Approval Granted for Condo Building at Sagamore and Ritz-Carlton in Miami Beach

A proposal to bring a lavish condominium building to South Beach’s Sagamore and Ritz-Carlton is progressing. Lionstone Development, led by the Lowensteins, Flag Luxury Group under the Kanavos family, and the Ben-Josef Group, have set their sights on constructing a 30-unit, 15-story structure adjacent to the existing Sagamore Hotel South Beach, cantilevered over the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach cabana building. The site is situated at 1617 Collins Avenue and 1 Lincoln Road.
The Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board voted in favor of a certificate of appropriateness, subject to the condition that the new building is setback at least 15 feet to the west. The board members who supported the proposal included Rick Lopez, Ray Breslin, John Stuart, Brian Ehrlich, and Linsey Lovell, while Stuart Reed voted against it.
Kobi Karp Architecture & Interior Design has been chosen to design the tower.
However, the board must still approve a separate certificate of appropriateness for a multimillion-dollar public improvement and infrastructure project. This public project aims to enhance sidewalks, provide beach access to the property and beach walk, and include a Morris Lapidus-inspired arch. The historic preservation board requested revisions to the design, citing concerns over stone selection, font usage, other design elements, and potential safety issues. The city is negotiating with the developers and will contribute to the project’s cost. The board unanimously decided to defer this item until December 12.
Attorney Tucker Gibbs, representing the nearby National Hotel, expressed support for the public improvements but objected to the assertion that funding for these enhancements was tied to the approval of the private development. During the meeting, he engaged in disputes with the developers’ attorney, Michael Larkin of Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes.
Notably, the Sagamore and Ritz-Carlton were formerly under separate ownership until 2020, when the families merged their ownership of these hotels and the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour. Flag, based in New York, and Lionstone, based in Miami, previously owned the two Ritz-Carlton properties, while New York-based Ben-Josef owned the Sagamore.
The Miami Beach skyline is set to see several new residential buildings along Collins Avenue adjacent to or as part of hotels. Developer Michael Shvo and Deutsche Finance have plans for the Rosewood Residences at the Raleigh in Miami Beach, which includes a 60-key hotel and a 17-story, 44-unit condo tower, along with restoration and renovation of existing structures. Witkoff and Monroe Capital are also in presales for their Auberge-branded 110-room hotel and 49-unit condo development at the Shore Club property, located at 1901 Collins Avenue.