Richard J. Heisenbottle, FAIA is the founding President of R.J. Heisenbottle Architects, PA located in Coral Gables, Florida with over four decades of experience in all aspects of architecture, planning and interior design with a specialty in historic preservation. His background focuses on numerous large scale commercial, residential, hotel, historic restoration and adaptive reuse projects with emphasis on governmental, educational, and theatrical facilities both in Miami and New York. After serving as Project Manager for the I.M. Pei & Partners designed Centrust Tower, in 1987, he formed his own firm and has been responsible for numerous award-winning projects throughout the eastern United States. He is a registered architect in 3 states and holds NCARB accreditation. Richard was accorded the Silver Medal for Design from the AIA Miami in 2003. He was elected to the AIA College of Fellows in February 2005.
Today, Mr. Heisenbottle’s firm is well known in the State of Florida for the restoration of some of the area’s oldest and most prestigious landmarks including the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, The Colony Theater, the Freedom Tower and the Miami Edison Middle School. He has served as President of AIA Miami and Dade Heritage Trust the area’s largest historic preservation organization. He also served as a member of the City of Miami’s Historic Preservation Board for over 10 years and the Coral Gables Historic Preservation Board for 2 years. As an alumnus of the University of Miami, he remains active in the School of Architecture serving on the Executive Committee Board of Advisors for the School’s Masters in Real Estate Development + Urbanism program. He also serves as a board member of the Coral Gables Museum.
Mr. Heisenbottle’s projects have been widely publicized in Architectural Record, the Wall Street Journal, the Miami Herald, Florida Caribbean Architect and Preservation Today Magazine. He has received numerous awards for Excellence in Architecture the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects, the Miami Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. In 1998 he won a National Preservation Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He has also been the recipient of numerous Outstanding Preservation Project Awards from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.
The firm’s most recent notable historic preservation projects include the Miami Marine Stadium Restoration; David W. Dyer U.S. Courthouse Renovation, Restoration and Adaptive Reuse; Surf Club Four Season Hotel restoration; Carl Fisher Clubhouse Restoration; and the Shrine Building / Boulevard Shops Restoration and Adaptive Reuse. He is once again serving as Preservation Architect for the National Landmark Freedom Tower in downtown Miami.
Educational Background:
- BS in Architectural Technology, New York Institute of Technology, 1974
- BA in Architecture, University of Miami, 1984
- NCARB; Registered Architect in Florida, New York, Alabama, Pennsylvania
Professional Registrations:
- Registered Architect, Florida AR001513
- Registered Architect, New York 0141230-1
- Registered Architect, Pennsylvania RA404372
Affiliations:
- University of Miami School of Architecture Masters in Real Estate Development +
- Urbanism Advisory Board, 2015 – Present
- American Institute of Architects Fellow, 2005
- Dade Heritage Trust – Vice President, 2000-2003; President 2004 – 2006
- National Trust for Historic Preservation Award, National Preservation Award – 1998
- League of Historic American Theaters – Member
- City of Coral Gables Historic Preservation Board Chairman, 2010 – 2012
- American Institute of Architects Miami Chapter – President, 1991
- City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board, 1989 – 1999
- Spillis Candela & Partners, Inc. – Vice President, 1979 – 1987
Selected Project Publications:
- Wall Street Journal
- “Historic Florida Hotel Sits on Death Row”
- Commercial Real Estate
- Kris Hudson | October 9, 2012
- Blueprint Directory
- Architecture + Design + Real Estate
- “Discovering the Lost Colony”
- Reggie Ruddock, June/August 2006 Pg. 46-51
- Stage Directions Magazine – Annual Historic Theatre Issue
- “Gusman Center for the Performing Arts”, July 2003
- “Reinvigorating Our Schools”
- American Institute of Architects, 1998. Pg. 10
- Florida A-E-C; Construction Market Data
- A-E-C Interview
- “Richard Heisenbottle of R. J. Heisenbottle Architects”
- October 1998. Pg.17-19
- Construction Market Data – Profiles
- “R. J. Heisenbottle, PA, Rebuilding Yesterday for Tomorrow”
- Kaye, Nancy. 7 September 1993. Pg.1-4
- Preservation Today
- “New Freedom for the Tower: Saving Miami’s Historic Skyline”
- Thompson-Stewart, Louise. 1990. Pg. 7-9
- Architectural Record
- “Southern Traditions”
- Pearson, Clifford A. March 1990. Pg. 66 – 75
Professional Activities:
- DOCOMOMO Conference, 2024
- Miami’s Taj Majal: The Pan American Regional Headquarters Building
- Miami, FL | May 15, 2024
- CSI Conference, 2024
- Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation
- Historic Surf Club Restoration
- Tampa, FL | March 10, 2024
- Ludowici Tile Conference, 2024
- Use of Ludowici Roof Tiles in Historic Preservation
- February 20, 2024
- Miami Design Preservation League
- Guest Speaker “The Art of Architecture”
- Miami Beach, FL | October 6, 2022
- The Villagers Incorporated
- Guest Speaker “Restoration vs. Demolition”
- Coral Gables, FL | October 21, 2021
- Florida Department of State Florida Main Street Annual Conference
- Speaker “How to Leverage Historic Tax Credits into a Successful Development”
- Vero Beach, FL | July 30 – August 1, 2018
- USITT’s 58th Annual Conference & Stage Expo
- PDW Architecture Tour Leader
- Ft. Lauderdale/Miami |March 2018
- Miami Design Preservation League Art Deco Weekend 2018
- Panelist – Historic Preservation Architect
- “Historic Resources as Green Infrastructure: Advancing Miami Beach’s Sustainable Development”
- Barry University Small Matching Grant Panel
- Tallahassee, FL | July 2017
- University of Miami School of Architecture
- MRED+U 2016 Capstone Program Workshop
- Miami, Florida | May 9-13, 2016
- Florida Trust 2015 Annual Statewide Conference
- “Sustainable Adaptive Use of Historic Buildings: Case Studies of
- Successful Adaptive Uses of Historic Places into Modern Spaces”
- AIA 2010 National Convention Speaker
- “A Sense of Place in City Design”
- Florida Trust for Historic Preservation
- Award Juror 2002, 2009 & 2010
- AIA Miami 2010 Design & Technology Seminar Speaker
- “Historic Preservation Basics”
- 11TH National Conference on Planning History
- Society for American City and Regional Planning History
- Coral Gables, FL | October – 2005
- AIA Orlando
- AIA Awards Juror – 2004, 2013
- League of Historic American Theatres – Conference Leader
- Miami, FL | July – 2003
- League of Historic American Theatres – Miami Conference Chairman
- New York, NY |July – 2002
- “Planning and Process in Historic Preservation” Workshop/Presentation
- League of Historic American Theater’s 25th Anniversary Conference
- July – 2001
- “One United Band”
- Film documentary in conjunction with Public Television Channel, WLRN
- January – 2000
- AIA Miami
- Awards Jury Chairman – 1990
