A low-rise condo building from the 1940s was blocked from Miami-Dade’s roster of historic properties after county commissioners overturned a designation by their preservation board.
Tuesday’s vote narrowly handed a win to some residents of Surfside’s 14-unit Seaside Terrace, a two-story oceanfront building constructed in 1948 and now occupying lucrative real estate amid South Florida’s latest high-rise boom. With a steady stream of seven- and eight-figure offers to buy the building at 9241 Collins Ave., some owners don’t want any barriers for would-be developers while others see more value in the historic designation.
Miami-Dade’s Historic Preservation Board sided with county staff in February to declare the building historic, saying it represented an important example of the architectural transition “from Moderne to Miami Modern (known as Mimo), two styles which together defined the historic character of Collins Avenue in Surfside.” But a long-time Seaside owner appealed, questioning why a post-war apartment building merited the strict construction rules that come with historic status.
“It was built in 1948,” Jesús López told county commissioners. “I’m older than that.”