Roy F. France

Roy F. France (1888-1972[1]) was the American architect who is credited with creating the Miami Beach, Florida skyline.

He was originally based in the Midwest, but relocated to Miami Beach after a 1931 trip to Florida with his wife. Several of his works are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Works in the Midwest include:

[Oak Park, Illinois]

In Miami Beach, France "designed dozens of prominent hotels in Art Deco and Post War Modern styles adapted to local conditions. His advice regarding design was, 'Let in the air and sun. That's what people come to Florida for.'"[1] The Post War Modern style here came to be known as Miami Modern architecture.

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Works by Roy France in the Miami Beach include (roughly from south to north):

(*=included in Collins Waterfront Architectural District)

Name Image Year Architect Address Notes
St. Moritz Hotel Roy France 1565 Collins Ave.
25°47′20″N 80°07′46″W / 25.788871°N 80.129311°W / 25.788871; -80.129311 (St. Moritz Hotel (Loews Miami Beach)) 		Now the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
National Hotel Roy France 1677 Collins Ave.
25°47′31″N 80°07′46″W / 25.791850°N 80.129400°W / 25.791850; -80.129400 (National Hotel) 		Art Deco 14-story tower
Jefferson Davis* 1935 Roy France 2444 Flamingo Place
25°48′05″N 80°07′45″W / 25.801444°N 80.129119°W / 25.801444; -80.129119 (Jefferson Davis) 		Art Deco
Palms Apartments* 1936 Roy France 2460 Flamingo Place
25°48′06″N 80°07′45″W / 25.801695°N 80.129172°W / 25.801695; -80.129172 (Palms Apartments) 		Art Deco
Edgewater Beach 1935 Roy France 1410 Ocean Drive
25°47′08″N 80°07′48″W / 25.785522°N 80.129926°W / 25.785522; -80.129926 (Edgewater Beach)
Prince Michael Hotel* 1951 Roy France 2618 Collins Ave.
25°48′11″N 80°07′35″W / 25.803023°N 80.126265°W / 25.803023; -80.126265 (Prince Michael Hotel) 		Modern
Sea Isle Hotel* 1941 Roy France 3025 Collins Ave.
25°48′22″N 80°07′27″W / 25.806076°N 80.124104°W / 25.806076; -80.124104 (Sea Isle Hotel) 		Streamline, later the Miami Beach Ocean Resort and now The Palms Hotel & Spa
Lord Baltimore Hotel* 1941 Roy France 3030 Collins Ave.
25°48′23″N 80°07′28″W / 25.806430°N 80.124577°W / 25.806430; -80.124577 (Lord Baltimore Hotel) 		Streamline
Sans Souci Hotel*, now Hotel RIU Plaza 1949 Roy France, Morris Lapidus 3101 Collins Ave.
25°48′24″N 80°07′26″W / 25.806789°N 80.123960°W / 25.806789; -80.123960 (Sans Souci Hotel) 		Modern
Saxony Hotel*, now Faena Hotel Miami Beach 1948 Roy France 3201 Collins Ave.
25°48′27″N 80°07′25″W / 25.807403°N 80.123551°W / 25.807403; -80.123551 (Saxony Hotel) 		Modern (Post War Modern style)
Atlantic Beach Hotel* 1938 Roy France 3400 Collins Ave.
25°48′31″N 80°07′26″W / 25.808584°N 80.123936°W / 25.808584; -80.123936 (Atlantic Beach Hotel) 		Art Deco. Now the "Faena Bazaar".
Versailles Hotel* 1940 Roy France 3425 Collins Ave.
25°48′32″N 80°07′24″W / 25.808768°N 80.123311°W / 25.808768; -80.123311 (Versailles Hotel) 		Art Deco - Streamline
Patrician Hotel* 1937 Roy France 3621 Collins Ave.
25°48′36″N 80°07′24″W / 25.810087°N 80.123253°W / 25.810087; -80.123253 (Patrician Hotel) 		Art Deco, now the All Seasons Hotel
3700 Collins Ave. Apartments* 1938 Roy France 3700 Collins Ave.
25°48′38″N 80°07′25″W / 25.810545°N 80.123613°W / 25.810545; -80.123613 (3700 Collins Ave. Apartments) 		Art Deco
Wilshire Hotel*, now "Ocean Villas" 1939 Roy France 3710 Collins Ave.
25°48′38″N 80°07′25″W / 25.810658°N 80.123529°W / 25.810658; -80.123529 (Wilshire Hotel) 		Streamline
Cadillac Hotel* 1940 Roy France 3925 Collins Ave
25°48′43″N 80°7′23″W / 25.81194°N 80.12306°W / 25.81194; -80.12306 (Cadillac Hotel) 		Streamline (with 1956 addition designed by Melvin Grossman), NRHP-listed
San Marino Hotel*, now "Lexington by Hotel RL" 1950 Roy France 4299 Collins Ave.
25°48′51″N 80°07′21″W / 25.814235°N 80.122597°W / 25.814235; -80.122597 (San Marino Hotel) 		Modern
Sovereign Hotel*, now "SOHO Beach House" 1941 Roy France 4385 Collins Ave.
25°48′57″N 80°07′20″W / 25.815936°N 80.122244°W / 25.815936; -80.122244 (Sovereign Hotel) 		Art Deco
Alamo Hotel*, now "L Hotel" or "Alamo Hotel Apartments" 1938 Roy France 4121 Indian Creek Dr.
25°48′49″N 80°07′25″W / 25.813678°N 80.123540°W / 25.813678; -80.123540 (Alamo Hotel) 		Art Deco
Piccadilly Manor* 1935 Roy France 2445 Pine Tree Dr.
25°48′05″N 80°07′46″W / 25.801484°N 80.129314°W / 25.801484; -80.129314 (Piccadilly Manor) 		Streamline
Pines Apartments* 1936 Roy France 2463 Pine Tree Dr.
25°48′06″N 80°07′45″W / 25.801694°N 80.129252°W / 25.801694; -80.129252 (Pines Apartments) 		Art Deco. (This is other, mirror side of 2450 Flamingo Pl.?)
Bellamar Hotel* 1939 Roy France 220 31st St.
25°48′24″N 80°07′29″W / 25.806552°N 80.124797°W / 25.806552; -80.124797 (Bellamar Hotel) 		Art Deco
Ocean Grande Hotel* 1939 Roy France 100 37th St.
25°48′37″N 80°07′23″W / 25.810205°N 80.123001°W / 25.810205; -80.123001 (Ocean Grande Hotel) 		Art Deco
Casablanca, now "The Casablanca on the Ocean" Roy France 6345 Collins Ave.
25°50′43″N 80°07′12″W / 25.845286°N 80.120027°W / 25.845286; -80.120027 (Casablanca on the Ocean)

He designed numerous hotels in Miami Beach which were surviving in 2018,[1] while several others had been demolished.[1] Demolished ones included:

  • Whitman (demolished),
  • Shoremede (demolished).[1]

A number are contributing buildings in the Collins Waterfront Architectural District, listed on the National Register.

  1. ^ a b c d e Carolyn Klepser; William H. Cary; Shannon (McCartt) Anderton. "Collins Waterfront Historic District Designation Report" (PDF). City of Miami Beach. Retrieved November 22, 2018.