Coconut Grove Playhouse

TBT - Inside The Abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse - Photos & Video

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TBT - Inside The Abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse - Photos & Video

Built in 1926, and located at the corner of Main Highway and Charles Street, The Coconut Grove Playhouse opened 90 years ago on January 1, 1927, with a D.W. Griffith production of Satan of Sorrows that was attended by over 1,500 people. The building was originally named the Coconut Grove Theatre.

The Coconut Grove Theatre was built by Miami locals Irving J. Thomas and Fin L. Pierce as movie theater for the Paramount Enterprises Chain and the largest in Miami. The theater was designed by architect Richard Kiehnel of Kiehnel and Elliot to resemble a Spanish Rococo Palace in the style of Mediterranean Revival. The building originally had seven stores on the ground level, ten offices on the second floor and the third floor were apartments. It had the latest Wurlitzer pipe organ and had a very modern amenity at the time - air conditioning. 

Before the theater opened, Irving J. Thomas and Fin L. Pierce sold the building to Paramount Enterprises and the theater thrived until the Great Depression of the 1930s hit and attendance dropped significantly. The Coconut Grove Theatre eventually closed in the mid-1930s until it was used to train Air Force Navigators during World War II.

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Coconut Grove Playhouse Plan Denied By Miami Preservation Board

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The Abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse

Miami’s Preservation Board voted 6-4 to deny a $20 million plan approved two years ago to restore the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

In April 2017, the Preservation Board approved plans that would demolish the auditorium and theater, but restore the front V shaped part of the building. The plans called for replacing the 1100 seat theater with a 300 seat theater and a new parking garage.

The County may appeal the decision.

The Coconut Grove Playhouse has sat abandoned for almost 13 years, since April 2006.

New Renderings Of The $20M Coconut Grove Playhouse Plans

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Coconut Grove Playhouse Rendering

Coconut Grove Playhouse Rendering

New plans have been revealed of the $20 million renovation of the long shutterred and abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse.

Plans approved by the Historic Preservation Board in April included tearing down the existing 1,100 theater, but preserving the front v shaped building along Main Highway. The front building and new modern theater would be separated by an open courtyard. The front building would include ground level retail as the original plans in 1926 by Richard Kiehnel. 

Also included in the plans are a five story parking garage to be run by Miami Parking Authority and 32 loft apartments.

An appeal against the plans will be heard before Miami Commissioners on October 26th. 

A look inside the abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse can be viewed here.

Coconut Grove Playhouse Still Intact After Hurricane Irma - Photos & Video

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Coconut Grove Playhouse After Hurricane Irma

Coconut Grove Playhouse After Hurricane Irma

As Hurricane Irma was approaching Miami as a Category 5 Hurricane, the question was whether Miami-Dade County would protect the Coconut Grove Playhouse in some way before the storm. The answer was no. 

Although the eye of Hurricane Irma did not pass through Miami, Coconut Grove still had over 100 mph winds and gust. Severe damage was done to a lot of trees in the area including a storm surge in Peacock Park and along Bayshore Drive.

Built in 1926, the Coconut Grove Playhouse sustained minor visible damage to the exterior of the building. The tree on Charles Avenue next to the Playhouse was knocked down, the blue scaffolding on the side of the building was blown over, and the awning covering was ripped and a few windows knocked out, but overall the building  managed to survive the Hurricane. 

Most of the Coconut Grove Playhouse was approved to be demolished in April with a new 300 seat theater, but only preserving the front "v shaped" structure. An appeal hearing is set for October 26 before Miami's City Commissioners. 

Abandoned since 2006, photos and video of the inside of the Coconut Grove Playhouse can be viewed here.

Exterior Photos

Video

Inside The Abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse - Photos & Video

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Inside The Abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse - Photos & Video

Built in 1926, and located at the corner of Main Highway and Charles Street, The Coconut Grove Playhouse opened 90 years ago on January 1, 1927, with a D.W. Griffith production of Satan of Sorrows that was attended by over 1,500 people. The building was originally named the Coconut Grove Theatre.

The Coconut Grove Theatre was built by Miami locals Irving J. Thomas and Fin L. Pierce as movie theater for the Paramount Enterprises Chain and the largest in Miami. The theater was designed by architect Richard Kiehnel of Kiehnel and Elliot to resemble a Spanish Rococo Palace in the style of Mediterranean Revival. The building originally had seven stores on the ground level, ten offices on the second floor and the third floor were apartments. It had the latest Wurlitzer pipe organ and had a very modern amenity at the time - air conditioning. 

Before the theater opened, Irving J. Thomas and Fin L. Pierce sold the building to Paramount Enterprises and the theater thrived until the Great Depression of the 1930s hit and attendance dropped significantly. The Coconut Grove Theatre eventually closed in the mid-1930s until it was used to train Air Force Navigators during World War II.

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Historic Preservation Board Approves Coconut Grove Playhouse Plans

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Coconut Grove Playhouse

Coconut Grove Playhouse

Miami's Historic Preservation Board voted 4-1 in favor of new plans that would demolish the auditorium of the Coconut Grove Playhouse, but restore the front façade of the building to its original 1927 design by architect firm Kiehnel and Elliot.

The new plans would tear down the existing theater with 1100 seats and replace it with a new modern 300 seat theater with an open courtyard separating it from the front V shaped building. Also included in the plans would be a new parking garage, 35 residential units and retail on the ground floor of front structure. 

Preservation architect Richard Heisenbottle - who is also involved in the restoration of the Miami Marine Stadium - argued that the whole structure can be saved, including the original pieces covered over by a 1950's renovation by Alfred Browning Parker. 

Miami-Dade County has budgeted $20 million for the work.

New Preliminary Architectural Plans For Coconut Grove Playhouse Revealed

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Coconut Grove Playhouse

Plans have been revealed by The Miami Herald that would restore the long abandoned Coconut Grove Playhouse and add a new modern theater. 

The new designs were created by the Coconut Grove based firm Arquitectonica and would involve restoring the original V shaped building in the front, but demolishing the theater in the back and replacing it with a new modern 300 seat theater. Also included in the plans are a new parking garage that would hold 500 parking spaces and would be built on the current surface parking lot on Main Highway. 35 residential units are also included in the plan with 26 1 bed/1 bath and 9 2 bed/2 baths.

Miami-Dade County has budgeted $20 million for the restoration and construction of the building that will not start at least for another two years while full architectural designs are created.

A historical assessment of the Coconut Grove Playhouse can be viewed here and preliminary plans can be viewed here.