A New Vision for Miami Beach: Revitalizing Lincoln Road
The owners of the Ritz-Carlton South Beach and Sagamore Hotel South Beach hotels, registered as SOBE SEA, LLC, are pleased to announce they have secured $4.85 million from the state of Florida toward the planned reconfiguration and much-needed revitalization of the 100 block of Lincoln Road and the beachwalk entrance.
The upgrades are spearheaded by the hotel’s owners, the Kanavos, Lowenstein, and Ben Josef families, with the support of City of Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez.
The state funds requested by SOBE SEA to fund the Lincoln Road revitalization project was approved by the Florida Legislature, and then by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as part of his overall budget. The state funds will augment the $4 million the ownership group has already committed to from its private funds and the additional $4 million the City of Miami Beach has also earmarked for the streetwide improvements.
One of the public-private plan's most significant changes is a complete street redesign, including road lane and median changes, easing traffic flow and making the street safer for both pedestrians and drivers.
The plan also includes a new Art Walk, a pedestrian lush art-filled pathway to the heart of Miami Beach; a new public beach park; and a gateway monument among other enhancements featuring the “Lapidus Arch,” which was part of Morris Lapidus’ original unfulfilled vision to see Lincoln Road extend from bay to ocean, among other enhancements.
SOBE SEA, with the sponsorship of Commissioner Alex Fernandez, is also spearheading an effort to revitalize the 200 and 300 blocks of Lincoln Road all the way to Washington Avenue. Now that funding for the 100 block has been secured, the ownership group is focusing on accelerating the plans to pedestrianize and redevelop the remaining portions of Lincoln Road up to Washington Avenue.
Peter Kanavos of SOBE SEA is emphatic that the huge effort and securing project approval would never have happened without widespread community support. “The business operators, property owners, and astute residents like the Board of Directors representing our neighbors at the Decoplage who support the planned upgrades can feel validated by the progress we’re making.”
With approval from the Historic Preservation Board upheld by the special magistrate, plus guaranteed funding from the City, State and their own private funds, the owners of the Ritz-Carlton and Sagamore South Beach plan to present the final development agreement to the City of Miami Beach Commission in early summer 2024, and once approved, the City will issue a Request for Proposals to begin construction.
Noting crime and deteriorating conditions plaguing parts of Lincoln Road, Kanavos declared: “Our vision is that the activities on east Lincoln Road become the catalyst for a longer term movement to revitalize the urban core of our entire city center.”