Miami-Dade Office of Historic Preservation receives two distinguished awards of excellence

The Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER), Planning Division’s Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) recently won two prestigious awards for the Heritage at Risk Survey project, a progressive approach to identifying historically relevant places and structures built from 1941 to 1981.

Launched in 2021, during the 40th anniversary of the County’s Historic Preservation Ordinance, OHP’s Heritage at Risk Survey project highlights the importance of understanding post-war resources’ design elements and their resilience and sets a new standard for preservation practices that align with contemporary challenges and community needs.

“The Heritage at Risk Survey project is a groundbreaking effort that honors Miami-Dade's rich post-war history while addressing modern challenges like redevelopment pressure, flooding, storm impacts, and housing affordability,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “By integrating community concerns, this innovative approach sets a new standard for preserving modern architecture and the resilience of our heritage. It serves as a cornerstone for critical thinking in long-term planning and historic preservation, ensuring our efforts align with the needs of future generations. I’m incredibly proud of the Office of Historic Preservation for leading the way in safeguarding our shared history.”

OHP was awarded the Docomomo Modernism in America Award of Excellence in the Inventory/Survey category. This honor celebrates the documentation, preservation and reuse of modern buildings, structures and landscapes. It also recognizes individuals and organizations making significant efforts to retain, restore and advocate for the aesthetic and cultural value of such places.

The second award OHP received was the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association’s APA Florida Award of Excellence, which celebrates the outstanding planning projects and exceptional initiatives that document, inventory or establish preservation and planning.

“We are honored to receive these highly regarded awards, and proud of the Heritage at Risk Survey,” said Sarah Cody, RER’s Historic Preservation Chief. “This effort offered communities a voice throughout different stages of the project, and we were able to assess and document the cultural and historical significance of local post-war architecture while uncovering more of the County’s rich heritage.”

Learn more about OHP’s project by visiting the Heritage at Risk Survey.