New renderings have been revealed for 6701 Collins Avenue, a two-towered mixed-use development currently in the planning stages and set to become the replacement of the former Deauville Beach Resort in North Beach, Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County. Designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry of Gehry Partners, LLP and developed by New York’s Related Companies, the development firm behind the $25 billion Hudon Yards complex, the transformative project calls for two similarly designed towers rising as high as 375 feet and comprising a 175-key high-end hotel and a residential component with 150 luxury condominiums. The development gained approval from the Miami Beach City Commission in July and will now be considered for approval by North Beach residents in the next referendum on November 8. Related has asked for zoning changes to increase height and density.
The latest renderings take us back to our first thoughts on the conceptual model unveiled in July, which immediately reminded us of Gehry’s 76-story residential tower at 8 Spruce Street in Manhattan, often referred to as New York by Gehry. The towers are designed in a mix of deconstructivist and expressionist architectural styles, noting the series of rippling patterns stretched vertically on the exterior that defines the character of the façade. The folds and twists in the façade would allow light to travel across the undulating exterior walls in a dynamic manner, reflecting off the waters of the oceanfront. The buildings are separated by a 200-foot-wide garden and appear to be clad in glass and other metallic materials. Gehry’s design for the Deauville site would significantly contrast the North Beach neighborhood and become an instant architectural icon. Below are renderings dpecting the project from several new perspectives.
Aerial rendering of 6701 Collins Avenue. Credit: Related Companies.
Beach walk – 6701 Collins Avenue. Credit: Related Companies.
6701 Collins Avenue. Credit: Related Companies.
The Deauville property is a 3.82-acre site sitting along the east frontage of Collins Avenue, centered at the intersection with 67th Street and bound by the Atlantic Ocean on the east. The historic hotel, designed by architect Melvin Grossman in the Miami Modernist (MiMo) style, was completed in 1957 and was under the ownership of the Meruelo Family since 2004, the year the building was designated a historic site. The structure had fallen into disrepair and was deemed unsafe, calling for a total demolition. The implosion of the structure is scheduled for this week.
If the project gains approval in the next referendum, Related could build as high as 375 feet, with the residential tower being the tallest of the two, and would have a floor area ratio (FAR) increase from 3.0 to 4.5. According to Yes for a Safe and Strong Future, the Gehry-designed project would bring a number of public benefits to the North Beach area. 225 full-time permanent jobs would be created, $100 million in new revenue would be generated for the North Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), and the city would gain $3 million in annual tax revenue. Other benefits Related has committed to is funding for a new recreational or community center facility at a location to be determined by the City at zero cost to taxpayers, donating a total of $500,000 over ten years to the City’s Quality Education Committee to fund arts and education programs at Miami Beach public and private schools, and supporting the City’s efforts to establish a first-of-its-kind Housing Relief Fund and provide $1 million in initial funding.
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Yet another nail in the coffin of ‘historic designation’ and ‘demolition by neglect’ laws. What’s the point of either?!?
Wow… Stunning design, typical of Frank Gehry!
Was the Deauville unsafe because it’s “eyebrows” were failing and failing off ? A few years ago many buildings needed repair for the same problem. Who is paying for the demolition and cleanup ? Doesn’t sound like Mr.Ross is on the hook for that ! What a shame and setup.