The restoration of Opa-locka's Company Administration Building, once used as a city hall, is nearing its completion.
The building, whose Arabian-style minarets and pink domes symbolize Opa-locka, is expected to be finished by mid-fall. For the first time since 1940, when the city took ownership from the Opa-Locka company, the historic site will operate as a cultural and community center, representing the city's heartbeat as it was always intended to.
On April 26, 2023, the city commission voted unanimously to approve the restoration of the former City Hall, the city's most unique Moorish Revival icon, located at 777 Sharazad Blvd. The project cost $1.6 million, paid for by the city's own $500,000 contribution, a $600,000 community block grant, and a $500,000 cultural grant. According to city officials, the money was well worth it.
“Since I got elected in 2020 as a commissioner, it has been my hope and dream to restore City Hall in order to bring hope back into our city,” said Opa-locka Mayor John H. Taylor. “City hall, to me, is our home. It's the beacon. It's the nucleus of our city.”
The restored city hall will include a museum as part of the cultural and community center's purpose. People can also rent the space to celebrate weddings, birthdays, graduations, and any other event that aligns with Opa-locka's plan for major city revitalization.
READ MORE: Opa-locka's Heritage Trail celebrates 97 years of rich historical architecture
Alex Van Mecl, vice chair of the Opa-locka Environmental Preservation Board and founder of the Opa-locka Preservation Association believes the restored building has tremendous potential.
“My hope is that it will become a major part of the Arabian Nights Festival in the future, serving as the center attraction,” he said. “ I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of people are going to want to host some pretty cool things there.”
Van Mecl added that the new city hall’s purpose is exactly what the city's founder, Glenn L. Curtiss, and the architect Bernhardt L. Muller envisioned.
In the 1920s, aviator Curtiss created the unique city of Opa-locka, an Arabian Nights-themed community nicknamed “the Baghdad of South Florida.” However, the Hurricane of 1926 dealt a severe blow to this dream, causing many unique buildings to deteriorate or disappear. One exception was the historic City Hall, built in 1926 and inspired by “One Thousand and One Nights,” a literary collection of Middle Eastern folk tales. It was later added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
The historic city hall received a makeover in the late 1980s, but by 2013, city hall operations were located elsewhere, and the building deteriorated until the city commission decided to continue with the historic preservation efforts.
According to Jannie Russell, Opa-locka Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) chair, “one of the challenges [of restoring historic buildings] is just getting the residents to understand what historic preservation is, and how it would benefit the community.”
"It would enhance people wanting to come to the city and see the beautiful buildings,” she added.
The historic city hall is only one of many projects underway in Opa-Locka.
The CRA, composed of a seven-person board, two officials and two residents, approved renovating a historic Egyptian-style bank earlier this year on July 24. The initial budget of $100,000 allows for an extensive clean-out and the development of initial architectural plans for the heritage landmark.
The Opa-locka Bank, located at 940 Caliph St., is the only building completed in an Egyptian Revival style in late 1926. However, due to an economic downturn and decrease in property sales early on, the building was never used as a bank, despite containing a vault, leading to its nickname, "The Bank That Never Was." The structure is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Opa-locka Historic Registry.
“The Egyptian Temple will very much have a public function,” said Van Mecl. “ The idea behind it is to have it be a screening room theater space, which will also have a multipurpose function.”
As the clean-out is yet to start, according to Taylor, the Egyptian bank is expected to be done by next year and will bring life to the area.
Efforts are now being focused on restoring historic homes to their former glory. The commission has allocated $100,000 in the city budget to allow for this, which will be divided among four houses.
For the city officials, residents and advocates, there’s no better place than their home, and that’s why they dream of the Opa-locka Curtiss envisioned. Still, their preservation initiatives go beyond that.
On April 13, 2024, funded by Ten North Group, the Opa-locka Preservation Association launched the Opa-locka Heritage Trail, which has helped visitors explore the city's unique architecture and cultural heritage. Led by Van Mecl, the trail offers an immersive experience through 15 interpretive chapters, each reflecting the enchanting themes of the "Arabian Nights."
As Opa-locka's 99th anniversary approaches in May 2025, the community aims to revive the city's 'wow' factor. These preservation efforts are meant to honor its unique past and foster a vibrant future where creativity and entrepreneurship can thrive. The revitalized cityscape, highlighted by the ongoing restoration efforts, is poised to attract new businesses and invigorate the community.
“There's no better place to market your business than by stating that you're steps away from America's Palace,” said Van Mecl.
Added Taylor, "We want to do a drivable museum where you can walk by us and say, ‘Oh my God,’ I'm in Opa-Locka.”
This story was produced by The Miami Times, one of the oldest Black-owned newspapers in the country, as part of a content sharing partnership with the WLRN newsroom. Read more at miamitimesonline.com.
