From left: Avra Jain and an archived photo of the Vagabond Motel
Developer Avra Jain’s restoration of the Vagabond Motel is underway six days a week as workers rush to complete the project in time for Art Basel.
The historic preservation-protected 1953 Miami Modern motel won’t open to guests until 2014 but will have rooms ready for exhibitions and parties for the much-lauded art show in December, Miami Urbanist reported.
The swimming pool’s original mermaid and dolphin tile mosaics will be restored as will the kitschy neon sign and Little Mermaid-inspired statue of nudes on rocks surrounded by leaping dolphins. [Miami Urbanist] — Emily Schmall