Reuben Brothers moved forward on Apr. 16 with its renovation plans for the W South Beach, though some features were put on hold after opposition from neighboring residents. The London-based firm aims to redesign and update its condo-hotel at 2201 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, which includes two 19-story buildings and a total of 407 units.
The significance of the project lies in its potential impact on both hotel guests and nearby residents, as well as the ongoing efforts by Miami Beach to balance new development with preservation concerns.
Initially, Reuben Brothers proposed adding a new beach club restaurant with seating for 237 people, converting an existing nightclub into a larger VIP lounge, and creating an exclusive valet drop-off area for VIPs. However, these elements were paused after unit owners at the adjacent Roney Palace Condominium raised concerns about increased noise and traffic. In response to this opposition last month, Reuben Brothers asked the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board to delay their vote until April.
The revised proposal removed the beach club restaurant but left open the possibility of bringing it back later. According to attorney Neisen Kasdin representing Reuben Brothers, most renovations—including updates to the lobby (partially converted into a patisserie), hotel reception area, elevators, pool deck, and pool bar—were approved unanimously by the board. The new patisserie will offer seating for up to 173 guests indoors and outdoors combined.
However, two key components—the demolition of a nightclub wall as part of converting it into a VIP lounge and an additional north-side valet entrance—were not approved due to continued objections from Roney Palace residents about potential traffic congestion and noise issues. Michael Arnold, a resident at Roney Palace Condominium said: “I can’t talk to a friend in the living room because of the sound of the music. I worry about the venue that will add 200 people or something like that… It just seems like [the proposal] is very rushed and haphazard.”
Attorneys for both sides debated whether certain issues should be decided by different city boards; Kasdin argued that matters such as traffic should fall under city planning jurisdiction rather than historic preservation oversight. Meanwhile Kent Harrison Robbins, representing Roney Palace owners opposed only those aspects related directly to external changes affecting neighbors.
Broader context shows Miami Beach officials have been attentive toward preserving neighborhood character while considering growth: recently they expressed frustration over state legislation allowing another resort project—a waterslide tower—to bypass local review processes entirely; elsewhere this month another mixed-use building proposal was also closely reviewed before moving ahead in approvals.
Developers are expected to return before city officials on June 9 with updated proposals addressing remaining points of contention.
