Renovations, while beneficial in the long-term, are never pleasant for resorts or their guests. Even when dealt with strategically, the dust, debris, hammering and drilling can both scare away potential customers and make those who did book do some second guessing.
But in the face of a multi-year, $20 million renovation, the Stanton South Beach has decided to make the proverbial lemonade out of lemons.
“We erected these three to four huge white walls around the hotel and they were just bare and blank,” said Stanton Assistant General Manager Eyal Goldberger. “I thought why not put something creative there to hide the renovation.”
The result, a series of murals that now dot the common areas of the 224-room oceanfront resort in the Miami Beach's SoFi neighborhood.
Goldberger took the idea from the Wynwood neighborhood north of downtown Miami, where there are hundreds of graffiti murals painted by celebrated street artists. Four of those artists; Atomik, Komik, Naps and Quake (apparently last names don't apply in this business), painted the four outside murals and four lobby murals that now dress up the Stanton's construction areas.
Murals adorn construction walls outside the Stanton South Beach hotel. Photo Credit: Stanton South Beach
Among other images, the murals depict a blue-haired mermaid swimming next to a dolphin and a colorful rendering of the word “SoFi” in which the letters are filled-in with a sunny sky and palm trees.
Atomik, who is known around the Magic City for the signature orange-shaped mascot he works into his murals, painted the “SoFi” wall, as well as three others, at the Stanton.
Goldberger says they've been a hit.
“We've had some great feedback from the customers,” he said.
Great enough, in fact, that the Stanton has even decided to step it up a notch. From now until the renovations are complete – tentatively around April of next year - Atomik will lead a team-building activity called Murals & Meetings in which groups will be encouraged to “vandalize” plywood walls.
During sessions lasting 60 minutes, participants will learn basic techniques, such as creating clean lines and circles, as well as fading colors into each other. Atomik, whose given name is Adam Vargas, will also offer tips on developing distinctive mural signatures.
“I really love painting and drawing and just creating art on any level and being able to inspire someone else and teach them the basics, it is just fun for me,” he explained in an interview last week.
What Atomik won't be doing is encouraging his Stanton pupils to take their new graffiti skills to random walls around the Miami area.
“No jail time is included,” Goldberger said of Murals & Meetings.
Classes can be as large as 24 people. They cost approximately $170 per head. Call 305-854-3544
to book.