The Savoy Hotel on Miami Beach’s iconic Ocean Drive is an emblem of the historic style that’s long characterized the island city: a low-rise footprint with Art Deco design that’s stood since the 1930s.
But that historic property is now set for potential demolition to make way for a 38-story condo building — and while residents are up in arms about the plan, the city says it can’t do anything to stop it thanks to preemption laws passed in Tallahassee.
If the demolition of the Savoy moves forward, it’ll be thanks to The Resiliency and Safe Structures Act, a state law passed in 2024. The law is meant to preserve safety in areas prone to floods, and allows recognized historic properties to be demolished if they do not meet certain flood criteria set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)…