Board approves demolition and modern replacement at 1210 Michigan Avenue

The Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board on April 22 approved a certificate of appropriateness for the total demolition of a contributing single‑family house at 1210 Michigan Avenue and for construction of a new understory residence. Staff recommended demolition after a structural assessment concluded the existing 1940 residence was “imminent danger of collapse” due to differential settlement, corroded foundations and the home sitting about four feet below required base flood elevation.

Applicant teams said two independent structural engineers performed core testing and visual analysis and recommended demolition rather than an elevation or reconstruction that would leave virtually no original material. Architect Ralph Choiff described the new design as an understory home set back about 42 feet from Michigan Avenue to match neighborhood massing and to reduce impacts on the park across the street. The project will include a placard acknowledging the original house and incorporate some original decorative panels into the new entry walkway.

The board voted to approve the certificate of appropriateness with staff conditions (including design refinements to side elevations and protections for historic materials removed for reuse). Roll call recorded an affirmative vote from all board members present.

Practical effects: Staff said the new home meets current resilience rules for an understory solution and that the design will not require variances; applicants said they had coordinated with staff on façade treatments and were committed to protecting original elements that could be reused in the new design.