Funding provided by the Historic Preservation Fund and the National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures grant program
September 28, 2020
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens has been awarded a $500,000 Save America’s Treasures matching grant in support of the restoration of the Superintendent’s House located in Vizcaya Village. The Superintendent’s House is one of 11 historic buildings found in the Village.
The National Park Service (NPS), in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), awards these matching grants to support the preservation of nationally significant historic properties and collections. Vizcaya is one of 42 projects funded nationally and received the largest award in the State of Florida.
Vizcaya’s historic Superintendent’s House will be a central community gathering spot in the future development of the Vizcaya Village. Approved by the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners in 2017, the Village will be revitalized to tell new stories about the community’s history and to offer innovative new programs.
“Thanks to the support of the Save America’s Treasures grant, Vizcaya is able to keep moving forward with plans for the Vizcaya Village,” says Joel Hoffman, Executive Director and CEO of Vizcaya. “The grant is restricted and must be used for these needed renovations. We continue to raise additional dollars for operating costs due to the impact of COVID-19.”
The Vizcaya Village was the working part of the estate and features 11 architecturally significant buildings on 12 acres. Built in 1916 to make Vizcaya self-sufficient, the Village included staff quarters, a garage and workshops, barns, and greenhouses and fields that supplied fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables. The Village restoration will realize the full potential of Vizcaya as a cultural hub through year-round innovative programming and green space for residents and visitors.
The Superintendent’s House is planned to become home to a neighborhood Café with easy access from Metrorail’s Vizcaya Station Pedestrian Overpass on 32nd Road. The Save America’s Treasures matching grant is essential to that future by allowing for critical repairs and restoration including repairs to the roof, ceiling, interior and exterior walls, windows, doors, and basement, and electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems.
The project was funded through the Save America’s Treasures grant program, through the Historic Preservation Fund, and administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. For public questions or concerns, contact Vizcaya at advancement@vizcaya.org.
To learn more about Vizcaya Museum and Gardens visit vizcaya.org.
About Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark that preserves its cultural and environmental resources to engage people in connecting with the past, understanding the present and shaping the future. Built between 1914 and 1922 as the winter home of farming manufacturer James Deering, Vizcaya is one of the most intact remaining examples from this era in United States history, when the nation’s most successful entrepreneurs built estates inspired by the stately homes of Europe. Vizcaya features a Main House filled with a decorative art collection, 10 acres of formal gardens, a rockland hammock (native forest), mangrove shore, and a historic village that is being restored to tell Vizcaya’s full story and provide additional spaces for programs and community outreach, including those on agriculture. Vizcaya has been a community hub since it opened to the public in 1953; it currently welcomes about 300,000 visitors annually.
Located on Biscayne Bay at 3251 South Miami Avenue, Vizcaya is open Thursday through Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. For more information and updates to operating hours due COVID-19 Miami-Dade County Emergency Orders, visit www.vizcaya.org, connect via social media, or call 305-250-9133.
The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government.
