A modern 15-story condo tower has no place in the heart of the Art Deco District | Opinion

Imagine the famous shots of iconic Miami Beach Art Deco hotels shown before any national TV event becoming a thing of the past. The postcard moments almost a century in the making . . . gone. Some of those cherished landmarks of Miami Beach are now being threatened.

Miami Beach is going through a tremendous uptick in development and new construction, putting many iconic structures at risk. After being rejected twice, the owners of the Ritz-Carlton and Sagamore hotels yet again seek to build a 15-story modern condominium tower at the center of the skyline of Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive/Collins Avenue Historic Preservation District. The district includes such Art Deco gems as the National, Delano and Ritz Plaza hotels.

The massive out-of-scale tower being proposed not only will loom over these picture-postcard buildings, it will degrade the the city’s history and cultural essence. The new tower, more than 200 feet tall, would obstruct views, cast shadows onto the Beachwalk and beach, and have a profound adverse effect on the district’s public spaces and historic buildings. This would have a negative impact on tourism and the local economy.

The National Hotel, a historic Art Deco hotel built in 1939 and designed by renowned architect Roy France, alongside the Delano and others on this famed “Hotel Row,” are exemplars of Miami Beach’s architectural and cultural legacy. The National Hotel remains dedicated to the preservation of this heritage for future generations.

The city has established the Ocean Drive/Collins Avenue Historic District to protect and preserve the historic development pattern and architectural styles of the district, which includes the remaining 1930s and 1940s Art Deco hotels. The unique grouping of these buildings requires urgent protection and preservation. An intrusive modern tower into this special area would be disproportionate and incongruous with the surrounding historic structures.

Several proposals have been presented recently before the city’s Historic Preservation Board, including the proposed giant tower. Some bring nice ideas, others address complicated issues, such as overdevelopment and the potential for unfulfilled promises. One such idea is a proposal to reorganize the 100 block of Lincoln Road for aesthetic purposes. But this project comes with a catch: The proposal, and some money to pay for it, is linked to the giant tower that would go up behind the historic Sagamore Hotel at 1671 Collins Avenue. This project would be immediately adjacent to the historic National Hotel, and would tower over its iconic cupola by 75 feet.

The supporters of this plan say that the tower, which would only have 30 residential units, would somehow clean up Miami Beach. However, construction of an individual building cannot reduce crime and disrepair.

Don’t be fooled by complicated messaging. A monstrous tower in the heart of the historic Art Deco District is not needed, and no promise of new sidewalks and trees on Lincoln Road will change that. This issue is not about the enhancement of the eastern end of Lincoln Road, which can be supported by everyone. However, the Lincoln Road project should not be linked to or contingent upon the construction of a 200-foot tower that is out of scale with its adjacent historic context in the heart of one of the most renowned Art Deco historic districts in the country and the world. New development is appropriate when it is compatible with the scale of its neighborhood and when it enhances its neighborhood.

We must stand up for the irreplaceable uniqueness of historic Miami Beach, which is what draws visitors from around the globe who contribute to the local economy. The proposed Ritz Sagamore tower would take a metaphorical wrecking ball to the historic character of the Art Deco District and its famous skyline. Stand to protect the historic character of this district from inappropriate overdevelopment — as Barbara Capitman stood to protect the district from demolition 45 years ago.

Steven Avdakov of Heritage Architectural Associates on behalf of the National Miami Beach.