A six-floor apartment house on Avenida Ashford that set the standard for Art Deco in Puerto Rico.
At a glance
The Miami Building, also called the Miami Apartments or 868 Ashford Building, is a historic six-floor Art Deco building on Avenida Ashford in the Condado section of Santurce, San Juan. It was the first private apartment building in the tourist district of Condado. It may also be the first building on the island designed from the start as apartments.
History
Architect Pedro Méndez, a Syracuse University graduate, designed the building. Contractor firm Beltrán, Miró and Benítez built it for $90,000. The first owner was a Venezuelan-Puerto Rican named Mr. Tirado. When it opened, the Miami Building stood as the second tallest structure in the area after the Vanderbilt Hotel.
The building gained official recognition in 1984. It joined the National Register of Historic Places. In 1995 it was added to the Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones.
What you see
The building contains 24 apartment units. Each one has a foyer, dining and living rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, two bedrooms, and a curved balcony off the foyer. The façade carries the traditional Art Deco details. The entrance stands out with its glass doors and glass brick windows. The name MIAMI appears above it in an Art Deco variation of the Metro typeface.
Cultural significance
Along with the Aboy Building, the Miami Building decisively shaped the trend of Art Deco style in Puerto Rican architecture of the mid-20th century. Many consider it the finest example of Art Deco architecture in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Key facts
- Country: United States
- City: San Juan
- Coordinates: 18.4602, -66.0816
Practical information & getting there
The Miami Building is a private apartment house. Visitors can view the façade from Avenida Ashford, the main road through Condado. Public buses serve the avenue. There is no public access to the interior.
Sources & resources
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