Historic Shelburne Hotel restoration approved; board okays canopy variance with conditions

The Historic Preservation Board on April 13 approved a certificate of appropriateness for a multi‑phase renovation of the Shelburne Hotel at 1801 Collins Avenue and granted a variance to locate retractable canopy support columns within an existing nonconforming south setback.

Board members voted unanimously to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) after hearing a presentation from the applicant team led by Michael Larkin and owner Mitchell Cohen and expert testimony from historic preservation consultant Steve Abdikoff and architect Ray Fernandez. The board also accepted two voluntary conditions proffered by the applicant and directed staff to work with the project team on final design details for the south wall and canopy.

The project would remove a 1993 set of interior ‘‘townhomes’’ that subdivided a former double‑height Lapidus lobby, restore the lobby to its original volume, add a new pool and landscape area at the rear yard and introduce a retractable canopy at a mezzanine dining terrace on the south side. Staff recommended approval with conditions, including a requirement that the applicant submit an as‑built survey demonstrating the exact dimensions of the existing legal nonconforming side setback and that any expansion of the hotel’s food and beverage area be addressed through a modification of the property’s conditional use permit prior to issuance of a building permit.

Historic preservation consultant Steve Abdikoff told the board the design conforms to federal guidance. "In my expert opinion, the design is in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation," he said during the presentation, and he recommended the board find the restorative approach compatible with the building’s Polovitsky and Lapidus fabric.

Owner Mitchell Cohen, president of Shelburne Ocean Beach Hotel, described the work as an effort to reverse prior insensitive modifications and to return the Shelburne’s public spaces to their historic character. "For me and all of my team correcting the desecration of the lobby with the interior townhouses and the resulting impact on the southern facade is paramount," Cohen said. He added: "I personally promise you I will not let you down."

The board accepted the applicant’s offered conditions and added language directing staff to verify that the proposed south wall does not increase the degree of nonconformity of the existing setback. Board members also asked that final canopy details be refined and reviewed by staff to better integrate the canopy/trellis with the cabana structures on the site; that refinement will be handled administratively under the approved order.

Votes at a glance - Certificate of Appropriateness for 1801 Collins Ave (Shelburne Hotel): Motion to approve carried unanimously (7–0). Motion moved by Commissioner Pascoe; second by Commissioner Lopez. The motion incorporated the applicant’s two voluntary conditions and staff modifications clarified at the hearing. - Variance for south‑side canopy support columns (allow 5 ft 1 in setback where 8 ft 2 in is required): Approved (7–0). Motion moved by Commissioner Pascoe; second by Commissioner Liebman.

What the approval means: The board’s COA allows demolition of nonoriginal interior partitions (the 1993 townhomes), restoration of the lobby volume and associated interior and exterior work described in the application. The applicant agreed to file any necessary modification to the existing conditional use permit (CUP) for expanded food and beverage area prior to building permit approval. The variance for the canopy columns was granted on the applicant’s showing that the canopy supports must locate at the existing legal nonconforming setback; the board accepted a staff‑drafted condition requiring an as‑built survey to lock in the exact dimensions at building permit review.

Project and design details - Previous changes: Townhomes and balconies added in 1993 subdivided the original double‑height Lapidus lobby; the applicant proposes removing those additions. - Canopy: A retractable canopy over a mezzanine dining terrace will be supported by narrow columns located at the existing nonconforming 5 ft 1 in setback. The canopy will be retractable and, when extended, provide rain and shade protection; when retracted the structure is intended to read as an open trellis. - Landscape and pool: The rear landscape area will be reworked; applicant presented an increase in planted area in the rear yard from about 10% to roughly 75% in the project materials. - Conditions: Applicant must submit a supplemental as‑built survey of the south wall prior to building permit so staff can confirm no increase in nonconformity; any CUP modification needed for expanded food and beverage must be recorded before building permits are issued; final canopy details will be refined with staff so the canopy better integrates with adjacent cabana structures.

Next steps: The COA and variance as approved now permit the applicant to proceed to building permit submission, subject to the conditions. The board’s action did not approve final construction drawings; the as‑built survey and CUP modification must be completed as described in the board order.

Why it matters: The Shelburne sits at a high‑profile beachfront location and combines fabric from two mid‑century architects, Igor Polovitsky and Morris Lapidus. The board’s approval restores a previously altered lobby volume and endorses an approach that board members and the applicant characterized as restoring historic character while enabling active reuse of the hotel’s public spaces.

","sections":{"lede":"The Historic Preservation Board on April 13 approved a certificate of appropriateness for a multi‑phase renovation of the Shelburne Hotel at 1801 Collins Avenue and granted a variance to locate retractable canopy support columns within an existing nonconforming south setback.","nut_graf":"The board unanimously accepted staff recommendations and applicant proffered conditions, directing a final as‑built survey and design refinements to ensure the restored south wall and rooftop canopy better align with the building’s Lapidus and Polovitsky elements. The decision lets the owner remove later, nonoriginal townhomes that had subdivided a historic double‑height lobby and proceed toward building permits once conditions are met.","ending":"The COA and variance approval allow the applicant to seek building permits after delivering the as‑built survey and any required CUP modification; staff will oversee the canopy and south wall refinements administratively before permit issuance."},