From Miami Herald writer Elaine Walker: "Over its approximately 100-year history, downtown Miami’s post office building has been home to a federal courthouse, the Miami Weather Bureau and most recently, an Office Depot. After standing empty for at least a half-dozen years, the circa-1912 building is about to get a new tenant befitting of its stature on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The building on NE 1st Ave, a block north of Flagler Street, will be the home of the first American Institute of Architects’ Miami Center for Architecture & Design.
"The center aims to be a community meeting space and destination for anyone interested in architecture and design. The center will include exhibit and gallery space, host lectures and serve as the launching point for guided architecture walking tours throughout Downtown Miami.
"The Neoclassical Revival building underwent a multi-million dollar renovation to bring it back to its original grandeur. Owner Scott Robins, who purchased the building more than a decade ago for $2.5 million, says he kept it empty for years because he couldn’t find the right tenant.
"'Part of this idea is to get people to understand that Downtown Miami has a lot of historic gems that people don’t notice,' said Alyce Robertson, executive director of the DDA. 'We have a lot of very interesting architectural history that’s still in place.'" Full article here.