Miami's historic City Hall — a former Pan American World Airways terminal that sits on Dinner Key with a gorgeous view of Biscayne Bay — is a cultural gem that the city recently committed to keep using as a space for government meetings. That commitment has not, however, stopped multiple entities from proposing a new use for the 80-year-old building.
" I think it's also really powerful to continue to have civic functions of your government next to a museum that tells the story of this place," said Natalia Crujeiras, executive director of the Museum of Miami, formerly HistoryMiami Museum.
The museum recently sent a letter of intent to the City of Miami proposing a public-private partnership to open educational and historic preservation spaces inside the former Pan Am terminal that would live alongside the city hall chambers.
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Museum of Miami proposes to build an annex attached to City Hall using its own philanthropic dollars that would house its collection of Pan Am artifacts and pay homage to the city of Miami's history with letters penned by Julia Tuttle, Miami's founder. Crujeiras also envisions bringing back the iconic globe that once stood at the center of its Dinner Key Terminal.
"We should think about this site as a way to honor Miami's history," Crujeiras said.
The city commission recently voted to continue holding its meetings at the historic City Hall even as construction is underway for a new government center at Freedom Park where Miami's administrative offices will relocate.
The vote came after Pan Am Airways, which is planning to relaunch after going bankrupt in the 1990s, announced its interest in returning to Dinner Key and opening offices in the building it used to operate prior to 1946.
Miami has not put out any requests for proposals on new uses for City Hall. Reached by WLRN via email, a city spokesperson said city leaders have not reviewed plans from Pan Am or Museum of Miami.
"The city is not entertaining any proposals for a different use of the Dinner Key facilities at this time," the spokesperson said.
Despite the denial, Crujeiras said she still wants to meet with the city to talk about different educational options when the new government offices open in 2028.
" That's why it's so important that this conversation happens now, right? So that the city allows time to discuss the possibilities to listen to the community," she said.
