July 11, 2013
Historic homes in Miami Beach just gained an important ally. The mayor of Miami Beach has proposed a 6-month moratorium on the demolition of homes deemed architecturally important.
The mayor called for the city’s planning board to temporarily halt issuing demolition permits for pre-1942 homes with prominent architectural features. The move comes as various city departments have been actively trying to figure out how to encourage homeowners to restore historic properties, instead of tearing them down completely.
Most notably, the Miami Design and Preservation League has continued to appeal the demolition of 42 Star Island, an estate owned by Leonard and Lisa Hochstein, a cast member of the Real Housewives of Miami. The couple received permission to tear down the luxury waterfront home, citing structural instability, but preservationists have continued to fight that approval. The Star Island home was designed by Walter DeGarmo, the first registered architect in Florida.
Source: The Miami Herald
