2007-26459 Reso
RESOLUTION NO.
2007-26459
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A
PRECONSTRUCTION APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC AD VALOREM TAX
EXEMPTION FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY PROPERTY AT 3156 ROYAL PALM
AVENUE, AND AUTHORIZING THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PROPERTY
APPRAISER'S OFFICE TO GRANT SAID TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE CITY'S
PORTION OF AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES FOR QUALIFYING
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FOLLOWING
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT AND COMPLIANCE WITH
CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission have deemed it in the best interest and
welfare of the City of Miami Beach ("City") to provide financial incentives for the retention and
rehabilitation of architecturally and historically significant single-family homes in Miami Beach;
and
WHEREAS, on December 8, 2004, the Miami Beach City Commission adopted
Ordinance No. 2004-3469 that authorizes an exemption for the City's portion of ad valorem
taxes if qualifying improvements are made to historically designated single-family homes; and
WHEREAS, Cheryl B. Model, the owner of real property located at 3156 Royal Palm
Avenue (Lot 8, Block 45, Orchard Subdivision No.1, According to the Plat Thereof, as Recorded
in Plat Book 6, Page 111, of the Public Records of Miami-Dade County, Florida), submitted
requests to the City's Planning Department for the following: a) designation of the property as
an historic structure, b) a Certificate of Appropriateness, and c) an Historic Ad Valorem Tax
Exemption for the subject property; and
WHEREAS, on January 13, 2004, the City's Historic Preservation Board held a public
hearing and voted to approve the individual designation of the single-family residence at 3156
Royal Palm Avenue as an historic structure [Exhibit "A"]; and
WHEREAS, on January 13, 2004, the City's Historic Preservation Board reviewed and
approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed improvements to the subject single-
family property [Exhibit "B"]; and
WHEREAS, on January 9, 2007, the Historic Preservation Board voted in favor of
recommending that the Mayor and City Commission approve a Preconstruction Application for
Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption for qualifying improvements to the historically designated
single-family property 3156 Royal Palm Avenue [Exhibit "C"]; and
WHEREAS, the Historic Preservation Board has certified that the subject single-family
property for which an exemption is requested is eligible and satisfies Section 118-602(a) of the
Miami Beach City Code; and
WHEREAS, the Historic Preservation Board has determined that the improvements to
the subject single-family property are consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for
Rehabilitation and the Certificate of Appropriateness criteria in Section 118-564 of the Miami
Beach City Code, in accordance with Section 118-602(b); and
WHEREAS, the City's Planning Department has recommended that this request for a
tax exemption for the subject single-family property be granted, subject to all of the conditions
set forth herein.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that a Preconstruction Application
for Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption for the subject single-family property at 3156 Royal
Palm Avenue be approved, subject to the following conditions:
1. Scope of Tax Exemption. The exemption shall apply to one hundred (100) percent of
the assessed value of all qualifying improvements to the single-family property that result
from restoration, renovation, rehabilitation, and/or compatible additions. The exemption
applies only to taxes levied by the City of Miami Beach. The exemption does not apply
to taxes levied for the payment of bonds or to taxes authorized by a vote of the electors
pursuant to the Miami Beach City Code or the Florida Constitution. The exemption does
not apply to personal property or to properties located within a community
redevelopment area. The Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser's Office will make the
final determination of whether an improvement qualifies for an exemption.
2. Approved Qualifvinq Improvements. The qualifying improvements to the subject single-
family property delineated below may be considered to be eligible for the tax exemption,
as submitted to and approved by the City's Historic Preservation Board.
A. Exterior Architectural Features
1) Demolition of the back half of the structure and roof, leaving only the front
half of the north and south walls and front third of the roof. The non-
original east entryway was also demolished. Staff was supportive of the
demolition of later year additions.
2) Restoration of the front entry porch, planters and front stair leading up to
porch. These features had previously been removed and the porch was
enclosed in 1988. The restoration of the front fac;ade is a considerable
improvement to the integrity of the Gilbert Fein design.
3) The garage door has been replaced with one which replicates the design
of the original door. Although the garage door is non-functioning, as the
room has been converted into a utility area, it is successful in restoring
the character of the original design of the east elevation.
4) Construction of a new one story contemporary addition added over the
rear portion of the house. The 1,768 square foot addition is topped by a
concrete tile covered gable roof and impact resistant windows were
installed. The design of the new addition is compatible with the existing
historic architectural vocabulary of the residence.
2
3. Duration of Tax Exemption. The exemption shall take effect on the January 1 sl following
substantial completion of the improvements. The exemption shall remain in effect for ten
(10) years. The duration of ten (10) years shall continue regardless of any change in the
authority of the City of Miami Beach to grant such exemptions or any changes in
ownership of the property.
4. Required Covenant. The property owner shall enter into a covenant with the City of
Miami Beach for the term for which the exemption is granted. The covenant shall be
form approved by the City Attorney and shall require that the character of the property,
and the qualifying improvements to the property, be maintained during the period that
the exemption is granted. Before the effective date of the exemption, the owner of the
property shall have the covenant recorded in the official records of Miami-Dade County,
Florida. The covenant shall be binding on the current property owner, transferees, and
their heirs, successors, or assigns. Violation of the covenant shall result in the property
owner being subject to the payment of the differences between the total amount of taxes
which would have been due in March in each of the previous years in which the
covenant was in effect had the property not received the exemption and the total amount
of taxes actually paid in those years, plus interest on the difference calculated as
provided in F.S. S 212.12(3).
5. Buildinq Permit Plans and Construction. Building permit plans shall be consistent with
the Certificate of Appropriateness approved administratively by the Planning
Department. Said plans must also accurately reflect all improvements approved by the
Historic Preservation Board and City Commission in the Preconstruction Application and
architectural drawings for the single-family property. All work on site must be in
accordance with the building permit plans.
6. Amendments. All proposed amendments to the approved application and permit plans
must be reviewed and approved prior to the completion of the improvements. Minor
amendments to permit plans may be approved by the Planning Department provided
such amendments are consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for
Rehabilitation and the Certificate of Appropriateness criteria in Section 118-564 of the
Miami Beach City Code. Major amendments to the approved plans, as determined by
the Planning Department, must be reviewed and approved by the Historic Preservation
Board.
7. Completion of Work. The applicant must complete all work shown in the building permit
plans within two (2) years following the date of approval by the City Commission. An
application for tax exemption shall be automatically revoked if the property owner has
not submitted a final request for Review of Completed Work within two (2) years
following the date of approval by the City Commission. The Historic Preservation Board
may extend the time for substantial completion of an improvement for a period not to
exceed two (2) years, or such lesser time as may be prescribed by the Board.
8. Review of Completed Work. The applicant shall submit a request for Review of
Completed Work to the Planning Department no less than 30 calendar days prior to the
effective date of expiration of approval by the City Commission, as may be extended by
the Historic Preservation Board. The Planning Department shall conduct a review to
determine whether or not the completed improvements are in compliance with the work
approved by the City Commission, including any approved amendments. If the Planning
Department determines that the work is in compliance, the final request for Review of
3
Completed Work shall be approved and issued in writing to the applicant. If the Planning
Department determines that the work as completed is not in compliance, the applicant
will be advised in writing that the final request for Review of Completed Work has been
denied. A written summary of the reasons for the determination will be provided,
including recommendations concerning the changes to the proposed work necessary to
bring it into compliance. The applicant may file an appeal of the decision of the Planning
Department within 15 days of such decision. The appeal shall be in writing and shall be
to the Historic Preservation Board and shall set forth the factual and legal bases for the
appeal.
9. Notice of Approval to the Property Appraiser. Upon the receipt of a certified copy of the
recorded restrictive covenant, the Planning Department shall transmit a copy of the
approved request for Review of Completed Work, the exemption covenant, and the
resolution of the City Commission approving the final application and authorizing the tax
exemption to the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser's Office. Final verification of
substantial completion of the improvements shall be determined by the Miami-Dade
County Property Appraiser's Office. If final verification of substantial completion and
approval are given by the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser's Office, the
exemption shall take effect on the January 151 following su stantial completion of the
improvements.
PASSED and ADOPTED this
14
day of
,2007.
ATTEST:
~ ~aulv-
David Dermer
CITY CLERK
Robert Parcher
2kJ1
T:\AGENDA\2007\feb1407\Consent\3156 Royal Palm Ave.TaxEx.CCreso.doc
4
COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY
Ke Intended Outcome Su orted:
Retention and rehabilitation of a locally designated historic single-family property.
Issue:
The Administration is requesting that the Mayor and City Commission consider the proposed
resolution, which would approve a Preconstruction Application for Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
for a sin le-famil ro ert located at 3156 Ro al Palm Avenue.
Item Summary/Recommendation:
I Adopt the proposed resolution.
Adviso Board Recommendation:
On January 13, 2004, the Historic Preservation Board approved the individual designation of the
single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue as an historic structure.
On January 13, 2004, the Historic Preservation Board approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for
the proposed improvements to the subject single-family property.
On January 9,2007, the Historic Preservation Board voted in favor of recommending that the Mayor
and City Commission approve a Preconstruction Application for Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
for the sin le-famil ro ert at 3156 Ro al Palm Avenue.
Financial Information:
Source of Amount Account Approved
Funds: 1
D 2
3
4
OBPI Total
Financial Impact Summary:
Cit Clerk's Office Le islative Trackin :
Thomas R. Mooney, Design & Preservation Manager; Debbie Tackett, Senior Planner.
City Manager
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MI'AMIBEACH
AGENDA ITEM
DATE
C7K
f).-(C(-07
~
MIAMI BEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Conventian Center Drive, Miami Beach, Flarida 33139, www,miamibeachfl.gav
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
DATE:
Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager ~ _--< /
February 14,2007 0 ~ b
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A
PRECONSTRUCTION APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC AD VALOREM TAX
EXEMPTION FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY PROPERTY AT 3156 ROYAL PALM
AVENUE, AND AUTHORIZING THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PROPERTY
APPRAISER'S OFFICE TO GRANT SAID TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE CITY'S
PORTION OF AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES FOR QUALIFYING
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FOLLOWING
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT AND COMPLIANCE WITH
CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
The Administration is requesting that the Mayor and City Commission adopt the proposed
resolution, thereby approving a Preconstruction Application for Historic Ad Valorem Tax
Exemption for a single-family property located at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue.
HISTORIC SINGLE-FAMILY AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION
On December 8, 2004, the City of Miami Beach enacted legislation that authorizes an
exemption for its portion of ad valorem taxes for improvements to historically designated
single-family homes (Sections 118-600 to 118-612 of the Miami Beach City Code). This
legislation allows for the City's portion of property taxes to be "frozen" at the rate they were
assessed before qualifying improvements are made to an historic single-family home for a
period of ten (10) years. The "freezing" is accomplished by removing from the assessment
the incremental value added by the qualifying improvements. Only the incremental value of
the qualifying improvements shall be "frozen" for the ten year period.
Qualifying improvements are the result of restoration, renovation, rehabilitation and/or
compatible additions to an historic single-family property. In order for an improvement to
qualify for an exemption, the improvement must be determined by the Historic Preservation
Board and City Commission to be consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards
for Rehabilitation and the Certificate of Appropriateness Criteria in Section 118-564 of the
Miami Beach City Code. However, the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser's Office will
make the final determination of whether an improvement qualifies for an exemption.
The application for Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption is a two step process. The "Part 1 -
Preconstruction Application" is normally submitted to the Planning Department prior to any
construction or demolition for an eligible single-family property. The "Part 2 - Review of
Commission Memorandum of February 14, 2007
Historic Single-Family Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
3156 Royal Palm Avenue
Page 2 of 5
Completed Work" is submitted to the Planning Department upon substantial completion of
the project.
Upon submittal of a completed Part 1 - Preconstruction Application, the Planning
Department will schedule the request for approval of Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
from the Historic Preservation Board at their next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board
will review and make a recommendation to the City Commission to grant or deny an
application for tax exemption.
The Planning Department will transmit the request for approval of Historic Ad Valorem Tax
Exemption, together with the Part 1 - Preconstruction Application and the recommendations
of the Historic Preservation Board and staff, for final consideration by the City Commission at
a regularly scheduled meeting. A majority vote of the City Commission is required to
approve an application for tax exemption.
For final approval of an Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption, the applicant must submit to the
Planning Department the Part 2 - Review of Completed Work upon substantial completion
of the project. A review will be conducted by Planning Department staff to determine
whether or not the completed improvements are in compliance with the work approved by
the City Commission in the Part 1 - Preconstruction Application. To qualify for a tax
exemption, the property owner is required to enter into a covenant or agreement with the
City guaranteeing that the character of the property and its qualifying improvements will be
maintained during the period that the exemption is granted.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION
The subject single-family property is located at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue or, more
specifically, Orchard Sub NO 1 PB 6-111 Lot 8 BLK 46 Lot Size Irregular Or 16272-4703
0294 4, of the Public Records of Miami-Dade County, Florida.
EXISTING STRUCTURE
Built in 1956 and designed by noted architect Gilbert Fein, the subject single-family home is
representative of the construction boom in Miami Beach that followed World War II. The
original single-story residence has an irregular shape with a three-bay, asymmetrical design.
Fein's design incorporates distinctive features and materials such as, brick faced wall
panels, landscape planters as well as rounded or "soft" roof eaves. The home represents a
good example of the Post War Modern style of architecture as applied to a residential
setting.
BACKGROUND
On January 13, 2004, the Historic Preservation Board held a public hearing and voted to
approve the individual designation of the single-family property located at 3156 Royal Palm
Avenue as an historic structure.
On January 13, 2004, the Historic Preservation Board reviewed and approved a Certificate
of Appropriateness for the proposed rehabilitation and restoration of the existing historic
single-family home, including the reconstruction of the entry original porch, the restoration of
the windows, doors, planters, steps, eave profile, and original brick cladding around the entry
porch, the conversion of the garage to a utility room, and the construction of a new one story
Commission Memorandum of February 14, 2007
Historic Single-Family Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
3156 Royal Palm Avenue
Page 3 of 5
contemporary addition to be added over the rear portion of the house. The project was
consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and the Certificate
of Appropriateness Criteria in Section 118-564 of the Miami Beach City Code. It also
complied with the regulations for improvements to single-family homes that are designated
as historic structures in Section 118-591 (g)(5) of the Miami Beach City Code.
On June 2, 2004, the Flood Plain Management Board held a public hearing and voted to
approve a variance from the requirements of elevating the existing historic home and
proposed additions to the Base Flood Elevation. The Lowest Floor Elevation of the existing
home is +5.84 NGVD, which is 2.16 feet below the Base Flood Elevation of +8.00 feet
NGVD.
On September 1, 2004 a Full Building Permit was issued for the project.
SCOPE OF PROJECT
In brief, the project included the improvements to the historic residence and site indicated
below. All qualifying improvements for both the historic home and proposed additions shall
be consistent with the Certificate of Appropriateness Final Order of the Historic Preservation
Board (HPB File No. 1955).
A. Exterior Architectural Features
1. Demolition of the back half of the structure and roof, leaving only the front
half of the north and south walls and front third of the roof. The non-original
east entryway was also demolished. Staff was supportive of the demolition
of later year additions.
2. Restoration of the front entry porch, planters and front stair leading up to
porch. These features had previously been removed and the porch was
enclosed in 1988. The restoration of the front fayade is a considerable
improvement to the integrity of the Gilbert Fein design.
3. The garage door has been replaced with one which replicates the design of
the original design. Although the garage door is non-functioning, as the
room has been converted into a utility area, it is successful in restoring the
character of the original design of the east elevation.
4. Construction of a new one story contemporary addition added over the rear
portion of the house. The 1,768 square foot addition is topped by a concrete
tile covered gable roof and impact resistant windows were installed. The
design of the new addition is compatible with the existing historic
architectural vocabulary of the residence.
B. Interior Architectural Features
(The interior improvements indicated below are not considered to be qualifying for
the tax exemption.)
1. All interior walls, plumbing and electric were removed. New plumbing,
electric and interior finishes were applied.
Commission Memorandum of February 14, 2007
Historic Single-Family Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
3156 Royal Palm A venue
Page 4 of 5
C. Landscape Features
(The landscape and site improvements indicated below are not considered to be
qualifying for the tax exemption.)
1. There were no significant landscape or site improvements
FISCAL IMPACT
According to the applicant, the estimated cost of the entire project for the subject single-
family property is $500,000; and of this figure, the value of the proposed qualifying
improvements is $350,000. The project commencement date was September of 2004 and
the project was completed on December 16, 2005.
Please note that the revenue implication calculation provided below is a rough
approximation. It assumes that the City's millage rate, the building market value, as well as
the building class and grade value will remain the same. It is also based solely on the
estimated value of the new additions and not to any repairs to the historic residence.
The Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser's Office determined in 2005 that the subject
property had an adjusted square footage of 2, 179 and a building value of $60,146. This low
building value is down from $136,746 in 2004 due to depreciation, as advised by the
Property Appraiser's Office. In 2006, after the completion of the addition, the Property
Appraiser's Office assessed the subject building value at $491,476. The Property
Appraiser's Office advised that the subject property has an effective building value per
adjusted square foot of $124.50, which is based upon its building class and grade.
According to the 2006 Miami-Dade County Tax Assessor, the square footage of the
qualifying building additions for the site is 1,768. The estimated value of the proposed
increase in square footage would be $221,000. The most recent millage rate for the City of
Miami Beach is 7.37 as of 2006. Assuming there is no change in millage rate over the ten
year period in which the exemption is granted, the applicant will save annually approximately
$2,000 from Miami Beach's portion of property taxes. Again, this calculation is a rough
estimate of the revenue implication to the City due to many variables.
ANAL YSIS
In accordance with Section 118-604 of the Miami Beach City Code, an eligible single-family
property must file a written application for Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption with the
Planning Department prior to any construction or demolition. It also states that:
"Notwithstanding the foregoing, the owner of any individually designated historic
property where construction or demolition has commenced (but not completed) prior
to the effective date of this ordinance may file an application for an ad valorem tax
exemption under this section." The tax exemption ordinance was adopted by the City
Commission on December 8,2004. Relative to this particular application, the subject single-
family property was individually designated as an historic structure on January 13, 2004, a
Certificate of Appropriateness for the restoration and new addition was approved by Historic
Preservation Board on that same date, the project commenced in September of 2004 and
was completed in December of 2005. Thereby, the subject single-family property is eligible
to apply for an Historic Ad Valorem Tax Exemption.
The applicant is to be commended for the successful restoration of the primary fac;ade, a
project that retains the historic integrity of the 1956 single-family home. While certain
original elements had to be removed in order to construct the new additions, the front of this
Commission Memorandum of February 14,2007
Historic Single-Family Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
3156 Royal Palm Avenue
Page 5 of 5
historic home maintains a high degree of its architectural integrity. The building's facade
retains most of its original features, details and materials.
It is very important that the current owner has chosen to preserve and expand this historic
home, rather than to demolish and replace it. The proposed new addition is within the scale
and massing of the surrounding single-family neighborhood. The historically significant
home is an asset to the neighborhood, and as such staff recommends approval of the tax
exemption application.
JMG:TH:JGG:WHC:TRM:DT
T:\AGENDA\2007\feb1407\Consent\3156 Royal Palm Ave.TaxEx.CCmemo.doc
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE
AT 3156 ROYAL PALM AVENUE
HISTORIC STRUCTURE
DESIGNATION REPORT
PREPARED BY
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PLANNING DEPARTMENT
DESIGN, PRESERVATION & NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING DIVISION
Jorge G. Gomez, AICP, Director, Planning Department
William H. Cary, Director, Design, Preservation & Neighborhood Planning Division
Thomas R. Mooney, AICP, Design and Preservation Manager
Shannon M. Anderton, Senior Planner
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD
Mitch Novick, Chair
Beth Dunlop, Vice Chair
Judith Berson-Levinson
Raul Garcia
Colleen Martin
Randall Robinson
William Taylor
JANUARY 13, 2004
Adopted on January 13, 2004
(HPB File No. 1837)
I. REQUEST
The applicant, Cheryl Model, is requesting that the Historic Preservation Board approve a
request for the designation of an existing single-family home as an historic structure.
II. DESIGNATION PROCESS
The process of designation for historic structures is delineated in Section 118-591 (f) in the
Land Development Regulations of the City Code. An outline of this process is provided
below:
Step One: An application for the individual designation of a single-family home as an
historic structure is submitted by the property owner to the Planning
Department for recommendation to the Historic Preservation Board. The
Board will make a determination as to whether the single-family home may
be designated as an historic structure based upon the requirements and
criteria of Section 118-592 in the Land Development Regulations of the City
Code.
Step Two: Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Planning Department
prepares a Designation Report that will be presented to the Historic
Preservation Board at a regularly scheduled meeting. The Designation
Report is an historical and architectural analysis of the proposed historic
structure.
Step Three: The Designation Report is presented to the Historic Preservation Board at a
public hearing. If the Board finds that the proposed single-family designation
application meets the criteria set forth in Section 118-592 of the Land
Development Regulations in the City Code, it may formally adopt the single-
family home as a local historic structure. No public hearing is required before
the Planning Board or City Commission. Upon the designation of a single-
family home as an historic structure, the structure is subject to the Certificate
of Appropriateness requirements of Article X of the Land Development
Regulations in the City Code, with the exception of the interior areas of the
structure (which are not be subject to such regulations).
III. RELATION TO ORDINANCE CRITERIA
1. In accordance with Section 118-592 in the Land Development Regulations of the
City Code, eligibility for designation is determined on the basis of compliance with
the listed criteria set forth below.
(a) The Historic Preservation Board shall have the authority to recommend that
properties be designated as historic buildings, historic structures, historic
improvements, historic landscape features, historic interiors (architecturally
significant public portions only), historic sites or historic districts if they are
2
significant in the historical, architectural, cultural, aesthetic or archeological
heritage of the city, the county, state or nation. Such properties shall possess
an integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling or
association and meet at least one (1) of the following criteria:
(1) Association with events that have made a significant contribution to
the history of the city, the county, state or nation;
(2) Association with the lives of persons significant in the city's past
history;
(3) Embody the distinctive characteristics of an historical period,
architectural or design style or method of construction;
(4) Possesses high artistic values;
(5) Represent the work of a master, serve as an outstanding or
representative work of a master designer, architect or builder who
contributed to our historical, aesthetic or architectural heritage;
(6) Have yielded, or are likely to yield information important in pre-history
or history;
(7) Be listed in the National Register of Historic Places;
(8) Consist of a geographically definable area that possesses a
significant concentration of sites, buildings or structures united by
historically significant past events or aesthetically by plan or physical
development, whose components may lack individual distinction.
(b) A building, structure (including the public portions of the interior),
improvement or landscape feature may be designated historic even if it has
been altered if the alteration is reversible and the most significant
architectural elements are intact and repairable.
2. The single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue is eligible for designation
as an historic structure as it complies with the criteria as specified in Section 118-
592 in the Land Development Regulations of the City Code outlined above.
(a) Staff finds the proposed historic site to be eligible for historic designation and
in conformance with the designation criteria for the following reasons:
(1) Association with events that have made a siQnificant contribution to
the history of the citv. the county. state or nation:
3
Built in 1956, the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue
is representative of the construction boom in Miami Beach that
followed World War II. Numerous homes were built throughout the
City during this time period, especially in North Beach.
(2) Association with the lives of persons siqnificant in the city's past
history;
The single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue is located on
a parcel of land originally owned by Miami Beach pioneer John S.
Collins (1837-1928). Collins, a Quaker and a Horticulturistfrom New
Jersey, was one of the investors in the failed coconut planting project
of 1882. Coconuts were planted on the 65-mile coastal tract from Key
Biscayne to Jupiter, Florida. In 1907, Collins and a partner
established a farm on the rich high ground west of Indian Creek
roughly between present day 30th Street and 46th Street. In 1909,
Collins became sole owner of the land from 14th Street to just south
of 69th Street between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay in
today's Miami Beach.
By the early 1920s, the demand for real estate caught up to the
Collins farm, and he was ready to subdivide the land and sell out. In
January of 1921, at the beginning of the land development boom,
Collins' Miami Beach Improvement Company filed Orchard
Subdivision NO.1. It extended between Pinetree Drive and Prairie
Avenue from W. 30th Street to W. 34th Street. (The single-family
residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue is located in this subdivision.)
Orchard Subdivision NO.2 & 3 and Orchard Subdivision 4 were filed
in 1924 and 1926, respectively.
(3) Embodv the distinctive characteristics of an historical period.
architectural or desiqn stvle or method of construction;
The single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue is a good
example of the Post War Modern style of architecture. The single-
story residence has an irregular shape with a three-bay, asymmetrical
design. The original entry porch is located in the central bay (since
infilled) with an attached garage on the north side and a recessed
bedroom wing on the south end. The main roof is hipped with a
smaller, cross-hipped roof over the southeast corner of the house.
The hipped roofs feature rounded eaves and flat white cement tile
(now white S-tile). Flat roofs extend over the entry porch area and
garage at the east side of the house as well as over the rear bed room
and family room at the west end of the home. The walls are finished
in smooth stucco with contrasting brick panels highlighting the central
bay of the front elevation (since removed). Three, angled landscape
4
planters finished in brick add drama to the front elevation of the home
(now removed).
(4) Possesses hiqh artistic values;
The original design of the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm
Avenue employed architectural features and materials which
embodied the Post War Modern style movement. These special
features and materials included brick faced wall panels and landscape
planters as well as rounded or "soft" roof eaves.
(5) Represent the work of a master. serve as an outstanding or
representative work of a master desiqner. architect or builder who
contributed to our historical. aesthetic or architectural heritaqe;
Gilbert M. Fein (1919-2003) made a significant contribution to the
creation of a new architectural style in Miami Beach following World
War II. This Post War Modern architecture, referred to locally as
Miami Modern (MiMo), is recognized as a style of national historical
significance. This style established a path of its own in terms of
modern functional simplicity with a new vocabulary of an era of
exuberance.
Fein graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from New
York University in 1942. In 1949, he opened his architectural firm in
Miami Beach designing numerous buildings throughout Florida. Fein
was the architect of choice for some of the largest home builders in
South Florida, and his award winning designs were recognized by
House & Homes and Florida Architecture.
Fein designed over 100 Post War Modern style buildings in Miami
Beach, including the Starlite Hotel on Ocean Drive, the bank building
at 1701 Meridian Avenue, and the major addition to the Miami Beach
Convention Center for the National Political Conventions of 1968 and
1972. In North Beach, his work is expressed through more than 70
apartment buildings that define much of the area's unique residential
character.
(6) Have yielded. or are likely to yield information important in pre-history
or history;
Retention of the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue
promotes the general welfare of the City by providing an opportunity
for the study and appreciation of a good example of the Post War
Modern style of architecture as applied to a residential setting. It also
5
provides an understanding of the architectural evolution of design
styles in Miami Beach.
(7) Be listed in the National Reqister of Historic Places;
The single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue is not
currently listed as an historic site nor is it located within an historic
district on the National Register of Historic Places.
(8) Consist of a qeoqraphically definable area that possesses a
siqnificant concentration of sites. buildinqs or structures united by
historically siqnificant past events or aesthetically by plan or physical
development. whose components may lack individual distinction.
This criterion is not applicable to an individual historic structure
designation.
(b) A building. structure (includinq the public portions of the interior), improvement
or landscape feature may be desiqnated historic even if it has been altered if the
alteration is reversible and the most siqnificant architectural elements are intact
and repairable.
Although the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue has been
altered over the years, it maintains much of its original architecture and design
integrity. Restoration and appropriate renovation can be successfully completed
of the Post War Modern style house by careful analysis of on-site conditions,
original architectural plans, and historical photographs.
6
IV. DESCRIPTION OF BOUNDARIES
The subject property is located at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue on Lot 8, of Block 46, in
Orchard Subdivision No.1, as recorded in Plat Book 6, on Page 111, Public Records of
Miami-Dade County, Florida.
V. PRESENT OWNER
The present owner of the subject property is Cheryl B. Model.
VI. PRESENT USE
The original and current use of the subject property is single-family residential.
VII. PRESENT ZONING DISTRICT
The subject property is located in the RS-4 or Residential Single-Family Zoning District.
7
VIII. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
In order to better understand the creation of the single-family residence at 3156 Royal
Palm Avenue, it is necessary to recall the early development history of Miami Beach.
Miami Beach was originally part of the 65-mile coastal tract that was planted with coconuts
in a commercial project by New Jersey investors Henry Lum, Elnathan Field, and Ezra
Osborn in 1882. Lum purchased from the government the oceanfront land from today's
11th Street to Fisher Island in Miami Beach. (He later sold most of this land to J.E. and
J.N. Lummus.) Field and Osborn bought from the government the coastal land that
extended from the Lum property north to Jupiter and south to Key Biscayne (with minor
breaks).1
One of the investors in the coconut
planting project was John S. Collins,
a Quaker and a horticulturist from
New Jersey (1837-1928). Collins
traveled to Miami to investigate the
failed coconut planting project in
1896. After examining the Field and
Osborn property, he still saw
agricultural promise in the coastal
tract. Collins bought Osborn's share
of the property and thereby became
partners with Field in 1907. They
established a farm on the rich high
ground west of Indian Creek roughly
between present day 30th Street
and 46th Street. 2 It was located
1 ,000 feet west of the ocean and
was a mile long and about 700 feet
wide. The land clearing for the farm
eventually covered 160 acres.
Farm buildings were constructed on the western shore of Indian Creek at today's 41st
Street. Collins planted 2,945 avocado trees in the summer of 1907 and 1908. In 1909,
Collins bought Fields' interest and became sole owner of the land from what is now 14th
Street to just south of 69th Street between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay (which
includes the future site of the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue). In
addition to avocado trees, Collins planted potatoes, bananas, and mango trees. By 1913,
Collins' farm occupied a full 300 acres, 200 of which were planted with avocado trees. At
Figure 1. This 1914 photo was taken looking to the north of the
Collins Canal (lower left) in Miami Beach. It shows John Collins' farm
(left) and Lake Pancoast (middle right). This area is just southeast of
the future site of the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm
Avenue.
1 Howard Kleinberg, Miami Beach (Miami, Florida: Centennial Press, 1994), pp. 10-14.
2 Biscayne Engineering Company, Miami Beach Improvement Company, "Plat Map of the Ocean Front
Property," 11 December 1912, sheets 1 and 2.
8
its peak, there were a total of 10,000 avocado and mango trees growing in the farm's
orchard.3
"At first it appeared [Collins] efforts with avocados would parallel the failure of earlier
coconut plantings. In the case of avocados, the wind sweeping in off the ocean across the
narrow strip and Indian Creek and into his orchards was damaging the crop.,,4 "To protect
the young grove from the wind, Collins planted the twin lanes of Australian pine trees which
later became Pinetree Drive. ,,5
Collins was joined in Florida by his sons Arthur, Lester, and Irving Collins, and his daughter
Katherine and her husband, Thomas J. Pancoast. On June 3, 1912, the family formed the
Miami Beach Improvement Company.6 This appears to be the first official use of the term
"Miami Beach," even before the town was incorporated. (Miami Beach was incorporated
as a town on March 26, 1915, and later as a city on May 1, 1917.)
The Miami Beach Improvement Company platted some of their land holdings for sale and
dredged the marshy southern end of Indian Creek (today's Lake Pancoast). The company
also planned two other ambitious projects: a canal linking Indian Creek to Biscayne Bay
and a 2.5 mile-long wooden bridge across the bay. Collins sought a canal to move his
crops more efficiently to market. After an arduous dredging process, the Collins Canal was
completed in 1912 and still survives as the oldest manmade structure in the City. The
Collins Bridge was completed in 1913 with the financial assistance of Carl Fisher. It was
the only link with the mainland until the County (now MacArthur) Causewa~ opened in
1920. The wooden bridge was replaced by the Venetian Causeway in 1926.7
Although a farmer at heart, Collins ultimately recognized the potential for greater
development of the land beyond agriculture. By the early 1920s, as Collins was
approaching the age of 90, the demand for real estate caught up with the farm to the point
where he was ready to subdivide the land and sell out. The decision to give it up was a
difficult one for Collins. The farm was his passion as well as a business that paid
consistently well. "It marked his period of greatest conquest and represented years of
thought and effort. Money alone was not the dominant factor in his decision, but the farm
at last stood in the way of municipal progress, so it had to go. ,8
3 Charles Edgar Nash, The Maaic of Miami Beach (Philadelphia: David McKay Company, 1938), pp. 86-89
and 107.
4 Kleinberg, p. 24.
5 Ruby Leach Carson, "Forty Years of Miami Beach," Teauesta, volume XV, 1955, p. 8.
6 Carson, p. 9,
7 Kleinberg, pp. 65 and 104.
8 Nash, pp. 126-127.
9
On April 29, 1920, the Miami Metropolis reported that the Miami Beach Bay Shore
Company (a land development company established by the Collins family and Carl Fisher
in 1919) planned two new roadways with lush landscaping: Pinetree Drive and North Bay
Road.9 Thereby Collins' original farm road with its pine tree windbreak evolved into a
residential thoroughfare. (The Pinetree Drive Historic Roadway was adopted by the City
Commission on June 6,2001. It spans from 30th Street to 46th Street, just two blocks east
of the single-family home at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue.)
In January of 1921, at the beginning of the land development boom, Collins' Miami Beach
Improvement Company filed Orchard Subdivision NO.1. It extended between Pinetree
Drive and Prairie Avenue from W. 30th Street to W. 34th Street. (The single-family
residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue is located in this subdivision.) Orchard Subdivision
NO.2 & 3 was filed in March of 1924. It was situated north of Orchard Subdivision NO.1
from W. 34th Street to W. 41st Street. Then in April of 1926, just five months before the
great hurricane and the final blow to the land development boom, the Miami Beach
Improvement Company filed Orchard Subdivision NO.4. It extended north of Orchard
Subdivision NO.2 & 3 from W. 41 st Street to W. 45th Street. The subdivision names chosen
by Collins recall the area's former agricultural use as an orchard. It is interesting to note
that Royal Palm Avenue was originally named Ouimet Avenue on the plats of the Orchard
Subdivisions.lO The name was changed to Royal Palm Avenue in 1927.11
When Collins put the unsold portions of the farm on the market, almost every lot was sold
immediately (although not every lot was built upon at that time).12 This area proved
popular as an exclusive residential neighborhood.13 The construction of single-family
homes progressed at a steady pace over the years (with the exception of slower building
periods during the Great Depression and World War II). The architectural continuum of
Miami Beach is reflected in this neighborhood with its wonderful examples of the earliest
popular style Mediterranean Revival, to the later Art Deco/Streamline Moderne, and the
more recent Post War Modern.
9 "Beach Developments of Great M
In 1956, the single-family
residence at 3156 Royal Palm
Avenue was built on a lot 50 feet
wide and 150 feet in depth in
to City of Miami Beach, Public Wor
Improvement Company, "Orchard Subdivisi
"Orchard Subdivision NO.2 & 3," plat book 8
No.4," plat book 25, page 30, filed 15 April
11 City of Miami Beach, City Clerk's
1927.
12 Nash, pp. 129 and 132-133.
13 City of Miami Beach Archives, "n Figure 2. This photo was taken looking at the front (east) elevation of
the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue in 1987, prior to
the addition and alterations that occurred later that same year.
10
Orchard Subdivision NO.1 for a cost of $12,000. It was designed by a prominent local
architect, Gilbert M. Fein, in the Post War Modern style of architecture. The home was
probably built as a development venture because the building permit records indicate that
the builder and owner was Harvey Construction, Inc.14 Since its construction in 1956, the
house at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue has been occupied by three property owners. While
the first owner is unknown, the property was purchased next by Morris and Rose
Bienenfeld sometime during the late 1950s to early 1960s. It was later sold to their
granddaughter and the current owner, Cheryl Model, in 1978.
14 City of Miami Beach, Building Department, Building Permit Card 12070,3156 Royal Palm Avenue, permit
49740 (original construction), issued 7 February 1956.
11
IX. ARCHITECTURAL BACKGROUND
Post War Modern I Miami Modern (About 1945 to 1965). After a hiatus in construction
due to World War II, the Post War Modern style picked up where Art Deco left off with the
added influences of a booming post war economy, new technologies (such as air
conditioning), the prevalence of the redesigned automobile, and a feeling of national
optimism. The local expression of this style has recently been dubbed Miami Modern or
MiMo by the Greater Metropolitan Miami area's Urban Arts Committee (much as the term
Art Deco was first applied about 1965 when the style actually first appeared in the 1920s).
The Post War Modern style in Miami Beach established a path of its own in terms of
modern functional simplicity with a new vocabulary of pizzazz. Essentially the strong design
personality of Art Deco, as it evolved over two decades in Miami Beach, significantly gave
way to the changing dictates of use and function in the era of post war seaside resort and
residential architecture. From about 1945 to 1965, the widely popular Post War Modern
style was frequently applied to hotels, commercial buildings, apartment houses, and single-
family homes throughout Miami Beach.
The single-family residences designed in the Post War Modern style were generally
constructed with concrete masonry blocks. The exterior walls were frequently finished in
smooth stucco and often mixed two or more textured surfaces together (i.e. stucco with
stone or brick as well as contrasting smooth and fluted stucco surfaces). Roofs were
generally flat or low pitched with flat tile or barrel tile. Both roof types often incorporated
rounded or "soft" eaves and overhanging roof plates. Visual interest was added to single-
family homes in the Post War Modern style with varied roof angles, fin walls, and delta
wings. These residences typically featured casement, jalousie, or awning windows.
Drama was added to the fenestration with flush or projecting boxed windows, wrapping
corner windows, and eyebrows. Porches, terraces, and balconies were commonly
highlighted with decorative wrought iron railings, single or paired pipe columns
(occasionally angled), and terrazzo floor finishes with a simple pattern (if any). Additional
design elements frequently incorporated into single-family homes of this style were brick or
stone faced wall panels and landscape planters as well as cast concrete breeze block in
elaborate patterns.
The Post War Modern style has come of age as a contributing historical style in Miami
Beach. It is now enjoying a greatly expanded appreciation as an architectural movement of
historical importance both here as well as in other cities across the nation, including New
York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Strong evidence of this phenomenon was the exhibit in New
York City (March 13 - May 8, 2002~ entitled, "Beyond the Box: Mid-Century Modern
Architecture in Miami and New York." 5 It was co-presented by the Urban Arts Committee
of Miami Beach and the Municipal Arts Society of New York City (the latter is credited with
saving New York's Grand Central Terminal from demolition in the 1960s as well as dozens
of other historic structures since 1897). This fabulous exhibit attracted much publicity and
15 Urban Arts Committee of Miami Beach and the Municipal Art Society of New York, "Beyond the Box: Mid-
Century Modern Architecture in Miami Beach and New York," 2002, p. 4.
12
helped to raise awareness of the special qualities of Post War Modern architecture in
South Florida, in particular Miami Beach, and in New York City.
3156 Royal Palm Avenue. The single-story residence was originally designed by Gilbert
M. Fein in the Post War Modern style in 1956.16 The structure has three bedrooms and an
attached garage. It is constructed of concrete masonry blocks with a spread footing
foundation. The building has an irregular shape with a three-bay, asymmetrical design.
The original entry porch is located in the central bay (since infilled) with an attached garage
on the north side and a recessed bedroom wing on the south end. The main roof is hipped
with a smaller, cross-hipped roof over the southeast corner of the house. The hipped roofs
feature rounded eaves and flat white cement tile (now white S-tile). Flat roofs extend over
the entry porch area and garage at the east side of the house as well as over the rear
bedroom and family room at the west end of the home. The walls are finished in smooth
stucco with contrasting brick panels highlighting the central bay of the front elevation (since
removed). The home has jalousie windows (now awning style) as well as a garage door
with three horizontal panels and an entrance door with a unique geometric pattern (both
since replaced). Three, angled landscape planters finished in brick add drama to the front
elevation of the home (now removed).
In 1987, a building permit was issued for the following modifications to the original design
of the house: the front entry porch was enclosed and the area enlarged with an addition,
the roof was refinished with white S-tile, and the jalousie windows were replaced with an
awning st~le. In order to accommodate the addition, the landscape planters were
removed.1 Despite these alterations, the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm
Avenue maintains much of its original architecture and design integrity. It represents a
good example of the Post War Modern style of architecture as applied to a residential
setting. Restoration and appropriate renovation can be successfully completed of the
home by careful analysis of on-site conditions, original architectural plans, and historical
photographs.
16 City of Miami Beach, Building Department, Building Permit Card 12070,3156 Royal Palm Avenue, permit
49740 (original construction), issued 7 February 1956.
17 City of Miami Beach, Building Department, Building Permit Card 12070,3156 Royal Palm Avenue, permit
92048 (enclose entrance and addition), issued 16 March 1987; and permit 29691 (reroof), issued 16 January 1987.
13
"L'r~' L
-'1'0 'be...
r.!;.~~~
Figure 3. This 1956 architectural drawing by Gilbert Fein depicts the original front (east) and
side (south) elevations ofthe single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue. Notice that
the building elevation's side bays (top) were reversed prior to construction.
....
Figure 4. This current photo was taken of the front (east) elevation of the single-family
residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue following the addition and alterations that occurred in
1987.
14
Biography of Gilbert M. Fein. One of the
more prominent architects of the Post War
Modern movement and the designer of 3156
Royal Palm Avenue was Gilbert M. Fein. Born
in Brooklyn, New York, on May 30, 1919, Fein
later graduated with a Bachelor's degree in
Architecture from New York University in
1942.18 During World War II, he served a tour
of duty with the Army Corps of Engineers. In
February of 1947, Fein brought his new bride
to Miami Beach for their honeymoon. The new
couple fell in love with the tropical resort
community and soon moved to the area.19
/
J
Upon arrival in Miami Beach, Fein was first
employed as an architectural draftsman by an
architect already prominent in the Post War Figure 5. Gilbert M. Fein, architect, is seen here
Modern movement, Norman M. Giller. In working in his office around 1968.
January of 1949, he opened his own
architectural office in Miami Beach as Gilbert M. Fein, A.I.A. During his professional
career, Fein designed hundreds of buildings throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties
as well as other areas of Florida. His diversified architectural career included private
homes, garden type and high-rise apartment buildings, office and commercial buildings,
and motels. He served as a consulting architect for the Congress Inn Motel group (later the
Ramada Inn Corporation) for four years where he designed new motels and convention
facilities across the country.20
Fein's professional career was built upon the design of private residences. Some of the
then largest home developers in South Florida hired him as a consulting architect, including
F & R Home Building Corporation (now Lennar Corporation), the Janis Corporation, the
Osias Corporation, and David M. Woolin and Son. Fein also designed and built single-
family homes for his own development company, Jewel Homes. Several of his exemplary
designs for private homes were published in architectural magazines, such as Florida
Architecture and House and Homes.21 In 1968, Fein was honored by the Association of
Cuban Architects (in exile) for giving training and employment to architects migrating from
Cuba during the 1960s.22
IS The American Institute of Architects, Florida South Chapter, Application for Professional Associateship,
Gilbert M. Fein, dated 29 September 1965.
19 Personal interview with Gilbert M. Fein, City of Miami Beach, Planning Department, 24 July 2002.
20 Architectural Brochure, Gilbert M. Fein, AlA, circa 1968.
21 Ibid.
22 Letter from Jorge Dorta-Duque, Architect, 31 January 2003.
15
In Miami Beach, Fein is credited for designing over one hundred buildings in the Post War
Modern style of architecture. Some of his significant buildings include: the Starlite Hotel at
750 Ocean Drive in 1952, the Sun Haven (now the News Cafe) at 800 Ocean Drive in
1958, the Stardust Apartments at 910 Collins Avenue in 1958, the Washington Federal
Savings and Loan Association at 1701 Meridian Avenue in 1959, and the office building at
1674 Meridian Avenue in 1959. In 1967, Fein designed the major north addition of the
Miami Beach Exhibition Hall (later renamed the Miami Beach Convention Center) at 1901
Convention Center Drive (now obscured by a recent wraparound addition). The expanded
exhibition hall accommodated the upcoming National Conventions of the Democratic and
Republican Parties held in 1968 and 1972. Fein's work is clearly expressed with the
culmination of more than seventy low-scale apartment buildings erected in North Beach
following World War 11.23 These Post War Modern style structures helped to define much
of the unique residential character of North Beach.
On February 5, 2003, the Mayor and City Commission honored Gilbert Fein with a
proclamation for his lifetime achievement in modern design and its lasting contribution to
Miami Beach and to the State of Florida. Fein died at his home in Miami after a short
illness on March 9, 2003. He was 83 years old.24
23 City of Miami Beach, Building Department, Building Permit Records.
24 "Gilbert M. Fein," Miami Herald, Obituaries, 10 March 2003, p. 4B. Matthew I. Pinzur, "Gilbert Fein, 83,
Architect of Miami Modernism," Miami Herald, 11 March 2003, p. 4B.
16
X. PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Criteria for Designation: Based upon the evidence presented and the historical
and architectural significance of the single-family residence located at 3156 Royal
Palm Avenue, and in accordance with Chapter 118, Article X, Division 4, of the Land
Development Regulations of the City Code, the staff of the City of Miami Beach
Planning Department recommends that the Historic Preservation Board adopt the
subject property as a local historic structure, subject to the following condition:
a. Due to the extent of the existing alterations, the front elevation of the existing
structure on site shall be fully rehabilitated and restored to match the original
as built conditions, as indicated in the original architectural plans on
microfiche, existing historic photographs, on-site physical evidence, and any
other historic documentation that may become available.
2. Site Boundaries: The Planning Department recommends that the boundaries of
the historic site consist of Lot 8, of Block 46, in Orchard Subdivision No.1, as
recorded in Plat Book 6, on Page 111, Public Records of Miami-Dade County,
Florida.
3. Areas Subject to Review: The Planning Department recommends that the
following areas within the boundaries of the proposed historic site shall be subject to
review by the Historic Preservation Board: all exterior elevations of the single-family
residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue, all site and landscape features of the
historic site, and all new construction and landscaping on the historic site.
4. Review Guidelines: The Planning Department recommends that a decision on an
application for a Certificate of Appropriateness shall be based upon compatibility of
the physical alteration or improvement within the historic site as well as with
surrounding properties and where deemed applicable in substantial compliance with
the following:
a. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines
for Rehabilitatino Historic Buildinos, as revised from time to time;
b. Other guidelines/policies/plans adopted or approved by resolution or
ordinance by the City Commission;
c. All additional criteria as listed under Sections 118-564(b) and 118-564(c) in
the Land Development Regulations of the City Code;
d. City of Miami Beach Design Guidelines as adopted by the Joint Design
Review/Historic Preservation Board on October 12,1993, amended June 7,
1994, as may be revised from time to time.
XI. BOARD ACTION
17
On January 13, 2004, the Historic Preservation Board reviewed the Designation Report
with recommendations prepared by the staff of the Planning Department regarding the
designation of the single-family residence at 3156 Royal Palm Avenue as an historic
structure. Based upon the evidence presented and the historical and architectural
significance of the subject property, and in accordance with Chapter 118, Article X, Division
4, of the Land Development Regulations of the City Code, the Board unanimously
approved a motion (5 to 0; 2 absences) to adopt the single-family residence at 3156 Royal
Palm Avenue as an historic single-family residential structure (referred to as HSFRS-1).
XII. FIGURE INDEX
Figure 0: (Cover) Photo of 3156 Royal Palm Avenue, Gordon Loader, Architect, 24
September 2003.
Figure 1: Florida State Archives, Florida Photographic Collection. Reference
Collection. "Aerial View of Pancoast Lake: Miami Beach, Florida," image no.
Rc21472, 1914.
Figure 2: Personal Photo Collection of Cheryl Model, 1987.
Figure 3: City of Miami Beach, Building Department. Building Permit Card 12070,
1356 Royal Palm Avenue, permit 49740, issued 7 February 1956.
Figure 4: Photo of 3156 Royal Palm Avenue, Gordon Loader, Architect, 24 September
2003.
Figure 5: Architectural Brochure, Gilbert M. Fein, AlA, circa 1968, p.1.
JGGWHC:TRM:SMA
F:\PLAN\$HPB\04HPB\JanHPB04\1837\ 1837. final.doc
18
HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD
City of Miami Beach, Florida
MEETING DATE: January 13, 2004
FILE NO: 1955
PROPERTY: 3156 Royal Palm Avenue
LEGAL: Lot 8, Block 45, Orchard Subdivision No.1, According to the Plat Thereof, as
Recorded in Plat Book 6, Page 111, of the Public Records of Miami-Dade
County, Florida.
IN RE: The Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the partial demolition,
renovation, alteration, and restoration of an existing single family home,
inclusive of a two (2) story addition.
ORDER
The applicant, Cheryl Model, filed an application with the City of Miami Beach Planning Department
for a Certificate of Appropriateness.
The City of Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board makes the following FINDINGS OF FACT,
based upon the evidence, information, testimony and materials presented at the public hearing and
which are part of the record for this matter:
A. The subject single family home is an individually designated historic structure.
B. Based on the plans and documents submitted with the application, testimony and
information provided by the applicant, and the reasons set forth in the Planning Department
Staff Report, the project as submitted is consistent with the Certificate of Appropriateness
Criteria in Section 118-564(a)(1) of the Miami Beach Code, is consistent with Certificate of
Appropriateness Criteria in Section 118-564(a)(2) of the Miami Beach Code, is not
consistent with Certificate of Appropriateness Criteria b in Section 118-564(a)(3) of the
Miami Beach Code, and is not consistent with Certificate of Appropriateness Criteria for
Demolition 6,8 and 9 in Section 118-564(f)(4).
C. The project would be consistent with the criteria and requirements of section 118-564 if the
following conditions are met:
1. Revised elevation, site plan and floor plan drawings shall be submitted to and
approved by staff; at a minimum, such drawings shall incorporate the following:
Page 2 of 5
HPB File No. 1837
Meeting Date: January 13, 2004
a. The restored windows, as well as the windows on the new addition, shall be
composed of clear anodized aluminum frames with clear glass, subject to the
review and approval of staff.
b. No gutters shall be permitted on the eaves of the primary elevation. A
downspout shall be permitted on the side elevation of the porch area as part
of the roof drainage system for the front porch, in a manner to be reviewed
and approved by staff.
c. Further details of the garage door and entry door shall be submitted to
ensure their accurate restoration, in a manner to be reviewed and approved
by staff.
d. The roofing material of the new addition shall consist of flat concrete tiles to
match the sloped roofing of the original structure, subject to the review and
approval of staff.
2. A revised landscape plan, prepared by a Professional Landscape Architect,
registered in the State of Florida, and corresponding site plan, shall be submitted to
and approved by staff. The species type, quantity, dimensions, spacing, location and
overall height of all plant material shall be clearly delineated and subject to the
review and approval of staff. At a minimum, such plan shall incorporate the
following:
a. All exterior walkways and driveways shall consist of decorative pavers, set in
sand or other equally semi-pervious material, subject to the review and
approval of staff.
b. A fully automatic irrigation system with 100% coverage and an automatic rain
sensor in order to render the system inoperative in the event of rain. Right-
of-way areas shall also be incorporated as part of the irrigation system.
c. The landscape plan shall satisfy all requirements as specified in Chapter 33
of the Miami-Dade County Code. A landscape table shall be provided on
final landscape plans addressing all minimum quantity and native
requirements, subject to the review and approval of staff.
3. The final exterior surface color scheme, including color samples, shall be subject to
the review and approval of staff and shall require a separate permit.
4. Manufacturers drawings and Dade County product approval numbers for all new
windows, doors and glass shall be required, prior to the issuance of a building
permit.
Page 3 of 5
HPB File No. 1837
Meeting Date: January 13, 2004
5. All roof-top fixtures, air-conditioning units and mechanical devices shall be clearly
noted on a revised roof plan and shall be screened from view, in a manner to be
approved by staff.
6. Revised drawings, with corresponding color photographs, that are separate from the
construction documents, drawn to scale and clearly documenting the existing
conditions of the subject building, shall be submitted. Such drawings and
photographs shall include all four elevations and interior floor plans of the building,
as well as a site plan.
7. All new and altered elements, spaces and areas shall meet the requirements of the
Florida Accessibility Code (FAC).
8. The project shall comply with any landscaping or other sidewalk/street improvement
standards as may be prescribed by a relevant Urban Design Master Plan approved
prior to the completion of the project and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.
9. The applicant may be required to submit a separate analysis for water and sewer
requirements, at the discretion of the Public Works Director, or designee. Based on
a preliminary review of the proposed project, the following may be required by the
Public Works Department:
a. Remove/replace sidewalks, curbs and gutters on all street frontages, if
applicable.
b. MiIIlresurface asphalt in rear alley along property, if applicable.
c. Provide underground utility service connections and on-site transformer
location, if necessary.
d. Provide back-flow prevention devices on all water services.
e. Provide on-site, self-contained storm water drainage for the proposed
development.
f. Meet water/sewer concurrency requirements including a hydraulic water
model analysis and gravity sewer system capacity analysis as determined by
the Department and the required upgrades to water and sewer mains
servicing this project.
g. Payment of City utility impact fees for water meters/services.
h. Provide flood barrier ramps to underground parking or minimum slab
elevation to be at highest adjacent crown road elevation plus 8".
Page 4 of 5
HPB File No. 1837
Meeting Date: January 13, 2004
i. Right-of-way permit must be obtained from Public Works.
J. All right-of-way encroachments must be removed.
k. All planting/landscaping in the public right-of-way must be approved by the
Public Works and Parks Departments.
10. A drawn plan and written procedure for the proposed demolition shall be prepared
and submitted by a Professional Structural Engineer, registered in the State of
Florida, which fully ensures the protection of the public safety, as well as the
protection of the existing structure on the subject site and all existing structures
adjacent to the subject site during the course of demolition.
11. The Certificate of Appropriateness for Demolition shall only remain in effect for the
period of time that there is an active Certificate of Appropriateness for the associated
new construction on the subject property.
12. The Final Order shall be recorded in the Public Records of Miami-Dade County, prior
to the issuance of a Building Permit.
13. The Final Order is not severable, and if any provision or condition hereof is held void
or unconstitutional in a final decision by a court of competent jurisdiction, the order
shall be returned to the Board for reconsideration as to whether the order meets the
criteria for approval absent the stricken provision or condition, and/or it is appropriate
to modify the remaining conditions or impose new conditions.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, based upon the foregoing findings of fact, the evidence, information,
testimony and materials presented at the public hearing, which are part of the record for this matter,
and the staff report and analysis, which are adopted herein, including the staff recommendations
which were amended by the Board, that the Certificate of Appropriateness is GRANTED for the
above-referenced project subject to those certain conditions specified in paragraph C of the
Findings of Fact (Condition Nos. 1-13, inclusive) hereof, to which the applicant has agreed.
No building permit may be issued unless and until all conditions of approval as set forth herein have
been met. The issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness does not relieve the applicant from
obtaining all other required Municipal, County and/or State reviews and permits, including zoning
approval. If adequate handicapped access is not provided, this approval does not mean that such
handicapped access is not required or that the Board supports an applicant's effort to seek waivers
relating to handicapped accessibility requirements.
When re uestin a buildin ermit three 3 sets of lans a roved b the Board modified in
accordance with the above conditions, as well as annotated floor plans which clearly delineate the
Floor Area Ratio (FAR calculations for the ro'ect shall be submitted to the Plannin De artment.
If all of the above-specified conditions are satisfactorily addressed, the plans will be reviewed for
building permit approval. Two (2) sets will be returned to you for submission for a building permit
Page 5 of 5
HPB File No. 1837
Meeting Date: January 13, 2004
and one (1) set will be retained for the Historic Preservation Board's file. If the Full Building Permit is
not issued within eighteen (18) months of the meeting date at which this Certificate of
Appropriateness was granted and construction does not commence and continue in accordance
with the requirements of the applicable Building Code, the Certificate of Appropriateness will expire
and become null and void.
Dated this
day of
,20 .
HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA
BY:
THOMAS R. MOONEY, AICP
DESIGN AND PRESERVATION MANAGER
FOR THE CHAIR
STATE OF FLORIDA )
)SS
COUNTY OF MIAMI-DADE )
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this day of
20_ by Thomas R. Mooney, Design and Preservation Manager,
Planning Department, City of Miami Beach, Florida, a Florida Municipal Corporation, on behalf ofthe
Corporation. He is personally known to me.
NOTARY PUBLIC
Miami-Dade County, Florida
My commission expires:
Approved As To Form:
Legal Department:
(
)
Filed with the Clerk of the Historic Preservation Board on
L:\PLAN\$HPB\04H PB\JanHPB04\ 1955. fO.doc