Miami-Dade County has chosen Arquitectonica to lead efforts for reopening the historic Coconut Grove Playhouse.
The Miami-based company won a bidding process between nine firms and will make a recommendation to the county on how to proceed with the playhouse, according to a published report.
Although the site is a historic landmark and protected from demolition by law, community members and activists are concerned that the building will be replaced instead of renovated, the Miami Herald reported.
Michael Spring, cultural affairs director for the county, told the publication that these claims are untrue.
“We are going to hire the best team of experts to help us solve the puzzle of the Coconut Grove Playhouse,” Spring told the Herald.
A proposed contract for Arquitectonica and its team will go to the county commission for approval in March or April.
The playhouse has been closed since 2006 when it succumbed to overwhelming debt. It was acquired by the county in January 2014 after it paid off the playhouse’s debt and set aside a $20 million bond for its renovation. [The Miami Herald] — Sean Stewart-Muniz