Despite efforts to preserve the Deauville Beach Resort, a historic Miami Beach property that routinely housed Hollywood stars in its heyday, the hotel looks likely to be coming to a shameful end.
In a January 7 letter, city manager Alina Hudak told the Miami Beach City Commission that an owner-authorized building inspector had determined the building was beyond repair. If the city’s building inspector confirms the findings, a demolition order is issued.
The Deauville has been closed since July 2017 when faulty wiring started a fire. Later that year, Hurricane Irma caused further damage to the building.
The Miami Beach City Commission and Historic Preservation Board have complained about the building’s deterioration, criticizing the owners, the Meruelo family, for not maintaining the structure.
The owners, who bought the hotel in 2004, said they were unable to carry out repairs due to financial problems. In 2019 the city sued the Meruelos for forcing them to do the necessary maintenance work on the building, and in 2021 the city began to impose fines for “failure to prevent demolition through neglect”.
The city is expected to complete its own inspection of the property on Jan. 14, and if it confirms the initial report, the demolition will be approved with the intention of demolishing the building before the 2022 hurricane season.
It was a steep decline for the 500-room beach resort that opened in 1957. An iconic example of Miami’s modernist architecture, the Deauville had a large swimming pool, beauty salon, restaurants, shops, and an ice rink.
Deauville was home to stars like Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Sammy Davis Jr., Joan Rivers and Jerry Lewis. In 1964, the Beatles recorded an appearance in the hotel’s Napoleon Ballroom for an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
The hotel is part of the North Beach Historic District. If the building is demolished, city officials said a replacement structure will need to mimic the Deauville.
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