Miami Herald Op-Ed
Imagine Miami Beach without the Faena's old-world glamor or the Surf Club's Mediterranean-revival facade; Key West, stripped of its conch cottages; Palm Beach a monotonous sprawl of over-built luxury condos; or the Spanish colonial architecture of St. Augustine’s coastline resembling Cancun. This isn't science fiction; it's the chilling prospect under the deceptively titled "Resiliency and Safe Structures Act" steamrolling through Tallahassee.
Don't be fooled by the rhetoric. This bill isn't about safety, it's about power. Senator Avila’s (Miami-Dade) and Representative Roach’s (Lee County) bills would eliminate local control, handing Florida's historic coastal communities over to a handful of developers with wrecking balls poised over our heritage.
Historic preservation -- of all of Florida's communities -- is about more than nostalgia; it is a critical engine of economic growth that is being threatened by the fast-track demolition that this short-sighted policy threatens to unleash. Who will benefit? Not local communities, but a handful of developers and elite property owners looking to trade our shared history for their short-term financial gain.
In Miami Beach alone, $586 million flowed into historic rehabilitation between 2002 and 2016. Heritage tourism in Florida generates an estimated $4 billion annually, creating over 100,000 jobs. This bill jeopardizes those livelihoods and will negatively affect surrounding property values and community character.
As a board member of Miami Beach’s Historic Preservation Board, I've witnessed firsthand the benefits of our negotiations. We've saved priceless architectural gems, frescoes, scaled down the height of architectural behemoths, moved new construction away from the water’s edge, and even secured valuable monetary concessions – all by working with developers, not bypassing them. This healthy discourse protects neighborhoods, ensuring they retain their distinct character, scale, and historic charm. This bill dismantles that dynamic, turning economically vibrant communities into soulless, cookie-cutter cityscapes. We mustn't let it pass.
Practically speaking, the new bill would not only end any local input over the demolition of historic buildings, but it would also eliminate the ability of local communities to influence any new construction built in its place. Residents would not be able to appeal building permits or even be notified about new construction in their neighborhoods.
Preserving our heritage fuels vibrant communities and attracts both tourists and future residents. These historic buildings are the hearts of our neighborhoods. Imagine your community rendered unrecognizable, its soul crushed under monolithic over-development. This bill silences the voices of residents who fought for their communities, erasing their hard-won sense of place.
Don't think this threat stops at Miami's doorstep. St Augustine, Key West, Coral Gables, Palm Beach, Sarasota - all are in the bullseye. Only a handful of buildings placed on the National Registry before 2000 are safe. If this bill passes, it's open season on our treasured coastal gems. And Florida, wake up - this won't end at the beach. This power grab will soon silence your voice on every project.
Let's stand united. Tell Tallahassee: Hands Off Our History, Hands Off Our Coast! Contact your local representatives and send a message louder than any wrecking ball.
Florida was built by dreamers, not demolition crews. Let's honor their legacy and protect our stories.
Brian Ehrlich
The writer is the Founder of Paradigm and serves on the Board of Historic Preservation for the City of Miami Beach as well as on the Executive Board of Trustees of the Bass Museum of Art. He can be reached at brian@brianmiami.com
