A partnership between JDS Development, led by Michael Stern, and entrepreneur Gianluca Vacchi has unveiled plans for a luxury condominium tower reaching 420 feet at 1250 West Avenue in South Beach. The proposed project would replace the existing Bay Garden Manor, a 15-story building with 238 units that currently allows short-term rentals. The new tower would feature 100 long-term residential units, each over 2,000 square feet, and a 180-seat ground-level restaurant. In contrast to the current structure, short-term rentals would be prohibited, focusing on larger, luxury residences.
Credit: Kobi Karp.
The proposal includes a compact 29-story footprint with underground parking, amenities, and a ground-level restaurant. It would also establish the “Alton Beach Overlay District” within the City of Miami Beach’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, increasing the building’s allowable height and floor area ratio (FAR) and adjusting setback requirements specifically for this location.
Credit: Kobi Karp.
To move forward with the proposed tower, Stern is seeking a series of zoning amendments to allow for a 643,900-square-foot structure—an increase of approximately 228,000 square feet in floor area and an additional 285 feet in height beyond what current zoning permits. To secure these adjustments, the developer has committed to several public contributions. Among them is funding a new public parking garage across from the site at the Bikini Hostel, with an estimated cost of $22 million to $25 million. An additional $4 million would support the completion of missing baywalk sections along West Avenue, improving connectivity and waterfront access for the neighborhood.
Credit: Kobi Karp.
The overlay proposal seeks to transform the neighborhood’s skyline with a more slender, visually minimal tower design, preserving view corridors and enhancing light and air for neighboring properties. The planned Alton Beach Overlay District aligns with Miami Beach’s resiliency and sea-level rise policies, promoting flood-resistant design through elevated structures that meet base flood elevation plus freeboard requirements.
Credit: Kobi Karp.
Credit: Kobi Karp.
After the Miami Beach Planning Board deferred a decision on October 29, the proposed zoning changes are now under continued review for potential revisions. The board has scheduled further discussion for a meeting on January 7, after which the zoning proposal is expected to move to the city commission for its first reading in February, with a second and final reading anticipated in April.
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Awful design. Arquitectonica would have done much better here.