ST JOHN Principal Ed Setzler served as AE Project Director for the complete rehabilitation of the historic 1950’s Guy Bradley “Flamingo” Visitor Center in the Everglades National Park. This complex 18,502 SF historic rehabilitation included structural improvements to meet 175-mph Miami-Dade wind standards; roofing replacement; replacement of mechanical, electrical, and fire protection systems; and the interior adaptive reuse to create a nationally recognized new museum gallery, medical aid station, law enforcement precinct, curatorial storage area, classroom, and staff office spaces.

Interior finishes included custom terrazzo flooring and indigenous natural wood, integrating imagery of the Everglades into a Miami Modern interior design theme. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Preservation (36 CFR 67) were implemented in design to harden the facility to withstand hurricane force winds and 5-feet of standing water at ground level. Infrastructure improvements included accessibility upgrades, revegetation of historic landscapes, and replacement of a 0.4-mile water supply line to provide adequate water pressure for new fire suppression systems.

Flamingo Visitor Center

Location: Homestead, FL
Client: National Park Service
Size: 18,502 SF
Cost of Construction: $9,630,000