Terra's 28-Story South Beach Tower Awaits Design Board Vote

Miami-based Terra Development advances its ambitious South Beach luxury condominium project as the Miami Beach Design Review Board prepares to vote Thursday on the proposed 28-story tower at 1250 West Avenue.

Terra CEO David Martin assumed control of the bayfront development last year, following the exit of Michael Stern's JDS Development Group. The project encompasses a nearly 2-acre site where Martin plans to construct 106 luxury residential units, replacing the existing Bay Garden Manor condominium complex.

The tower design spans approximately 480,000 square feet with a floor area ratio of 5.75, reaching nearly 330 feet in height. Individual units will average close to 2,500 square feet, while the building incorporates 250 parking spaces to serve residents.

Hollywood-based ODP Architects leads the architectural design for the luxury development. The project benefits from controversial zoning approvals secured last summer during a special Miami Beach City Commission meeting, allowing for increased height and reduced width parameters.

The development required a substantial $120 million buyout of the Bay Garden property, which included acquiring the adjacent Bikini Hostel at 1247 West Avenue. Under the agreement terms, Terra will transfer the hostel property to Miami Beach for conversion into public parkland.

As part of the comprehensive development package, Terra and its partners will handle the design, permitting, and construction of baywalk segments connecting to the broader waterfront infrastructure. The new tower will stand adjacent to the JDS-developed Monad Terrace luxury condominium, creating a corridor of high-end residential properties along the bayfront.

Martin's involvement extends beyond this single project. During the same June commission meeting, he secured upzoning approval for the Deauville Beach Resort property at 6701 Collins Avenue, where he holds a 25 percent ownership stake valued at approximately $500 million.

However, legal challenges have emerged regarding the Deauville project. The Meruelo family, majority owners of the property, filed suit against Martin last month. The complaint alleges that Martin and Richard Meruelo manipulated family matriarch Belinda Meruelo into selling her 25 percent stake for $12.5 million, significantly below market value. The lawsuit claims fraud and breach of fiduciary duty, suggesting the defendants exploited Belinda's vulnerable state following her son's death.

The litigation has created uncertainty around the timeline for Deauville's redevelopment, though the West Avenue project continues moving through the approval process. Miami Beach's Design Review Board vote represents a critical milestone for Terra's luxury tower ambitions in one of South Florida's most coveted waterfront locations.