Resolution 94-21086 1
RESOLUTION NO. 94-21086
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI
BEACH, FLORIDA, GRANTING A
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR
DEMOLITION OF A TWO (2) STORY
PORTION OF A HISTORIC STRUCTURE
LOCATED AT 1425 COLLINS AVENUE.
WHEREAS, the applicant, Whitehouse on the Beach Land Trust,
, has requested a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition of
the rear two-story portion of an existing structure known as the
"Arnold Arms Apartments" , located at 1425 Collins Avenue, Miami
Beach, Florida, in order to allow for construction of a valet
parking lot; and ,
WHEREAS, this building to be partially-demolished is located
in the City' s Ocean Drive/Collins Avenue Historic District and is
designated as "historic" in the City' s Historic Properties Date
Base; and
WHEREAS, the applicant is proposing to rehabilitate the
existing three (3) story front portion of the building in
accordance with plans approved on December 14, 1993 by the Joint
Design Review/Historic Preservation Board; and
WHEREAS, on February 3, 1994 the City' s Historic Preservation
Board held a public hearing, after which the Board voted in favor
of recommending that the requested Certificate of Appropriateness
fordemolition be granted; and
WHEREAS, on March 16, 1994 the City Commission held a public
hearing regarding the request, after which the Commission voted in
favor of approving the recommendation of the Historic Preservation
Board and granting the requested Certificate of Appropriateness for
demolition; and
- WHEREAS, the grounds for the City Commission' s decision are
set forth in Commission Memorandum No. 193-94 which is attached
hereto as Exhibit "1" .
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA that the Mayor and
City Commission approve the recommendation of the Historic
Preservation Board regarding the aforestated request based upon the
grounds set forth in Commission Memorandum No. 193-94 attached as
"Exhibit 1" and hereby grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for
Demolition of a two (2) story portion of a historic structure
located at 1425 Collins Avenue as described in attached Exhibit
"1" .
PASSED and ADOPTED this 16th day of March , 1994 .
ATTEST:
MAYOR
6Z.A0A1
CITY CLERK
SWS:scf:disk7\coa-(2).res
FORM APPROVED
LEGAL DEPTBY
, Date s 3-
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA 33139
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER TELEPHONE: (305) 673-7010
FAX: (305) 673-7782
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COMMISSION MEMORANDUM NO. / 9ç3-.q(J
TO: Mayor Seymour Gelber and 'DATE: March 16, 1994
Members of the City Commission
FROM: Roger M.
City Manager
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR THE CITY COMMISSION TO CONSIDER THE
- ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS' FOR
DEMOLITION TO DEMOLISH A TWO (2) STORY PORTION OF A
DESIGNATED HISTORIC STRUCTURE AT 1425 COLLINS
AVENUE - PUBLIC HEARING
RECOMMENDATION
The Administration recommends that the City Commission, upon
holding a public hearing, approve the issuance of a Certificate of
Appropriateness for Demolition for the demolition of a two (2)
story portion of a designated historic structure at 1425 Collins
Avenue.
BACKGROUND -
The project received a favorable recommendation, by a vote of -7-0,
for the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness for Demolition
from the Historic Preservation Board on February 3, 1994 (see
attached staff report) . The subject building is within the Ocean
Drive/Collins Avenue Local Historic District and is designated
historic in the City' s historic properties database.
A critical component of this project centers on the demolition of
the rear two (2) story portion of the Arnold Arms Apartment
building in order to accommodate the creation of a valet parking
lot . • The applicant is also proposing to rehabilitate the existing
three (3) story front portion of the building. This portion of the
project recieved approval from the Joint Design Review/Historic
Preservation Board on December 14, 1993 .
The proposed parking lot will consist entirely of valet parking
spaces, three car lengths in depth, for the Villa D'Este project,
to the north. A revised landscape plan for the front and perimeter
sides of the property is also proposed.
The current Historic Preservation Ordinance establishes a review
process for applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness for
Demolition for buildings which are designated historic. The
identification of whether a building is designated historic or non-
historic is found in the Miami Beach Historic Properties Database.
Should the Historic Preservation Board confirm the Database listing
for the subject building as "historic" , then the Historic
Preservation Board submits a recommendation pertaining to the
issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness for Demolition to the
City Commission, who' will make the final determination as to
whether a permit for demolition should be issued. The City
Commission is required to hold a public hearing prior to making its ; _
decision on the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness . ,
1 AGENDA f3
ITEM 0
EXHIBIT"1" • l
DATE �� 1
ANALYSIS
Section 19-6 (C) (5) (d) of the Zoning Ordinance provides criteria
which the Historic Preservation Board and City Commission use to
evaluate requests of a Certificate of Appropriateness for
Demolition. The following is an analysis of the subject rear
portion of the building, ,,based upon the aforestated criteria:
1. National, state or local designation.
The property is located in the National Register District and
the Ocean Drive\Collins Avenue Local Historic District
2 . Design, craftsmanship or material that would be difficult or
expensive to reproduce today.
The design of the subject rear portion of the building is not
difficult or expensive to reproduce.
3 . Last remaining examples.
The design of the subject portion of the building is not one
of the last remaining examples of its kind in the City or the
region.
4. Contributes to historic character of district.
The subject portion of the building, in terms of architectural
style, contributes little to the historic character of the
District . However it is consistent with the character
associated with many buildings in the National Register
District and the Ocean Drive/Collins Avenue Local Historic
District in terms of siting,, scale and massing.
5 . Retention promotes general welfare and opportunity to study
local history. , -
The subject portion of the ' building provides little
information pertaining- to local history, culture and design,
nor does it significantly add to the understanding of the
culture and heritage of the City.
6 . Parking garage.-
The subject portion of the building is not being demolished
for a parking garage, but rather to accommodate a grade level
valet , parking lot..
7 . Plans for re-use.
The overall project includes the proposed construction of a
grade level valet parking lot and the rehabilitation of the
three (3) story front portion of the building, as indicated
on the submitted plans .
8. Unsafe Structure/Financial Feasibility.
The Dade County Unsafe Structures Board has not ordered a
demolition of the property and the attached feasibility report
delineates the applicant' s position that renovating the entire
structure is cost prohibitive.
The Administration is requesting that the City Commission consider
the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness for Demolition,
pursuant to Section 19-6 .B.4 of the Zoning Ordinance which reads,
in part : '
"A Certificate of. Appropriateness for the Demolition of
designated Historic Buildings, Structures, Improvements
2
or Sites shall only be considered by the Board following
a public hearing. . .Within thirty (30) days after the
public hearing, the Historic Preservation Board shall
submit a report and recommendation to the City
Commission. The City Commission may approve a
recommendation of the Historic Preservation Board by a
simple majority vote, but shall require a vote of
five-sevenths (5/7) of all members of the Commission to
overrule a Historic Preservation Board recommendation
regarding a Certificate of Appropriateness for
Demolition. . "
This public hearing required that a 15 day notice be given and that
the notice be posted on the property, advertised in the newspaper
and mailed to all property owners within 375 feet . This noticing
has been done.
As noted, the Historic Preservation Board confirmed the historic
designation of the subject building and issued a favorable
recommendation to the City Commission regarding the issuance of a
Certificate of Appropriateness for Demolition. The Administration
concurs with this recommendation, as the most contributing facets
of the subject building shall be preserved and only the least
contributing will be fully demolished. Furthermore, the proposed
valet parking lot will help alleviate a shortage of parking for a
separate project to the north and traffic congestion associated
with it .
CONCLUSION
The Administration has concluded that the City Commission should
approve the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness for
Demolition for the full demolition of a two (2) story portion of a
designated historic structure at 1425 Collins Avenue.
RMC:DJG:TRM
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
DIVISION OF PLANNING, DESIGN AND HISTORIC
PRESERVATION
STAFF REPORT
TO: HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD MEMBERS
FROM: DEAN J. GRANDIN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT, DESIG►
AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SERVICES *
DATE: FEBRUARY 3, 1994 MEETING
RE: Historic Preservation File No. 1018
1425 Collins Avenue - Arnold Arms Apartments
THE REQUEST
The applicant, Whitehouse on the Beach Land Trust, is requesting a Certificate of
Appropriateness to demolish the rear two (2)story portion of an existing apartment building.
THE PROJECT
The crux of the project centers on the demolition of the rear two (2) story portion of the
Arnold Arms Apartment building in order to accommodate the creation of a valet parking lot.
The applicant is also proposing to rehabilitate the existing three (3)story front portion of the
building.
The proposed parking lot will consist entirely of valet parking spaces, three car lengths in
depth, for the Villa D'Este project, to the north. A revised landscape plan for the front and
perimeter sides of the property is also proposed.
HISTORIC STATUS
The property is located in the National Register District and the Ocean Drive/Collins Avenue
Local Historic District. The City's Historic Properties. Data Base lists the subject building
as "historic".
•
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ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE
• Constructed in 1934,the Arnold Arms is a typical example of the masonry.vernacular style,
common to hotel and apartments of the era. This particular building applies abstract Art-Deco
and Mediterranean features to the front portion of the structure, which is three (3)stories in
height, and little adornment to the rear portion, which is reduced to two (2)stories.
The features on the front portion include a decorative front door surround, horizontal
moldings and a pitched, barrel tile roof. Upon a field inspection, it has been determined that y
because of the continuity in fenestration of the entire building, the rear two (2)story portion
of the building was purposely intended to be bland with the rooftop to be utilized as a
solarium.
REVIEW PROCESS
The current Historic Preservation Ordinance establishes a review process for applications for
Certificates of Appropriateness for Demolition for buildings which are designated historic.
The initial identification of whether a building is designated historic or non-historic is found
in the Miami Beach Historic Properties Database. Should the Board confirm the Database
listing for the subject building as 'historic", then the Historic Preservation Board submits a
recommendation pertaining to the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness for Demolition
to the City Commission, who will make the final determination as to whether a permit for
demolition should be issued. The City Commission is required to hold a public hearing prior
to making its decision on the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness,
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Section 19-6(C)(5)(d)of the Zoning Ordinance provides criteria by which the Historic
Preservation Board and City Commission evaluate requests for a Certificate of Appropriateness
for Demolition. The following is an analysis of the request based upon these criteria:
1. National, state or local designation.
•
The property is located in the National Register District and the Ocean Drive/Collins
Avenue Local Historic District
2. Design, craftsmanship or material that would be difficult or expensive to reproduce
today.•
The design of the subject rear portion of the building is not difficult or expensive to
reproduce.
3. Last remaining examples.
The design of the subject portion of.the building is not one, of the last remaining
examples of its kind in the City or the region.
4. Contributes to historic character of district.
•
The subject portion of the building, in terms of architectural style, contributes little to
the historic character of the District. However it is consistent with the character
associated with many buildings in the National Register District and the Ocean
Drive/Collins Avenue Local Historic District in terms of siting, scale and massing.
S. Retention promotes general welfare and opportunity to study local history.
The subject portion of the building provides little information pertaining to local y
history, culture and design, nor does it significantly add to the understanding of the
culture and heritage of the City.
6. Parking garage.
The subject portion of the building is not being demolished for a parking garage,but
rather to accommodate a grade level valet parking lot.
•
7. Plans for re-use.
The overall project includes the proposed construction of a grade level valet parking
lot and the rehabilitation of the three (3) story front portion of the building, as
indicated on the submitted plans.
8. Unsafe Structure/Financial' Feasibility.
The Dade County Unsafe Structures Board has not ordered a demolition of the
property and the attached feasibility report delineates the applicant's 'position that
renovating the entire structure is cost prohibitive.
•
FEASIBILITY STUDY
The City's Zoning Ordinance requires that applications for Certificates of Appropriateness for
Demolition include a Feasibility Study as part of their supporting documentation. The
Feasibility Study is required to address the following:
1. The possibility of substantially renovating or operating the existing historic structures;
2. Consideration of parking needs,demands and alternative methods of providing parking;
and
3. A determination as to whether the retention of the building would deny the owner of
all economically viable uses of the property.
The Feasibility Study submitted by the applicant suggests that revenue from a fully occupied
building would not justify the enormous cost of renovating the entire structure, nor the
• purchase price of the property. Therefore, the applicant contends that the subject portion of
the building would be better utilized as a surface parking lot for another project.
•
The applicant has also indicated that the economic feasibility of a separate project to the north,
•the Villa D'Este, is dependent, in part, on the availability of off-street parking for that site,
which is proposed to be located on the subject property.
STAFF FINDINGS
1. The feasibility study does an incomplete quantitative analysis of how rehabilitating and
preserving the entire structure is cost prohibitive.
2. The subject building, referred to in previous staff reports to the Joint Design
Review/Historic Preservation Board as two separate structures, is actually one building
(albeit differentiated to be percieved as two), designated as "historic" in the City's
Historic Properties Database.
3. The proposed parking lot will not alleviate the shortage of existing parking in the
surrounding area; however, it will partially accommodate the parking needs of a
proposed project to the north. •
4. The intensity of the proposed hard surface parking lot will be offset by fairly generous •
landscape at•the front and sides of the property.
•
STAFF ANALYSIS
The proposed improvements to the existing Arnold Arms building should greatly enhance the
appearance of the front portion of the structure and the proposed parking lot will help
alleviate the shortage of parking for the proposed Villa D'Este project to the north. Staff has
some concern with the demolition of a substantial portion of an existing apartment building,
particularly when the scale,siting and massing are in context with the surrounding properties,
primarily those to the north and south.
More specifically, the property to the north, as well as that to the south, have buildings of
similar massing,both three (3)stories in height, which also run substantially the depth of their
respective properties. Only one small surface parking lot exists in the immediate area and the
addition of another has the potential of creating an inharmonious relationship among the
surrounding properties.
Notwithstanding this concern, the rear portion of the subject building contains little in the
way of contributing architectural features and elements. In this regard, the primary part of
the structure at the front portion of the building, which contains these type of features and
elements, will be rehabilitated and preserved.
It must also be noted that the landscape plan for the project will help buffer the immense
amount of hard surface area created by the proposed parking lot. Perimeter. and front yard
landscaping will be installed, as will a courtyard area, to the rear of the remaining building,
thereby creating significant visual screening.
•
RECOMMENDATION
In view of the foregoing, staff recommends that the Historic Preservation Board find that the
subject building is designated historic and issue a favorable recommendation to the City
Commission for a Certificate of Appropriateness for Demolition.
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ARNOLD ARMS 1425 COLLINS AVE.
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURE
NOTICE IS ' HEREBY given that the City Commission of the City of
Miami Beach, Florida, will hold a public hearing on Wednesday,
March 16, 1994 at 3 :00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, Third
Floor, City Hall, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach,
Florida, to consider a request by Whitehouse on the Beach Land
Trust for a Certificate of Appropriateness for partial demolition
of a historic structure known as the "Arnold Arms Apartments" ,
located at 1425 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida.
INQUIRIES concerning this hearing should be directed to the
Planning, Design and Historic Preservation Services Division at
673-7550.
ALL INTERESTED PARTIES are invited to attend and will be heard.
"Pursuant to Fla. Stat. 286. 0105, the City hereby advises the
public that : If a person decides to appeal any decision made by
this board, agency or commission with respect to any matter
considered at its meeting or hearing, he will need a record of the
proceedings, and that for such purpose, affected persons may need
to. ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which
record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is
to be based. This notice does not constitute consent by the City
for the introduction or admission of otherwise inadmissible or
irrelevant evidence, nor does it authorize challenges or appeals
not otherwise allowed by law. "
Richard E. Brown
City Clerk
• City of Miami Beach
•
AGENDA R ITEM
DATE 3` 1409