The Miami Beach City Commission approved a plan Oct. 16 to allow hotel development directly on Lincoln Road, but with a few changes to the original proposal.
This means several hotels could be coming to the most expensive retail strip in South Florida, a place that already draws flocks of tourists.
Hotels would be permitted on the north side of Lincoln Road, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Lenox Avenue. Commissioners removed the 500 block leading to Drexel Avenue from the hotel area. They also limited the total number of room permitted to 500.
“By diversifying our tenant mix to include boutique hotels, each of which will offer their own unique artistic and cultural programming, [it] will further enhance Miami Beach’s iconic ‘main street,’” said Timothy Schmand, executive director of the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District. “These hotels will be able to service the Miami Beach Convention Center, New World Symphony, Colony Theater and the Fillmore at the Jackie Gleason Theater, all located just steps away. Existing restaurants and retailers will benefit from the added foot traffic, and hotel guests will have more than 200 options for dining and shopping at their doorstep.”
Any site of at least 30,000 square feet could have a hotel with at least 100 units. The maximum height would be 75 feet.
The hotel towers must be set back at least 75 feet from Lincoln Road, and at least 25 feet from any side streets.
To address providing community benefits, the hotel developers would have to dedicate 500 square feet in the building for public display of art curated by a local nonprofit organization.
Two hotels have been proposed in the area, subject to this ordinance passing. Sterling Building, led by Sam Herzberg, has proposed a 140-room hotel designed by Kobi Karp at 927 Lincoln Road. Lincoln Center Associates, led by Mel Schlesser, wants to build a 134-room hotel at 690 Lincoln Road.
A $67 million revamp of the public space down the center of Lincoln Road is also planned to make the area more inviting for visitors.
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Number of guest rooms
| Rank | Prior Rank | Hotel / Prior (* Not ranked in 2018) / URL |
|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Fontainebleau Miami Beach |
2 | 2 | Boca Raton Resort & Club |
3 | 3 | The Diplomat Beach Resort |
