Roy F. France

Last updated April 09, 2024

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:

Lake Shore Apartments, 470-498 Sheridan Rd. Evanston, Illinois, NRHP-listed
Hillcrest Apartment, 1509-1515 Hinman Ave. Evanston, Illinois, NRHP-listed
Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois
Santa Maria Apartments, 208-232 N. Oak Park Avenue and 719-729 Erie Street,

[Oak Park, Illinois]

One or more works in NRHP-listed Hyde Park-Kenwood Historic District, Chicago, 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	Year	Architect	Address	Notes
St. Moritz Hotel		Roy France	1565 Collins Ave. 25°47′20″N80°07′46″W / 25.788871°N 80.129311°W / 25.788871; -80.129311	Now the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
National Hotel		Roy France	1677 Collins Ave. 25°47′31″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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″N80°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.

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References

1 2 3 4 5 Carolyn Klepser; William H. Cary; Shannon (McCartt) Anderton. "Collins Waterfront Historic District Designation Report" (PDF). City of Miami Beach. Retrieved November 22, 2018.

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[report-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Carolyn Klepser; William H. Cary; Shannon (McCartt) Anderton. "Collins Waterfront Historic District Designation Report" (PDF). City of Miami Beach. Retrieved November 22, 2018.

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