1912 Federal Courthouse Becomes AIA Miami Center

MIAMI—Call it a metamorphosis. The 1912 historic building in Downtown Miami, which served as the city’s original federal courthouse, post office and weather bureau, will soon become the American Institute of Architects’ Miami Center for Architecture & Design. The center will offer community meeting space and educational programs to enhance public appreciation for architecture and design.

The 5,500-square-foot lease was inked by Metro 1 Commercial’s Tony Cho and Tony Arellano, who represent the landlord, the Scott Robins Cos. Louise Bendix of ComReal represented AIA Miami.

Cheryl Jacobs, Center and AIA Miami executive director and a CREW-Miami board member, tells GlobeSt.com, three CREW-Miami members came together to make the deal happen. She says, “This transaction is a testament to how CREW-Miami members work together to get deals done because we trust each other and know we are working with the best and brightest in Miami’s commercial real estate market.”

The ground floor of the center will house flexible exhibit/gallery space that will accommodate lectures, seminars and meetings, a store for architecture and design oriented books and gifts, and the offices of the Miami Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Miami). The center’s second floor will offer space for urban lab studios and flex meeting rooms. The Center will also house a permanent exhibit celebrating the architecture of the City of Miami and will offer a variety of curated exhibits throughout the year, as well as guided architecture walking tours throughout Downtown featuring behind-the-scenes building details.
 
Located at 100 NE 1 Ave., the historic post office building was designed by Oscar Wenderoth. The Neoclassical Revival building recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation. The building is located within Downtown Miami’s Central Business District, just blocks from the Miami-Dade State and Federal Courthouses, the Jewelry District, Miami Dade College, the Metro Mover, Biscayne Boulevard, Brickell Avenue, and the American Airlines Arena.

“Downtown Miami is home to some of the region’s greatest architectural gems,” Alyce Robertson, executive director of the Miami Downtown Development Authority, said in a statement. “Having the AIA located within our urban core is a natural fit and the Miami DDA looks forward to working with them to help raise awareness for the district’s historical significance and strengthen advocacy for continued investments in infrastructure to be made within the district.”