Developer outlines Deauville rebuild, promises parking, stormwater upgrades; neighbors split over height

City of Miami Beach staff and the developer of the former Deauville Hotel site at 6701 Collins Avenue presented a revised redevelopment plan at a second required community meeting, announcing an overlay district and a development agreement that the city commission will review, while residents continued to debate height, traffic and flood risk.

The developer, David Martin of Tara, described a mixed-use project centered on replication of the Deauville’s historic pedestal and a “reinterpretation” of the tower. Michael Baluch of the city planning department said the community meeting is the second of two required outreach sessions and that any increase in floor area triggers a multi-step review: "This is the second of the 2 required community outreach meetings," Baluch said, and the proposal will be reviewed again at the city commission before an eventual application to the Historic Preservation Board.

Why it matters: The site has been vacant for years and neighbors, businesses and the North Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) have argued redevelopment could revive foot traffic, generate tax revenue and address local infrastructure problems. Opponents warned that the plan’s taller towers could set a precedent for higher buildings on Miami Beach and worsen traffic and shading on the narrow barrier island.

What the developer said: Martin said the team had limited density well below what current zoning could allow and had targeted a relatively small hotel and a low number of residences. He described a program goal of about 50 hotel keys and roughly 20 residential…