Alo wins OK to reactivate Lincoln Road corner after board demands slightly larger overhang, design tweaks

Alo, the sportswear and wellness brand, won Historic Preservation Board approval May 13 for facade modifications to retail space at the corner of Lincoln Road and Collins Avenue, contingent on refinements to the new canopy and a formal transition agreement with the adjacent owner.

The project will convert the vacant corner that formerly housed a Walgreens into an Alo retail store and “sanctuary” wellness center. The applicant proposes removing the low, existing concrete canopy and installing a higher, shallower aluminum tubular canopy so the storefronts have a 14‑foot interior ceiling and more visibility from the street. Staff recommended approval with refinements to the transition between Alo’s frontage and the neighboring tenant's frontage.

Why it matters: The corner is a prominent Lincoln Road terminus and has been vacant for nearly a decade. The proposal drew broad support for reactivating the space, but board members, neighborhood advocates and the applicant debated how much sidewalk cover and canopy depth would be preserved for pedestrian shelter and for visual continuity with the street.

Deliberations and conditions: Board members requested a modest increase in the canopy projection so the new element provides more shelter than the applicant’s initial 3.7‑foot projection at 14 feet above grade. The applicant agreed to work with staff on a condition to thicken or extend the overhang up to 5 feet from the building face (final detailing to be resolved with staff) and to include a transition exhibit that reconciles the Alo storefront with the adjacent frontage owned by a different party. The board also required the project to honor the written “exhibit A” agreement with the neighboring owner, which was supplied at the hearing.

Public comments and neighborhood response: Preservation groups and neighborhood advocates said reactivating the corner would benefit Lincoln Road but urged careful treatment of the canopy and storefront transparency to respect historic streetscape patterns. The Miami Design Preservation League and the Oolite project representative supported the reuse provided the streetscape and visibility were maintained.

Outcome: The board unanimously approved staff’s recommendation with the added condition that the applicant work with staff to deepen the canopy projection (up to 5 feet where appropriate) and implement the transition details in the submitted exhibit. The project will move forward to permit review with the additional design clarifications handled administratively by staff.

Why the board intervened: Board members said the changes — higher ceiling and improved storefront activation — are desirable, but pedestrian shelter and continuity of the public realm are important on Lincoln Road and needed an explicit, staff‑resolved solution.

Next steps: Alo will finalize materials and canopies with staff; staff will include the transition exhibit in the final order and approve final details consistent with the board’s conditions.