Now that the Coconut Grove Playhouse auditorium has been reduced to rubble and carted away, opponents of the county鈥檚 plan to revive the historic theater as a smaller venue are hoping to block the project by challenging a key source of funding.
Opponents went to court last year to stop demolition of the 1,100-seat auditorium, but were not successful. The judge assigned to the case did not intervene, and the playhouse auditorium was torn down, as planned.
That defeat did not end the litigation, however.
The lawyer representing members of said he expects to be back in court this spring, where he hopes to stop Miami-Dade County from using voter-approved bond funding to construct a new theater.
鈥淓veryone who voted for that bond wanted to see the playhouse restored,鈥� not demolished, attorney David Winker told the Spotlight. 鈥淭his is heading for trial.鈥�
In November 2004, Miami-Dade voters approved $450 million in bond funding for cultural projects countywide, including the playhouse.
In the case of the playhouse, the county said funds would be used to 鈥渞econstruct the Coconut Grove Playhouse to restore its structural integrity and add to its performance and educational capabilities.鈥�
Opponents say the county鈥檚 plan fails to live up to that promise, because the auditorium has been demolished, not restored, and because the new theater the county plans to build will be much smaller, with only 300 seats.
Winker says Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mavel Ruiz is likely to agree. 鈥淚 think I can stop them from using the bond money,鈥� he said.
The county has approved $23.6 million for the project, including $15 million in bond funding from the county鈥檚 Building Better Communities bond program.
Opponents say the county should instead build a bigger theater 鈥� perhaps 700 seats 鈥� with fewer shops and restaurants. In response, county officials say a larger theater would be more likely to fail, while also creating traffic nightmares in Center Grove on performance days.
County officials did not respond to interview requests for this story, but in a recent court filing the county argued that Winker鈥檚 lawsuit should be dismissed.
The City of Miami 鈥渋ssued the County a demolition permit before this lawsuit was even filed, and the demolition work complained of has now been completed and paid for,鈥� Assistant County Attorney James Kirtley wrote in his motion to dismiss in December.
鈥淎ccordingly, the relief the Plaintiffs seek is now moot.鈥�
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The bond funding in dispute was not used to demolish the auditorium, according to the motion. Still, the county has long described that money as a legitimate source of funding for the project.
The playhouse, which is owned by the state of Florida and leased to the county, closed in 2006 amid financial difficulties and has been shuttered since.
The county plans to restore the playhouse鈥檚 distinctive front building at 3500 Main Highway and replace the auditorium behind it with a new 300-seat theater, to be run by GableStage in partnership with Florida International University. The county plan also includes a new parking garage and commercial spaces with shops and restaurants.
The project, which is expected to cost upwards of $60 million, has fallen behind schedule after the of flooring inside the remaining building.
When demolition began last year, the county said it expected the newly reconstituted theater to open in 2027, in time to celebrate the playhouse鈥檚 100th anniversary. Now, county officials say the project won鈥檛 be completed until 2028.
鈥淒uring the process of stripping drywall and stucco from the interior walls of the front fa莽ade, advanced deterioration was discovered, including significant concrete spalling, missing or corroded rebar, and areas of unreinforced masonry,鈥� the county announced in September.
鈥淭he project鈥檚 structural engineer of record is preparing a comprehensive repair plan that will rebuild the fa莽ade walls from within while protecting the building鈥檚 ornate exterior. This work will require additional bracing and shoring potentially extending the Phase I timeline from one year to approximately two years.鈥�
In an update provided to the Spotlight last week, the county said:
鈥淧artial project completion is anticipated for the 100th anniversary in 2027, with full commissioning by 2028.鈥�
The playhouse, built in 1926, opened to the public as a movie house in January 1927.
The next hearing in the court case is scheduled for May 21.
This story was originally published in the , a SA国际传谋 News partner.
