Historic

Villa Providence

Not much more could have been working against the preservation of this property by the time local concerned citizens and the City of Hallandale Beach stepped in to rescue it from certain destruction. In 2005, Villa Providence was a shadow of its original splendor having suffered abandonment, severe water and termite damage, portions of the roof and walls had collapsed, and graffiti had marred the distinctive glitter stucco, embedded with imported Italian colored glass.

Property owner and developer Richard Shan donated the house to the City of Hallandale Beach in exchange for allowing greater density of new construction to be built in the neighborhood.

Careful stabilization and reinforcement would be required in order for the building to make it structurally sound, function as public space, meet code requirements, and hurricane standards. The exterior rehabilitation was completed in Autumn 2007 that included stucco and concrete restoration, a new roofing system and replica windows and doors. The exterior building envelope was rehabilitated in a manner which maintained historic character yet complied with stringent current Florida Building Code requirements.

Changes to the exterior were in keeping with the original design. All of the 1950s jalousie windows were replaced with 6/1-light sash windows and the doors were replaced with single and double casement French doors. Installation of new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and the provision of an ADA accessible ramp and toilet room prepared the property for future use. A reconstruction of the original textured stucco embedded with fragments of colored glass is displayed on an exterior portion of the house.

The interior was completed in Summer 2010. Important interior features we just had to ensure were saved included the fireplace with ceramic tile panel of “Columbus Discovering America” which miraculously survived. Distinctive Spanish-Moorish style ceramic tile in an upstairs bathroom were 40% complete, new matching tile was used to restore the remaining space. Some features couldn’t be saved. The stairs leading to the second floor required complete reconstruction.

In 2011, Villa Providence was honored for Outstanding Achievement in Adaptive Use by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. The City of Hallandale had never completed the restoration of a historic property prior to this project.

We prepared a Site Master Plan to accommodate the relocated Moffett House as part of the creation of an historic park. The Villa Providence property is now the major focus of the City of Hallandale Beach Historic Park and serves as a meeting place for the Hallandale Historic Preservation Board. The property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

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