Miami Beach is one big step closer to getting a new residential tower at the front door of Lincoln Road.
On June 24, the Miami Beach City Commission advanced zoning changes for a mixed-use project at 1600 Washington Avenue, setting the stage for a roughly 15-story building with ground-floor retail and about 212 market-rate rental apartments in the heart of South Beach.
According to the Miami Herald, commissioners voted 6-0 to move the proposal forward. The application calls for around 212 market-rate units, broken down into 36 studios, 144 one-bedrooms and 32 two-bedrooms, all stacked above street-level shops. The current plan would prohibit condo conversions and block the apartments from operating as short-term rentals or other transient lodging. The measure now heads to a second vote and a public hearing scheduled for Sept. 10.
What Would Actually Change On The Block
City planning documents show the request would raise the maximum building height on the block from 100 feet to 150 feet and increase the floor-area ratio to about 3.25. The changes are framed as part of a Washington Avenue Residential Plan that is meant to encourage non-transient residential development in the corridor. A City of Miami Beach staff report notes that the project depends on the commission adopting those incentive amendments; without them, the proposed 15-story building would exceed current zoning limits.
Commission Wants Growth, With Guardrails
While commissioners largely backed the idea of adding residents along Washington Avenue, they made it clear they want protections in place before the final green light. Commissioner Joseph Magazine called the push to create a “vibrant, walkable, mixed-use district” the single most important move the city can make. Mayor Steven Meiner asked staff to look at ways to require the developer to secure all necessary approvals within a set timeframe before receiving any zoning bonuses. Commissioners also directed staff to take a closer look at the design of the ground-floor retail and to explore setting minimum average apartment sizes, according to the Miami Herald.
Who Is Behind The Project
The sponsor listed in city filings is 420 Lincoln Road Development, led by Paul Cejas, a longtime Miami Beach property owner and former U.S. ambassador. Reporting by The Real Deal, along with public planning records, shows Cejas has spent decades assembling parcels along the Lincoln Road corridor. The current concept would replace two low-rise structures and rely on the existing parking garage to serve the new residents.
State Law Hangs Over Local Decisions
Commissioners also brought up Florida’s Live Local Act, which can allow qualified housing projects to sidestep some local zoning rules if they reserve a share of units for workforce or affordable rents. The law, enacted as SB 102 and later amended, sets specific height, density and affordability thresholds that can alter how a project moves through the approvals process, according to the Florida Senate…