Miami Beach Spa Resort to Undergo $24 Million Renovation
By Cynthia Corzo, The Miami Herald
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Oct. 2--The Eden Roc Resort & Spa is going back to the future.
As part of a $24-million renovation, one of Miami Beach's signature landmarks of the 1950's is going back to its
original roots in order to create a fresh new face for the future.
Out are the turquoise wallpaper, white-painted columns and 70's glass chandeliers. In are the original Brazilian
rosewood columns, the "floating" staircase from the mezzanine to the lobby and 50's-style crescent shaped
sofas.
"We are trying to bring back the original designs with contemporary flair," said Randy Griffin, director
of marketing for the hotel. "We are doing everything we can to bring back the original flavor of this place."
Old black-and-white photos of the hotel have revealed spectacular details -- some lost during four previous renovations
-- that will now be restored. Replicas of the original crystal light fixtures in the mezzanine have been ordered
and the walls that blocked off the hallway have been replaced by huge planters that allow for a panoramic view
of the lobby one floor below.
"There is so much value in protecting history," said Griffin as he toured the construction site. "This
is the next big era after Art Deco. The fabulous 50's are all the rage."
Built in 1956, the Eden Roc was designed by famed futurist architect Morris Lapidus, who has been consulted in
the renovation process. Its design and architecture reflect the flamboyance of the 50's and 60's glory days of
Miami Beach when the `rat pack' filled ballrooms and Hollywood came here to play.
The 349-room hotel was bought in 1998 by New York's Blackacre Capital Group in partnership with Destination Hotels
& Resorts, a Denver company that owns and manages 23 four-star properties in North America.
After a year of preparation, the new owners embarked on the multimillion-dollar renovation, which will spruce up
not only the lobby and common areas but also the guest rooms and pool area -- which had been dominated by concrete
and cabanas -- and will be softened with landscaping and a spacious, open view of the ocean.
The renovation, explained Griffin, was necessary for the Eden Roc "to meet the needs of contemporary guests"
and to compete with other luxury properties, such as the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, that have been built on Miami
Beach or are under construction in South Florida.
"We needed to reposition the hotel as a four-star, four-diamond property," said Griffin. "This will
allow us to attract a more sophisticated level of convention business and allow us to compete with New York, Washington,
Chicago and Los Angeles."
Despite the renovation, the Eden Roc has managed to stay open... and full. Even with one-third of its room inventory
out of commission at any given time, the hotel has been running at 100 percent occupancy and has even managed to
book some convention business.
All the work is scheduled to be completed by the first week of December and the entire room inventory will be available
by then. Rates for a standard room during peak season will range from $350 to $450 per night and off season they
will run between $225 and $375 a night.
The Eden Roc's renovation has sparked interest from the Miami Design Preservation League, which has embarked on
a push to renovate some of the 1950's hotels and buildings on Miami Beach.
"The hotel is in a position to set a precedent for these 50's hotels to follow in restoring the properties
to a time of splendor for Miami Beach," said Heidi Siegel, director of preservation for the Miami Design Preservation
League. "The Eden Roc can be a great showcase."
Siegel, who has seen the plans and the work in progress at the Eden Roc, praised the architects and designers working
to preserve the hotel's history while creating something modern.
"They are taking the historic fabric of the building into great detail, paying attention to it," said
Siegel. "It's going to be an excellent example of updating a building for more modern use while at the same
time working within the existing historic fabric."
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