Miami Beach community split over JDS overlay proposal for 1250 West Avenue

Miami Beach staff and a JDS Development team told about 40 callers at a required community meeting that the company seeks a zoning overlay for 1250 West Avenue that would allow a 330-foot tower, a floor-area-ratio (FAR) bonus and other deviations from as‑of‑right zoning in exchange for public benefits including purchase and demolition of the so‑called Bikini Hostel and completion of missing BayWalk segments.

The overlay application is part of a six‑step review process and will be considered again by the City Commission on May 21 and June 25, City Planning and Design Officer Michael Baloush said. No final legislative action was taken at the community meeting.

Why it matters: the proposal would change what can be built at one West Avenue site and has split nearby residents. Supporters said the development would remove a neighborhood nuisance, restore property values and finish the BayWalk. Opponents said the city should enforce existing zoning and warned an overlay would set a precedent for future height and FAR increases.

The applicant, Melissa Tapinez, representing 1250 West Avenue Owner LLC (a JDS Development affiliate), said the company reduced the project from roughly 420 feet to 330 feet after community input, limited the maximum unit count to 25 (down from the building's current…