Lodge house owners Sagamore and Ritz plan to construct a 17-story residential tower by the ocean on a mixed property in Miami Seashore

The owners of the historic Sagamore and Ritz Hotels in Miami Beach are proposing upgrades to the Sagamore along with the construction of a new 200-foot, 17-story luxury tower block on the combined property. The project includes the “renaming of the Sagamore property into a luxury hotel on par with the Ritz Hotel brand,” according to the application that was submitted to the city’s historical monuments office (HPB).

The residential tower planned by the architect Kobi Karp is to comprise around 50 units with a size of 1,000 m² to 2330+ m². To build the tower, the owners want to tear down a rear annex from the 1990s on Sagamore and build a cantilevered structure over the existing four-story cabana on the north side of the Ritz property, but without any structural connection to the existing Ritz building. Above a residential lobby on the ground floor there would be a residential unit on the third and fourth levels, a lounge area and a pool deck would be on level 5, while the remaining residential units (four units per floor) would be on level 6. 17th

The height allowed on the site was increased from 50 to 200 feet through a law approved by city commissioners in 2019. The text change applied to oceanfront properties from the 16th and setbacks. The change paved the way for the developer Michael Shvo to combine the iconic Raleigh Hotel with the adjacent Richmond and South Seas hotels into one development location and to build a new residential tower behind it. After considerable opposition from the HPB, the developer agreed to reduce the height of the new building to 175 feet.

In the letter of application to the HPB for the Ritz-Sagamore project, lawyer Alfredo Gonzalez von Greenberg Traurig wrote: “The central location of the Oceanfront Tower minimizes the effects of the residential development” on the historic Ritz and Sagamore buildings and “is ideally located”. to the rear of the existing historic buildings so as not to interfere with pedestrian views of these historic facades from Collins Avenue. In addition, the narrow footprint of the tower minimizes the impact on the beach path or the beach. “

Gonzalez provided the context for the proposed tower by including the heights of nearby buildings from 15th to 20th streets:

• Lowes Hotel – 272 feet high
• The Decoplage – 183 feet high
• National Hotel – 130 feet high
• Delano Hotel – 50 meters high
• Ritz Plaza SLS Hotel – 60 m high
• Marseille – 127 feet high
• The Raleigh Hotel – 175 feet tall (approved)
• The Shelborne Hotel – 171 feet high
• Shore Club – 225 feet high

Gonzalez and Karp both worked with Shvo on the development of The Raleigh.

The proposed upgrades for the Sagamore at 1671 Collins Avenue include the creation of larger suites “in keeping with the ultra-luxury hotel experience and recent renovations at the Ritz Hotel,” the motion states. Also planned are the restoration of the front facade, the entrance signage and the canopy along the delivery area as well as the restoration of the entrance hall and reception as well as the terrazzo flooring outside and inside.

Another proposed feature, a “state-of-the-art lobby corridor … lit with digital art and mixed media broadcasting on the lobby walls, provides direct access to the upgraded public interiors in line with the Ritz luxury branding,” wrote Gonzalez.

The existing inner courtyard of the Sagamore would be “replaced by a new sculpture garden with free-flowing water features and a lush tropical landscape”. A renovated pool deck will “include geometrically designed swimming pools and paddling pools lined with open-air cabanas along the perimeter,” according to Gonzalez’s letter.

The Ritz-Carlton / DiLido Hotel at 1669 Collins Avenue / 1 Lincoln Road comprises approximately 374 hotel units with food and beverage service, a pool deck and cabanas, as well as a ballroom and function rooms. Operations are expected to “remain largely unchanged with minimal internal changes,” wrote Gonzalez.

A new bridge is planned on the third floor of the Ritz, which is connected to the Sagamore Hotel, new landscaped pools and water features along the backyard with two planned service bars as well as interior renovations of the existing Beach Club Café for a new show kitchen and event space.

The overall proposal, including the demolition and partial demolition, restoration and design of the new tower, “enables the uniform operation of a 5-star hotel with luxury residences and improved amenities open to hotel guests and the public,” Gonzalez wrote. “Note that the Ritz-Carlton branding and flag will be used at both locations and will further standardize hotel operations on the entire property in addition to the luxury residential tower.”

According to The Real Deal, the three families who own the Ritz-Carlton Hotels in South Beach and Bal Harbor and the Sagamore merged ownership of their properties last year.

The item is on the November agenda of the HPB. You can find the full application here.

Renderings: Kobi Karp Architecture