Brickell Church Historic Boundary Shrinks for Tower
The Board's 6-1 vote removes the annex and parking lot from the historic designation next to 619 Brickell.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Commercial
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Brickell residents and preservationists watched Miami's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board vote 6-1 on November 4, 2026, to shrink the historic designation around First Presbyterian Church at 609 Brickell Ave. The change clears the way for a planned 75-story tower at 619 Brickell next door.
Why it matters
The church's school annex and parking lot will no longer count as historic, which opens the adjacent land to redevelopment and changes what a Brickell block can become. The condo association that fought the change won intervenor status, so whether the decision holds may still be contested.
The Board approved the designation change 6-1, with Board Member Emilio Bustillo casting the lone no vote, and granted the condo association intervenor status 7-0. The original 2003 historic boundary is now being redrawn around the church building and the Flagler Memorial Chapel, and the planned 619 Brickell tower will rise 75 stories.
The players
Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board
The city board that voted to approve the designation amendment and grant the condo association intervenor status.
First Presbyterian Church
The Brickell church at 609 Brickell Ave that requested the reclassification of its annex and parking lot.
IconBrickell Condominium No. Two Association
The condo association that won intervenor status and argued the annex is part of a unified historic design.
13th Floor Investments
One of the firms planning the 75-story 619 Brickell tower on land adjacent to the church.
Key International
The other firm planning the 619 Brickell tower next to the historic church site.
The details
The Board reclassified the church's school annex and parking lot as non-contributing, leaving only the church building and the Flagler Memorial Chapel inside the proposed boundary. The church asked for the change, and a court had earlier reversed a denial of the IconBrickell Condominium No. Two Association's request to intervene, which argued the annex was part of a unified design on a single platted lot. Members also rewrote the covenant so that any proposed plan changes will be reviewed by resolution under the city code's Chapter 23 standards, and one staff condition requires a report documenting the building's history.
Timeline
2003: Original historic designation boundary set for the church.
1988: Church appeared in a survey behind the Downtown Miami Multiple Resource Area nomination.
November 4, 2026: Board voted 6-1 to shrink the designation.
Beyond the 305
The Board is using Chapter 23 of the city code to decide how far a historic designation reaches when a tower is planned next door. Brickell residents will see whether this boundary shrink becomes a template for other downtown preservation fights.
If you live or work near Brickell Avenue, expect the skyline and street-level character around the church to change as the 619 Brickell tower moves forward. Watch for any appeal or further Board review, since future plan changes will come back under Chapter 23 standards.
The takeaway
A historic designation can be redrawn to exclude parts of a site, which can change what gets built next door. Keep an eye on whether the condo association appeals and on how any future 619 Brickell plan changes are reviewed under Chapter 23.
Further reading
For more on how Miami's commercial property and development are reshaping neighborhoods, explore our Commercial real estate coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..
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