RESPONSIBILITIES

Built in the 1950’s, the Hampton House was a prominent motel for the African American community throughout the 1960’s due to Jim Crow’s segregation laws. The motel was frequented by many famous African Americans during the 1960’s including Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, Sammy Davis, Jr. and others.

When Gurrimatute was hired by ISD, this historic building had been deemed an Unsafe Structure because it was collapsing. Phase I included structural stabilization, asbestos removal, and salvaging of the historic artifacts of the building. This project was completed as a stand-alone project prior to the start of Phase II. Other pre-design services that were performed included the preparation of a financial feasibility study, historic preservation reports, and a building evaluation report including structural and electrical. Previously used as a trash dump during the 1930’s-1940’s, the site also required environmental remediation. This impacted the design of the foundations, which due to the unstable, contaminated soil, was designed with micro-piles.

Phase II scope included the final design for the adaptive reuse of this existing historic building. Full A/E services were provided including the Preparation of a Waiver of Plat, upgrades to all utilities, obtaining Zoning Variances for parking, Public Works, lot coverage and landscape; presentations to Community Councils and to the Board of County Commissioners; and the preparation of a new Adaptive Reuse Design to convert the building from a 50-room motel into a cultural center. Programmatic spaces included restored historic rooms, café and lobby, new multi-purpose room with kitchen, museum and exhibit space, classroom spaces for music education, and some retail space. The change of use from motel to business occupancy, and the general state of disrepair, prompted the entire building be brought up to current code. Historic preservation services included the preparation of Certificate of Appropriateness, coordination with the State of Florida SHPO officer, coordination with the mural artist for the reconstruction of the mural in the café, coordination and sourcing of materials including ceramic tiles and light fixtures, coordination for the exterior and interior paint analysis, façade restoration of the vent blocks, restoration of the handrails and guardrails, masonry repairs, etc.

Location: Miami, Florida
Size: 30,000 sf