Gianni Versace purchased the Revere Hotel at the corner of 11th Street and Ocean Drive which was next door to his building Casa Casuarina for $3.7 million in 1993. His intention was to raze the hotel and turn it into a garden area with a mosaic tiled pool and a private garage. The Revere was built in 1950, therefore it was considered a non-contributing historic building that was not protected from demolition, unlike the historic buildings that dated back to the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. Versace’s spokespeople argued that the Revere was hardly an example of fine architecture and that it blocked the southern side of Casa Casuarina’s detailed facades. “Sometime you have to weed out the forest to make it stronger,” Versace attorney Cliff Schulman told the Herald, “The Revere is a weed.” The potential demolition angered preservationists who protested by having demonstrations in front of the building. Sadly, the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board approved the destruction of the Revere Hotel. However its fate prompted the city to amend the preservation ordinance to protect non-contributing buildings in South Beach. Shown is a 1950’s Postcard of the Revere Hotel at the corner of Ocean Drive & 11th St. and archival photos of the building being demolished.
