Vizcaya’s Main House sits only about 100 feet away from Biscayne Bay, making it especially vulnerable to flooding during hurricanes. In 2017, the storm surge from Hurricane Irma at nearby Dinner Key was six feet high and invaded Vizcaya’s formal gardens, which are only five feet above sea level.
An unwanted intrusion
Despite extensive protection, which includes plumbing lift stations and flood doors, several feet of water managed to flood the basement level of the Main House, which contains much of the infrastructure as well as the Vizcaya Café and Gift Shop.
Upon inspection, staff found the culprit to be previously unknown openings in a wall located in the Swimming Pool Grotto. With this fault fully repaired and the infrastructure elements addressed, it was important to also undertake repairs to the flood door system, without which the damage would have certainly been worse.
Protecting the basement level
In the year following Hurricane Irma, vendors were brought in to do maintenance on 18 flood doors and opening hatches, which secure the basement level of the Main House. Presray Corporation installed new gaskets to create a watertight seal around the perimeter, new door handles, and new sealant and bolts as well as refurbishing rusty areas on the frames and doors and applying fresh paint.
Three doors, that coincidentally cover three especially vulnerable locations, were found to be beyond repair. These units had to be custom fabricated due to their size and location, and the installation was as equally challenging. In addition to Presray, we hired Florida Welding to remove the old metal frame and to install the new site built metal frame to which the door would be attached.
The work was successfully completed the week of May 31, 2021, just in time for the hurricane season.
HELP PROTECT VIZCAYA
Climate change and environmental factors will forever be a threat to the ongoing preservation of Vizcaya. Help protect this National Historic Landmark by making an online donation today.
