A rental tower planned over a historic Edgewater church cleared an important design review last week. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, Miami's Urban Development Review Board voted 3-1 to recommend approval of 1836 Residences at 1836 Biscayne Blvd., ZoneWire reported from the meeting record.

The board is advisory. The project still needs a final OK from the city's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board because the plan includes work on the historic First Church of Christ, Scientist, at Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 19th Street.

What the board reviewed

The plan calls for a tower of more than 40 stories with 406 rental apartments, about 14,800 square feet of shops or restaurants and a parking garage base, according to ZoneWire's summary. Florida YIMBY reported that city filings show a tower about 464 feet tall. Arden Group leads the project. Arquitectonica designed it with R.J. Heisenbottle Architects.

The applicant cut its requested waivers, or exceptions to city rules, from 16 to nine. The remaining requests include fewer parking spaces than the code calls for and a smaller setback above the garage along Northeast Second Court.

What changed at the church

The new design keeps the church's east wall facing Biscayne and its north wall facing Northeast 19th Street. It also keeps a large part of the south wall that an earlier plan would have hidden. New construction would pull back from Biscayne to open that view and make room for a plaza, as we reported before the meeting. The church's roof and back wall along Northeast Second Court would come down.

The vote and the condition

The board attached one condition: the developer must restudy the colors and materials of the garage base so they look warmer and fit together better. The board also suggested adding shade trees along the street, beyond the palms in the plan, Citizen Portal and ZoneWire reported.

One board member, Gallardo, voted no because a broader restudy of the garage base was not made a condition, according to ZoneWire.

Why it matters

The site has carried tower plans for years. Florida YIMBY reported that the property sold for $20 million in late 2021 and that revised approvals with 16 waivers followed in 2022. The new version adds 16 apartments to the 390 in that earlier plan.

It would join a busy stretch of new building along Biscayne. See our guide to six projects between 30th and 36th streets. The same board meeting also approved the Magic City rental buildings in Little Haiti.

Buying or selling in Edgewater? The Miami Lookout is founded by Joe Biscaha, a Miami real estate advisor with Compass.

Front of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Miami
The church in June 2021. Source