Stay of Execution
Historic Board Approves Permit Extension to
Renovate 91-Year-Old Coral Rock House

“It is not preservation that we have to concern ourselves with, it is our property taxes.”

The owners of the coral rock house say property tax concerns are more pressing than the preservation of a single-family structure. File photo by Mitchell Zachs/Magicalphotos.com

By Omar Sommereyns

The Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board approved an extension of time for a building permit to restore and develop around the historic coral rock house, the oldest residence on the Beach, giving preservationists hope that the cherished 1915 structure built by Avery Smith will not be demolished.

“It’d be a tremendous loss to the city if it would disappear — it’s a unique, one-of-a-kind structure,” said HPB member Mitch Novick.

The approved plan includes a full restoration of the building, located at 900 Collins Ave., as well as the demolition of most of the nearby two-story building at 209 Ninth St., to make way for a four-story structure that will be physically attached to the northwest corner of the coral rock home. The new structure can contain both commercial and residential uses.

Only recently (given that the house’s owners had a valid demolition order in hand) many preservationists feared the building was coming down.

“They applied for the extension because they’re thinking of restoring the building,” said Gary Held, assistant city attorney. “As for the demolition order, at this moment, we believe they would have to go back to the Unsafe Structures Board to amend it if they wanted to do anything with it, but we are certainly more supportive of any efforts they make to preserve the building.”

According to a breakdown provided by the coral rock house owners — Ivor Rose, Michael Stern and Rita Starr — back in July 2004, they pulled a permit to make repairs on the building. Miami Beach’s Building Department, however, issued them an Unsafe Structures Violation in August that same year. In February 2005, the Miami-Dade County Unsafe Structures Board ordered the structure demolished.

But after preservationists insisted that the coral rock house can be saved, the Miami Beach City Commission appealed the order, using the city’s right to a 120-day grace period. Later that year, the Circuit Court remanded the case back to the county board, which required the building be demolished after 120 days.

In March 2006, the owners applied for a city demolition permit and were denied. Then this past summer, the city sued the owners, under a “Demolition by Neglect” ordinance.

Stern, who says he will run for Commissioner Matti Herrera Bower’s seat in 2007, told the SunPost that he plans on preserving the structure, although not before shooting over an e-mail that went on about how the city’s soaring property taxes should supersede any story about the preservation of the coral rock house.

“As the year comes to a close it is becoming quite clear to me that not one single person who sits on the commission has done anything to lobby our state senators to save our homes,” he wrote. “It is not preservation that we have to concern ourselves with, it is our property taxes. Do you have any idea what it costs for windstorm insurance? How about you publishing a story about these important issues instead of a private property that has nothing to do with the people who live in Miami Beach. I am quite sure that the property owners would have been better served if the city of Miami Beach had used the money they spent to save the Coral Rock house on lobbying our governor and our senators to help.”

(Coral rock house co-owner Rose filed to run for Commissioner Michael Góngora’s seat in 2007.)

Others, however, still see preservation as a fundamental issue on the Beach, especially Bill Farkas, executive director of the Miami Design Preservation League, who believes the coral rock house is a crucial part of the city’s historic buildings compendium.

“They obviously have two paths they can go: Either demolish it and wrestle with the Historic Preservation Board to see what they can build in its place, or develop the plan they have approval for,” he said. “I was satisfied with the board’s decision; it was a perfectly proper thing to do.… Now will the owners restore the house and pursue their original plan? There’s no guarantee.”

Comments? E-mail omar@miamisunpost.com.