No balconies on north side of historic structure in Shore Club project

The Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board on Tuesday rejected a request by New York-based HFZ Capital Group to add balconies to the northern side of a historic structure as part of its renovation of the Shore Club hotel at 1901 Collins Avenue.
The Board received and rejected a similar request by HFZ in May, to add balconies to a renovated Cromwell hotel. HFZ said any new balconies would be smaller than those made in the earlier proposal, and would only face 20th Street.  Balconies on other structures in the luxury condo-hotel project facing the ocean are not affected. The board accepted a staff report recommendation that the introduction of balconies to the Cromwell would be “highly inappropriate,” and would severely impact the historic structure.

In July, board members approved demolition plans for the Cromwell Hotel that will be part of the eventual luxury condo-hotel complex anchored by the iconic Shore Club.

When it is finished, the complex is expected to have 85 condo units and 100 hotel rooms, incorporating the rebuilt Cromwell structure as well as a five-story building on 20th Street housing gyms, conference rooms and a spa. HFZ purchased the Shore Club for $175.3 million in December 2013.

The hotel will reopen as a Fasano at the end of 2017. Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld is designing the redevelopment, which will become the Fasano Hotel & Residences at Shore Club.

On Tuesday, the board rejected two motions to re-hear certain portions of the application for a “Certificate of Appropriateness” for the demolition and renovation of structures on the site. The motions were brought by opponents of the project in the Setai Condominium, which sits on the other side of 20th Street.

Opponents of the Shore Club project argued that the board had either overlooked or had did not have the opportunity to review their objections to the project, which focused on parking and loading zone requirements for 20th Street. However, the Board rejected the request, saying after four hearings on the issue all objections to the project had been given a thorough hearing.