Court Orders New Preservation Hearing for 619 Brickell's 75-Story Tower

• A Miami court has ordered a new hearing on the historic designation boundaries surrounding the First Presbyterian Church of Miami, adding another approval step for 619 Brickell.
• The proposed 75-story waterfront condominium tower would include 296 residences and about 90,000 square feet of private amenities.
• 13th Floor Investments and Key International are developing the project, with Foster + Partners designing the tower in collaboration with Sieger Suarez Architects.
• The court ruling does not cancel the tower or its other approvals. It requires Miami's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board to reconsider the change that opened part of the church property for redevelopment.

What The Court Ruling Changes for 619 Brickell

A Miami court has sent part of the approval process for 619 Brickell by Nobu back to the city's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board, reopening a dispute over the historic boundaries of the First Presbyterian Church property. The church, located at 609 Brickell Avenue, was designated historic in 2003. In 2024, the preservation board approved changes that narrowed the protected area to the church's 1949 sanctuary, while removing the educational annex, parking area and portions of the property behind the sanctuary from the designation. That change was important to the development because it allowed the non-contributing portions of the site to be considered for redevelopment while keeping the historic sanctuary protected. Neighbors and condominium associations challenged the process. The latest court ruling requires the preservation board to hold another hearing and vote on the boundary changes. It does not, however, invalidate the 619 Brickell tower itself or its other development approvals.

What 619 Brickell Is Planned to Include

The current plan calls for a 75-story waterfront residential tower with 296 residences. The project is being developed by 13th Floor Investments and Key International and is the first residential project in Miami associated with Nobu Hospitality. The tower will offer a mix of residences, including one- to five-bedroom homes, sky villas and penthouses. Current project materials place the residences between roughly 1,160 and 5,526 square feet, with pricing at launch ranging from about $3 million to $60 million. The development is also planned with more than 90,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities. The amenity program includes multiple pools, a wellness and fitness center, padel courts, sports and entertainment spaces, landscaped areas and a rooftop garden.

What The Design Brings to Brickell

Foster + Partners designed the tower in collaboration with Sieger Suarez Architects, using a gently twisting form made up of stacked residential floor plates and curved terraces. The design is intended to maximize natural light and bay views while creating a distinctive silhouette on the Brickell skyline. The building will rise behind the existing church sanctuary, creating a transition between the historic property, Brickell Avenue and Biscayne Bay. At ground level, the plans include a circular Nobu restaurant overlooking the waterfront. Nobu's involvement extends beyond the restaurant. The hospitality brand is also developing the project's wellness and residential experience, including a spa, fitness facilities, poolside dining and other services. The development team has announced a $25 million investment in wellness and longevity programming.

What The Historic Church Means for the Project

The relationship between the new tower and the First Presbyterian Church is one of the most important parts of the development. The current plans preserve the historic sanctuary while allowing the waterfront portion of the property to be redeveloped. The preservation dispute therefore centers on the boundaries of the historic designation, rather than whether the 619 Brickell tower should exist. A new hearing could affect how the city handles the portions of the property that were removed from the historic designation, making the upcoming board review an important milestone for the project.

What Comes Next for 619 Brickell

The new hearing adds another step to a project that has otherwise continued moving through Miami's development process. Sales for 619 Brickell launched in 2026, and the development team has continued marketing the project as a major new branded residential addition to the Brickell waterfront. For Miami's development market, the project is notable not only because of its scale but also because of the combination of Foster + Partners architecture, Nobu Hospitality and a protected historic church site. The next preservation board hearing will determine how the city's historic designation is handled while the broader tower plans continue to move forward.