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Historic Parkside Hotel demolition request split the Miami Beach preservation board; application continued
Summary
Developers asked to demolish the contributing Parkside Hotel to create a playground for the nearby Basecamp school; structural engineers testified to degraded concrete, preservation groups opposed full demolition, and the board continued the application to April 14 to allow alternatives and facade options to be developed.
The Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board on March 17 heard a contested request to demolish the two‑story Parkside Hotel at 235 Washington Avenue so the owner can replace the building with an outdoor recreational field for the Basecamp school.
Applicant representatives said the building, constructed in 1938, is structurally compromised and cannot meet current flood‑elevation and building‑code requirements. The project team’s structural engineer told the board that concrete testing returned compressive strengths “between 1,500 to 2,500 PSI,” well below modern structural targets, and described widespread spalling, chloride penetration and rusting rebar that undermined the building’s structural members.
Staff recommended approval of demolition but asked the applicant to return with a design that ‘‘recalls’’ the original facade rather than an identical historic replica. The applicant said it was prepared to explore either reconstructing the front elevation using modern, lighter materials or temporarily moving and restoring facade elements, but that rear demolition methods were constrained by utilities and OSHA clearances.
The preservation community urged the board to deny the demolition. Meg Bluestone, executive director of the Miami Design Preservation League, read the organization’s position and said MDPL "strongly opposes the proposed demolition of the former Parkside Hotel" and urged alternatives that retain and rehabilitate the contributing structure.
Public comment at the hearing was sharply divided. Several parents and neighbors said the park would provide urgently needed outdoor space for children at Basecamp and nearby public schools; others and preservation advocates said the Parkside Hotel contributes to the character of the Ocean Beach Historic District and should be preserved where feasible.
Board members pressed both sides on technical feasibility. Some members said retaining or reinforcing the front facade (for example with an exoskeleton or sectional moves) would preserve the streetscape while allowing the remainder of the building to be removed. The applicant said it had explored moving utilities, paid contractors to relocate lines and re‑designed means and methods, but that the most practicable demolition approach required access from the front elevation.
After extended deliberation the board agreed to postpone a final vote and continued the application to the April 14 meeting so the applicant can return with more detailed design options for a reconstructed or preserved front element and the board can review those alternatives.
Next steps: the applicant will either present a plan that preserves or reconstructs a front wall consistent with staff guidance, or request a different approach; the board will consider that material at the April 14 meeting.
