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Miami Beach / South of Fifth

Savoy Tower Application Has Stalled Since July, City Says

Neighbors lined up against a Live Local tower at the Savoy site; the city says planners sent the application back and the developer hasn't returned.

The historic Savoy Plaza Hotel, 1942 postcard. Not the proposed project.
The historic Savoy Plaza Hotel, 1942 postcard. Not the proposed project. Postcard: Colourpicture Publishers, Inc., Boston, Wikimedia Commons

The Savoy wasn't on the agenda, but it was all over public comment. After a neighbor raised it Wednesday morning, the city said the developer behind a proposed tower at the Savoy site filed an application in April, the Planning Department rejected it on July 2 with extensive comments, and nothing new has come in since.

Project facts. Speakers described the proposal as a Live Local Act application for a tall tower next to the historic Savoy, with one calling it "38-story." Several tied it to the 519-foot height the city allowed at the south end of South Beach in 2018, which the Live Local Act can use as a height benchmark within a mile. The developer, architect, unit count and final height are not in the record from this meeting.

What was discussed. Residents of neighboring buildings, including the Royal Atlantic, asked the Commission to stop the tower, citing traffic, evacuation, infrastructure and the low scale of the area. Preservation advocates said a separate state law on unsafe structures could let an owner demolish the historic building as of right, and called that the bigger issue. The developer did not speak. The city said it is "following it closely" to see if the developer makes changes.

What's next. No hearing is scheduled. Separately, the Commission voted the same day to seek an outside legal opinion on whether that 519-foot height can serve as the Live Local benchmark. We'll follow both.

Sources: Video: city update · Video: public comment · Agenda

Reported from the Oct. 14, 2026 City Commission meeting. Agenda · Meeting video