Miami's Bacardi buildings win historic protection

[October 08, 2009]  MIAMI (AP) -- Two iconic Miami office buildings erected in the 1960s and 1970s as the headquarters of Bacardi USA are now historic sites.

City officials voted unanimously Tuesday to protect the examples of modernist and abstract architecture and a plaza that links them. The historic designation prohibits changes in their outward appearance and allows for grants and tax breaks.

One of the buildings is an eight-story tower graced by blue and white Spanish tiles. The other is a perfect square covered in an abstract glass mural.

The city preservation board waived the usual 50-year threshold for protection after calls from Miami officials, architects and preservationists.

Still unclear is how the buildings will be used after Bacardi's scheduled move to suburban Coral Gables.

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Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com/

[Associated Press]

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