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 over the state law’s impact in South Florida. The project, planned for 1826 Collins Avenue in South Beach, would include 29 apartments, office space, and a mechanical car elevator.
The Live Local Act requires municipalities to approve projects that meet certain affordability and zoning criteria. For this development, at least 40 percent of units—12 out of 29—would be reserved for workforce or affordable rents for households earning up to 120 percent of the area median income. While such projects typically bypass local votes, this one triggered board review due to a request for a conditional use permit related to its valet-operated car elevator—a solution proposed because of the small lot size.
Ownership of the site is held by an entity managed by Mendy Chudaitov of Lefferts and Russell Galbut of Crescent Heights and GFO Investments. The property covers less than a quarter acre.
The state law has generated debate in Miami Beach, particularly because many neighborhoods are known for their historic low-rise Art Deco buildings. Recent legal action has emerged as well: A developer recently sued Miami Beach officials over alleged obstruction of another Live Local redevelopment at the Bancroft Hotel and adjacent Ocean Steps retail complex on Collins Avenue. That project involves Todd Rosenberg’s Pebb Capital partnering with Maxwelle Real Estate Group and Galbut.
Other unrelated controversies have also surfaced regarding development oversight in Miami Beach. Some city commissioners and residents have voiced concerns about billionaire Jeffrey Soffer’s plan for a steel-and-aluminum waterslide tower at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, worried it could worsen traffic congestion and alter neighborhood character. State lawmakers approved legislation allowing Soffer’s Fontainebleau Development to bypass city historic preservation approval processes.
The outcome of these proposals may shape how future developments are handled under evolving state laws governing housing affordability and local control.
