The New York Times has picked a side in the fight between Miami Beach historic preservation advocates and developers supporting the recently signed Resiliency and Safe Structures Act, a law those in the former category claim will augment a devastating erasure of the local architecture character over time.
The rift that has for years played out amidst a backdrop that includes the tragedy at Surfside and a spate of new starchitect-designed developments on the nine-mile island has recent salients in the demolished Deauville Beach Hotel and the yet-decided fate of Miami Marine Stadium.
Advocates say the new law is a guise that uses climate change and building safety as its premise to usher in what is, in reality, a slate of insidious and destructive requirements. The Commercial Observer said they also work to "hamstring the powers of municipalities to dictate what can replace demolished structures."
Their obstinance did lead to a failure to pass the legislation at its first attempt last year. Frank Gehry's Deauville replacement for Stephen Ross was also refused, thanks largely to the opposition of groups such as the Miami Design Preservation League in late 2022. Ocean Drive and all single-family structures have been excluded from the new law as a concession to them, along with any structures added to the National Register of Historic Places before 2000.
As the Times notes, the history of Miami Beach is one long tug-of-war between developers and conservationists with the law setting up what appears to be its next major battle. Court challenges to the regulation are likely forthcoming as both groups dig in.
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