Historic Olympia/Gusman Building, 174 E Flagler Street, Miami, Florida, USA / Built: 1926 / Architect: John Eberson / Floors: 10 / Units: 79 / Building Size: 88,180-square-ft. / Added NRHP: 1984 / Architectural Style: Moorish

The 88,180-square-foot city-owned property at 174 E Flagler St. has 79 apartments, four retail stores and the theater with 10 former apartments serving as dressing rooms.

Tucked into Miami’s contemporary skyline is an enchanting Mediterranean courtyard with shimmering stars and golden balconies. Majestic turrets and towers suggest another era when performances were events, and grand theaters provided a dreamlike escape from the modern world.

The Olympia Theater is not just a “venue” – it is the jewel of South Florida arts and entertainment facilities, affording South Florida’s diverse community and its international guests a unique cultural experience that defies comparison.

The Olympia Theater opened in 1926 as a silent movie palace and amazed the public with its stunning Moorish architecture, perfect acoustics and simulated night sky, complete with wafting clouds and twinkling stars. It also achieved fame as the first air-conditioned building in the South.

The “talkies” and Vaudeville soon arrived at the Olympia, and for more than 40 years the theater was the number one entertainment center in Miami. It was one of the last theaters in the country to showcase Vaudeville acts.

Throughout its history, the Olympia has been host to the world’s most exciting performers in the arts and entertainment community. Cultural icons such as Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Luciano Pavarotti and Etta James have provided memorable evenings under the Olympia Theater's stars. The theater has also hosted today’s best-known pop stars and is a favored venue for concerts.

In 1975, South Florida business tycoon and philanthropist Maurice Gusman saved the aging theater and adjacent Olympia Office Building from demolition then donated them to the City of Miami in 1975. Thanks to extensive restorations in the 1970s, overseen in part by famed architect Morris Lapidus, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Time continued to take its toll on the Olympia, however, and by the late 1980s virtually every structural system of the theater was in need of repair and replacement. The roof had several leaks that had damaged the theater’s historic paint and plaster as well as the seating and carpeting in the auditorium. The HVAC system had to be entirely replaced. Electrical, sound systems, and plumbing all required upgrades.

Noted restoration architect Richard J. Heisenbottle, AIA, was retained to develop an ambitious, multi-year plan for additional stabilization and restoration work. In order to minimize loss of income for the theater, construction was planned to occur during only the summer months, when bookings were normally at a minimum. Critical components were broken down into construction segments that could be completed in three months. During the rest of each year, the architectural and engineering team completed plans and theater management secured funds for the next round of work.

The theater owes its distinctive character to architect John Eberson, the master of “atmospheric” theater design, and it is one of the few Eberson theaters around the world still standing. Restoration of Eberson’s original design scheme, including original colors and finishes, was another top priority of the construction plan. Following detailed analysis, decorative painters restored the original, vibrant paint scheme to the decorative plasterwork throughout the theater. Seventies-vintage plastic seating was replaced with wood-and-brass seats boasting historically appropriate detailing. Even the new carpeting was custom loomed to match the 1926 original.

In 1975, Maurice Gusman donated the theater and adjacent Olympia Office Building to the city.

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.olympiaarts.miami/olympia-theater.html
www.miamitodaynews.com/2021/01/12/historic-olympia-gusman...
www.miamidade.gov/Apps/PA/propertysearch/#/
www.miamitodaynews.com/2022/07/26/miami-may-ask-proposals...

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Taken in: United States / Florida / Miami (show map)

Taken on: February 3, 2024

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Historic Olympia/Gusman Building

174 E Flagler Street

Florida

USA

Built: 1926

John Eberson

Floors: 10

Units: 79

Building Size: 88

180-square-ft.

Moorish

MIA

205

city

cityscape

urban

architecture

building

street photography

South Florida

commercial property

real estate

Sunshine State

historic Miami

historic Florida

city center

Magic City

central business district

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Added NRHP: 1984

national landmark « less

Sets appears in: • Urban Florida V • Miami, Florida, USA, Metropolitain area

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