To tell you the truth, I really didn’t care one way or the other about the Marine Stadium. If they tore it down I wasn't bothered. But having gone there today I was dazzled by the simplicity and the genius of the architecture. A fan of graffiti, I also was left with a very good feeling about the whole experience. (People with me were appalled that I like the graffiti, but I did.) Anyway, I think it a shame to destroy the struture. You have to see it to appreciate it. Thanks Don Worth (the preservationist) for bringing it to my attention.Read the Miami Herald for background: Push made to refurbish Miami Marine Stadium. Reporter Andres Viglucci said:
“Fans of the long-shuttered Miami Marine Stadium, widely regarded as a marvel of architecture and engineering, will launch a campaign to save the endangered landmark.” And:The stadium's designer, Hilario Candela, today calls it "a celebration of water and land coming together.''
See more of my usual crappy cell phone photos (which aren't really that crappy this time) by hitting read more:
However, the stadium is not without many structural problems as you can see by these 3 photos of areas of exposed rusty rebar. But as Viglucci reported:Demolishing it, Candela and other supporters contend, would be a foolish waste.
The stadium cost about $1 million when built, but would cost tens of millions to reproduce from scratch today, Candela said.
''Here the city has a unique asset of huge value,'' Candela, 73, said during a visit to the site.
It's primarily the stadium's design, a seamless Modernist marriage of engineering and architectural ingenuity, and a product of exacting craftsmanship, that has won admirers the world over, supporters say. It has been featured in books and exhibitions.
11 comments:
what I can't believe are the pictures of the exposed rebar and steel. Did these guys have no idea that in a saltwater environment, there is no way they would stay structurally sound?
Unless they had some sort of low wave electrical current running through there.
I don't think the place could pass a safety inspection to re-open to the public without all the inner-steel being replaced.
If Candela is involved, there is an ulterior motive related to the development of Virginia Key. It can't be the preservation of the marine stadium. As the writer above says, you can't patch a structure that has been contaminated with saltwater erosion. And, let's say for argument sake that the marine stadium is rebuilt: what in the world will go on there, to attract audiences making it worth the multi-million cost plus operation and security to keep graffiti artists away? Parrots riding miniature bicycles on a wire? Maybe you could fence off the area in the water down to bay bottom, put in hungry bull sharks, and make developers, land speculators and homebuilders swim from one end to the other to qualify for zoning changes and building permits. I'd pay to see that.
Couldn't Candela be involved because of legacy? This is an example of his architecture he can be proud of.... vanity, whatever, I think he has a stake in the preservation. If someone destroyed something I made I would be hurt/angry etc.
Anyone out there ever been to an event at the stadium? I went to many. Boat races and concerts. Jimmy buffett was one of them. Got to see Ms. Budwiser hydro fly around the oval course.
been to two Buffett concerts there in the early to mid-eighties.
I also go kayaking in there from time to time, and believe me, there are Bull Sharks all over in Marine Stadium.
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I think the Marine Stadium looks great. It has 6,500 seats and very accessible parking. Wait and see what the engineering report states. But the venue really needs an operator.
What is most depressing is what a terrible job the City of Miami does taking care of its assets.
We tend to throw things away here in Miami...and we are throwing away our history with it. It's an awesome structure. I wish we could save it. If you go to Europe, you will see scaffolding everywhere. Sometimes you have to go to great lengths to preserve history. It's almost always worth it. This city has no finesse. This stadium should be saved.
Graffiti, is great and growing and growing in popularity as an art form. Whatever happened to the Miami CRUSH artist?
when i see or think of the miami marine stadium, i think of the now destroyed miami stadium (aka bobby maduro stadium) and the orange bowl. it will only be a matter of time before our mental midgets decide they need to destroy this unique one-of-a-kind marine staidum. our mental midgets lack planning and cohesiveness to pull off a restoration of this magnitude. unfortnately, the citizens of miami will be the ones who lose out on this irreplaceable history and architecture.
if a city like chicago can restore the water tower, the only building to have survived the great fire of 1891, then restoring the miami marine stadium should be a cake walk.
there are professionals who devote their careers to this type of project. it is possible.
i was born and raised in miami. the first live concert i ever went to was on a boat. it was a kenny rogers concert at the miami marine stadium. i remember that event, which took place over 20 years ago, like it was just yesterday. how cool is it for miamians to brag about this type of concert venue? but i guess the only miamians who'll be able to brag about this would've had to have been born prior to 1985.
shame on miami, shame on the mental midgets who cannot see the worth and value of these types of landmarks! we've lost two great miami landmarks with bobby maduro staidum and the orange bowl...soon we will lose the third. which is the only one that remains...as far as sports/entertainment venues go!
Thanks Wowzers...we appreciate your comment.
I go to this place all the time on my days off and I clean up the place me and some friend. If u want something. Done u have to do it ur self the stadium is alot cleaner and iv patch some holes and spent my money to do so.my name I efrain callava. Email rebelroots84@gmail.com
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