GALLERY
The BILTMORE, Coral Gables, Florida
Marlene Weiss, Managing Member and Associate AIA at SDG was part of a team while at FGSC Architects Coral Gables who were instrumental in the interior refurbishment at the Biltmore in Coral Gables where the property was transformed from an abandoned hostpital into the glorious Biltmore Hotel.
Here is the history of its transformation:
1926: The Biltmore opened as a premier luxury hotel and playground for the wealthy.
1942–1968 (The Hospital Era): During World War II, the federal government transformed the hotel into a military hospital. It later served as a Veterans Administration hospital.
1952: The University of Miami used the facility as its first medical school home.
1968–1980s (Abandonment): After closing as a hospital in 1968, the building became an "abandoned shell," becoming a popular, creepy spot for local teenagers to explore.
1987 (Restoration): The hotel was restored and reopened in 1987, transitioning from an abandoned, haunted-reputed ruin back to a luxury hotel.
Today, the Biltmore is a National Historic Landmark, though stories of its time as a hospital, including tales of ghost soldiers and nurses, persist.
Featured below is a curated selection of projects delivered by Summa Development Group across a wide range of disciplines, including architecture, real estate development, construction, and interior design. Each project reflects our integrated, hands-on approach from concept through completion. Click on any image to explore detailed information, scope, and highlights for each project.
The Twin Dolphins, Naples, Florida (originally designed by Albert Socol AIA)
Albert Socol was the original architect for the project, secured the entitlements, and sold both the land and the drawings to another developer. That developer later changed the exterior design to a Spanish style design while SDG was the original architect and received the entitlements later selling drawings and the land to another developer. The project models were designed by Marlene Weiss, Mananging Member and Associate AIA of SDG.
