When a project clears the Miami Beach Design Review Board, it's worth paying attention — that board sets the bar for how new buildings look, feel, and fit into the neighborhoods around them. So the recent approval of 1250 West Avenue is a meaningful moment for the West Avenue corridor, and I wanted to walk you through it.
What Was Approved
The Design Review Board has signed off on plans for a new luxury condominium at 1250 West Avenue, a waterfront site on the bay side of Miami Beach. The approved building is planned at 330 feet with 106 residences — a deliberately limited number of homes for a tower of this height, which is the headline most worth remembering here.
The project is being brought forward by Terra together with RG Development Group and GV Development, with architecture by ODP Architects.
A Smaller Building Than the Site Could Have Held
This is where the story gets interesting. The property currently holds Bay Garden Manor, a 15-story building from 1964 with 238 units. The new plan replaces those 238 units with just 106 — fewer than half.
That trade-off was intentional. The site originally carried a 150-foot height limit, and the Miami Beach City Commission agreed to allow the additional height in exchange for the developers committing to lower density and to designing and funding a new stretch of the Baywalk. In other words, the building goes taller, but it carries fewer homes and gives more back to the public realm. The team is also planning to convert a property across the street into a new public park.
For context on the investment behind it, the development site traded for roughly $120 million in September 2025.
Why the Design Matters
ODP Architects' approach leans boutique and design-forward rather than maximizing unit count. The plan emphasizes larger residences, expanded publicly accessible green space, and improvements to the Baywalk and the surrounding waterfront environment.
Terra CEO David Martin described the approval as a milestone reached through ongoing collaboration with the City, the board, and neighborhood stakeholders — and noted that the project drew support for its boutique scale, reduced density, and contributions to public open space along the water.
Thinking About Miami Beach Waterfront?
Whether you're drawn to a new development like 1250 West Avenue or weighing an existing waterfront residence, I'd love to help you navigate it. From pre-construction strategy to understanding what each building's design choices mean for long-term value, the Joelle Team is here to guide you.
Let's start the conversation — reach out today to explore Miami Beach's waterfront opportunities.
Joelle & Team | Luxury Real Estate Advisors | Miami Beach & South Florida
