Marrero said in the email Tuesday.
Streets that were closed for several days around the theater as a precaution, including Main Highway, have been reopened to traffic. Water-filled plastic barriers have been placed around the building to protect it from being struck by wayward cars or trucks.
It’s unclear what exactly happened and how serious the damage was from the partial collapse on May 21, prompting widespread concern from Grove residents and some preservationists who have opposed a controversial renovation plan by Miami-Dade County for the state-owned playhouse, which is protected as a designated cultural and architectural landmark by the city.
Under the county plan, developed under an agreement with the state, the playhouse’s signature wing-shaped front, a three-story structure where the accident occurred, is to be fully restored, while the auditorium at the rear would be replaced with a smaller stand-alone modern theater.
According to statements by the city and county immediately after the incident, a crew working for a contractor conducting interior demolition on the front structure mistakenly tore down a load-bearing wall on the second floor, causing a portion of the third floor to collapse and putting the building’s roof and front walls at risk of collapse.
Regalado, whose district includes the Grove and who has championed the county renovation plan, said in an interview Thursday that the accident should not significantly delay work on the project.
The flooring that collapsed, she said, was rotten wood that had been slated for removal as part of the interior demolition. The county contractor was scheduled to shore up the building exterior and interior next month, she said, so the unintended collapse moved that up. The county has classified the collapse as accidental, she said.
The county is hoping the city stop-work order can be lifted by next week because a preservation team is scheduled to remove historic architectural features from the building interior for safekeeping and installation in the completed new playhouse, Regalado said.
Before the partial collapse, the demolition contractor, John Bell Construction, had completed asbestos removal from the theater, Regalado noted.
In a statement released by the county, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also suggested on Thursday that the accident won’t derail or meaningfully slow progress on the renovation plan.
”We remain committed to revitalizing this historic site while ensuring its unique character is preserved for generations to come ... and are actively preparing to safely restart work on Phase 1 of the project,” she said in the statement, referring to the demolition work.
Preservationists are questioning how the contractor could have made such a serious mistake as removing a load-bearing wall, however. It remains unclear who in city or county government would be responsible for conducting a review of the accident or issuing a report, a key request in an open letter to Pardo issued on Monday by a group of preservationists and Grove residents.
Late Thursday, Miami-Dade’s department of cultural affairs, which is managing the renovation project, said in an emailed response to questions from the Herald that the county is “undertaking an internal review process to assess the incident.”
Marrero, in a followup email to the concerned citizens Thursday, said “the contractor and Miami-Dade County have done an outstanding job to ensure this structure was properly stabilized.”
The city’s chief spokeswoman, Kenia Fallat, did not address questions emailed to her by the Miami Herald on Thursday, did not respond to a request for an interview with city building official Luis Torres, who is coordinating the city’s response, and declined to provide an update. Instead, she pointed to a statement issued by the city more than a week ago immediately after the demolition accident.
But Pardo’s office, which has been closely monitoring the situation, provided several email exchanges in response to a public records request that shed some light on the mishap and ensuing work. Pardo’s district includes Coconut Grove.
In a letter to building official Torres, a consulting engineer brought in to evaluate the damage provides some additional details.
“Approximately two-thirds of the 3rd floor at the original building that fronts Charles Avenue and Main Highway, collapsed onto the 2nd floor following the recent removal of a 2nd floor load-bearing stud wall that provided support to the 3rd floor joists,” Marcos Perez, a senior associate at O’Donnell and Naccarato Structural Engineers of Miami, wrote.
Two workers sustained minor injuries from falling debris and were treated on site.
Structural assessments and drawings for the shoring were developed by an independent structural engineer, Youssef Hachem Consulting Engineering, according to an email from Marrero, the assistant city manager. Hachem said in a letter to the city that the load-bearing wall or partition had been removed three days before the collapse.
The contractor hired by the county, John Bell Construction, had been conducting interior demolition work on the historic building since the city issued demolition permits for the project in April. The county plan has been delayed for years amid litigation from preservationists and initial opposition from the administration of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who eventually dropped his objections after losing repeatedly in court.
Some preservationists have pressed for restoration of the full playhouse, including the large auditorium that county consultants say is obsolete and not feasible to save. The building has been vacant for 19 years since the nonprofit company running the theater closed abruptly amid financial difficulties.
In response to the public letter of concern issued by preservationists and Grove residents, city building officials noted the demolition work had all necessary permits and approval from the city’s historic preservation board. So far, they said, the county has not asked for any changes to the approved plans.
Regalado, whose district includes the Grove, will host a virtual informational meeting about the playhouse project on Wednesday, June 4. The scheduled topic is the Miami Parking Authority’s plans to build a long-promised garage on the theater’s parking lot, which is now closed, but Regalado said the demolition mishap will also be discussed.
“Every effort is being made to stabilize the structure, safeguard its historic elements, and continue moving forward with restoring and reopening the Coconut Grove Playhouse for its centennial celebration in the Spring of 2027,” Regalado said in a news release about the meeting.
This report has been updated with comments and details on the status of work from Miami-Dade County elected leaders.
This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 4:18 PM.