Courtesy: Miami Herald

BY LAURA ISENSEE

There are grand plans to restore the historic Hialeah Park to glory: thoroughbred horse races, slot machines and a new complex with restaurants and a hotel.

The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation included Hialeah Park on its annual list of the most endangered historic buildings earlier this year. It was the second year in a row the Florida Trust listed the race track -- where Seabiscuit once raced and flamingos still fly -- as endangered.

"The concern is an ongoing concern,'' said Ramon Trias, an architect in Fort Pierce and a trustee of the statewide nonprofit.

"The hope is that the historic aspects of the project are incorporated into the proposed plans by having Hialeah Park on the list,'' said Trias.

Hialeah Park general manager Randy Soth said preserving the park's history is "way at the top of the list'' as development continues.

"It is such a historic and beautiful facility. We want to maintain that look and feel,'' Soth said.

Architects are currently drafting preliminary plans for part of the grandstand to house slot machines, Soth said.

"It's our intention to maintain the integrity of the existing structures. None of that is to be torn down,'' Soth said.

Hialeah Park reopened last year after lying dormant for eight years, thanks in part to changes in state gaming laws. Its owner, John Brunetti, plans to launch another racing season in November and seek a gaming license in July to add slot machines, Soth said.

The track first opened in 1925, and soon after owner Joseph Widener invested millions to renovate the park in the style of facilities in England, France and Monte Carlo.

A majority of the original buildings, including the grandstand and its sweeping staircases, still stand. It is considered the oldest and widest continuously operating turf horse-racing track in the United States. Currently, the property is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Trias said the Florida Trust hopes all of the structures are maintained, so that the property does not lose its eligibility to become a National Historic Landmark.

The city of Hialeah has a Historic Preservation Board, which acts as an advisory group to the mayor and City Council. The city's historic preservation ordinance gives the board the authority to issue or deny a "certificate of appropriateness,'' which is required before a historic site is changed or demolished. "We're the last magnifying glass,'' said Maria Espinosa, the board's chairwoman.

Espinosa said the park's development plans have not sparked alarm at the city's board and noted Mayor Julio Robaina and the city council's support of historic preservation.

"They have a very good understanding of how much the park is part of the city and how much we care about the park,'' Espinosa said of the developers.