A proposal for a 15-story residential building under the Live Local Act is set to go before the Miami Beach Planning Board on May 5, as debate continues in South Florida over the state housing law. The project would bring a 29-unit building with office space and parking at 1826 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, according to Floridian Development.
The upcoming board review was triggered by a request for a conditional use permit for a mechanical car elevator, which would provide vehicle storage on the small lot. Normally, Live Local Act projects can bypass municipal votes if they meet requirements, but this special feature required city consideration.
The property is owned by an entity managed by Mendy Chudaitov of Lefferts and Russell Galbut of Crescent Heights and GFO Investments. The lot is less than a quarter acre in size. The developer has proposed using valet-operated car elevators instead of traditional garages due to space constraints.
Of the planned apartments, twelve are designated as workforce or affordable units. This meets the Live Local Act’s rule that at least forty percent of units be reserved for households earning no more than one hundred twenty percent of area median income. The law also requires such projects be located on lots zoned mixed-use, commercial or industrial; recent legislative changes have expanded eligible land types to include those owned by counties, municipalities and school districts.
In South Beach—known for its historic low-rise Art Deco buildings—Live Local proposals have sparked disagreement among residents and officials. Recently, another developer sued Miami Beach alleging obstruction of plans to redevelop the Bancroft Hotel under similar rules.
Separate from Live Local projects, there has also been local concern about billionaire Jeffrey Soffer’s plan for a waterslide tower at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Some city commissioners and residents fear it could worsen traffic congestion and alter neighborhood character. State lawmakers recently passed legislation allowing Soffer’s development group to bypass local historic preservation approval.
