Fate of Al Capone’s former home uncertain after new owner hires an architect
The new owner of Al Capone’s former house has enlisted an architect, raising questions about the preservation of the waterfront residence on Palm Island.
Representatives for the undisclosed buyer told The Miami Herald that all options remain on the table.
“Our client is still in the due diligence period and is working with various consultants and architects to explore all available options for the property,” said lawyer Ian DeMello from Shubin and Bass.
The buyer, under the name 93 Palm Ave. LLC, acquired the Capone residence in September for $15.5 million. The buyer purchased the home just a month after it was acquired for $10.75 million by developer Todd Michael Glaser and partner Nelson Gonzalez, senior vice president of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM.
Glaser and Nelson had proposed to demolish and redevelop the site, causing an uproar among preservationists.
The new owner requested that the Historic Preservation Board delay its plan to recommend historic designation for the house until January, according to the Miami Beach Design and Preservation Manager Debbie Tackett. She spoke about the new owner during the Historic Preservation Board meeting on Tuesday and said the owner has no specific plans yet for the site.
“The new property owner has employees maintaining the site, which I thought that was a good sign,” Tackett said. “The property is not being neglected.”
The board planned to discuss whether to instruct the city’s planning department to prepare a historic designation report. The board unanimously agreed to delay discussing the report on the former Capone residence until January.
Historic designation would prevent any owner from demolishing the residence. In the past, other historically designated houses have been saved from demolition or relocated, including a Walter DeGarmo-designed house on Star Island.
This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 3:52 PM.
