One of Miami Beach’s First Live Local Projects, 1826 Collins Avenue, Heads to Planning Board
On a narrow stretch of land along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, a 15-story residential tower is advancing through the city’s approval process, marking one of the city’s first Live Local projects to inch closer to groundbreaking. The project, planned for 1826 Collins Avenue and led by Lefferts, a close affiliate of Russell Galbut’s Crescent Heights, is among a growing number of developments shaped by Florida’s Live Local Act, a sweeping housing law that is reordering how projects are reviewed and approved across the state. In Miami Beach, where development has long been subject to intense public scrutiny, the shift is particularly pronounced. Later this spring, the proposal will appear before the city’s Planning Board. But the hearing will not center on the building itself. Instead, board members will consider a more mundane question: whether to grant a conditional use permit for a mechanical car elevator that will be used to store and retrieve vehicles on the property. That distinction is key. Under the Live Local Act, projects that meet certain affordability thresholds can move forward administratively (without the public hearings that often define development battles in cities like Miami Beach). In this case, the tower is already proceeding internally. The Planning Board’s role is limited to the parking system, not the viability of the project as a whole. First reported by Floridian Development in August 2025, the development has taken shape as a glass-clad tower designed by Built Form Architecture. A formal application dated March 6th, 2026 outlines a mixed-use building with 29 residential units, exactly 3,500 square feet of office space, and 35 parking spaces, slightly fewer than the 37 originally proposed. The project is scheduled to go before the board on May 5th. Like other Live Local projects, it incorporates a significant share of below-market housing. 40% of the units, or 12 apartments, will be reserved for households earning up to 120% of the area median income. Those units are expected to be compact, ranging from roughly 400 to 475 square feet. The remaining apartments will be sold at market rates, including one-bedroom units with dens and a two-bedroom penthouse. The constraints of the site have shaped much of the building’s design. The parcel measures just over 9,500 square feet, leaving little room for a conventional parking structure. Rather than building a multi-level garage, the developer is proposing a system in which cars are moved by elevator and stored out of view, operated exclusively by a valet. Supporters of the approach say it allows the building to meet parking requirements without sacrificing design quality. A traditional garage, particularly on a site this small, would likely dominate the structure’s lower floors and require additional concrete. By contrast, the elevator system concentrates parking into a smaller footprint and preserves the building’s exterior aesthetics. Plans indicate the tower will rise to 241 FT, measured to the top of the elevator core. Each unit will include a balcony, and residents will have access to a rooftop pool above the 15th floor. For city officials, the upcoming vote is procedural. For developers and housing advocates, it is something more. In Miami Beach, where development proposals have often drawn vocal opposition, that change is already becoming visible. At 1826 Collins Avenue, the approval of the project as a whole is no longer up for debate. What remains is more of a technical, required process. This is not the only Live Local Act project pursued by the developer and its affiliates, nor by other groups, with nearly a dozen such proposals having emerged across the city so far.
Hollywood Approves Next Step for Portofino Condo Project Amid Ongoing Opposition
A controversial high-rise development in Hollywood is moving closer to reality after Related Group secured key backing from the city’s commission for its proposed Portofino Hollywood project. First introduced in 2020 as an unsolicited proposal, the plan has gone through several years of negotiations with city officials. That process led to the approval of a land lease in 2022, setting the foundation for the project’s advancement. Most recently, commissioners voted 5–2 to approve a land-use change, marking another critical step forward. The proposal calls for the replacement of the aging Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center, along with a broader redevelopment of Harry Berry Park. Plans include upgraded public facilities and an increase in green space, paired with a luxury condominium tower on the same site. Supporters say the agreement provides significant long-term public value. Under the approved terms, the city would enter into a 99-year lease projected to generate about $71 million in rent following condo sales and more than $1.3 billion over the full term (among other benefits). Even so, the project still requires another round of approvals. A revised development agreement must return to the commission later this year because of design changes made since the original 2020 submission. City officials expect the updated proposal to maintain the same core public benefits, despite changes. Opposition has remained consistent throughout the process. Critics say the project could alter the character of Hollywood Beach and strain local infrastructure. In fact, pushback has repeatedly cited the city’s Planning and Development Board unanimously recommending denial of the land-use amendment, though the commission ultimately voted to override that recommendation. Some residents have also pushed for a public vote on the issue. That effort nearly became policy through a proposed charter amendment that would have required voter approval before the city could lease or sell certain public properties. The measure failed due to a technical error in its ballot language. In response, the city passed an ordinance preserving its intent, and a corrected version is expected to appear on the ballot in November 2026. However, because Portofino’s agreements were initiated before these measures, the new rules are unlikely to affect the project. According to reporting from the Sun Sentinel, the $375 million development is expected to break ground in late 2026. Updated plans show a reduced scale, with 111 residential units instead of 190 and a height of 27 stories rather than 30. Units are expected to start at $4 million and will include 11-foot ceilings, large floor plans, and expansive balconies. While full details of the amenity package have not been released, the project is expected to include high-end offerings consistent with other luxury developments. As part of the agreement, the developer will fund improvements to Harry Berry Park, expanding its green space by about 70%. The city will be responsible for building a new three-story community center, estimated to cost $20 million. Plans for the center include event space, a cafe and restaurant, and views of the ocean. The project will also incorporate 133 public parking spaces within its base to serve both the park and the community center. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the tower is planned to rise about 327 feet to the roof, or roughly 340 feet at its highest point. The building will feature floor-to-ceiling glass, expansive decks, and integrated greenery, aiming to introduce a more contemporary design to Hollywood Beach’s largely older skyline. A final commission vote is expected later this year. If approved, the project will move into its next phase as one of the most closely watched developments along the city’s beachfront.