B
illionaire Russell Weiner is building a waterfront estate in Miami Beach after acquiring several properties on Pine Tree Drive. However, neighbors are raising concerns about the construction process and preservation of historic structures on the site. Weiner spent around $1 million relocating a 1920s estate at 5011 Pine Tree Drive, which was deemed architecturally significant in 2020, to make way for a new 30,000-square-foot main mansion. A guest estate is planned for two doors down.

    The project's total cost is expected to exceed $100 million. Weiner acquired the properties from David and Leila Centner in late 2021 for over $35 million. The previous owners had obtained approval from the Miami Beach Design Review Board for renovations, but neighbors claim Weiner used loopholes to begin construction without a master permit.

    A private provider was used for some of the construction, which is allowed under Florida law. However, neighbors point to alleged forgery of a notarized notice of commencement filed with Miami-Dade County earlier this year. The county's Recorder's office said the documents were valid at the time they were recorded but couldn't explain the delay between signing and submission.

    Weiner has denied allegations that he used loopholes to build without a master permit, stating that he saved the Collins estate at great expense to preserve its history. He is using some of the same team as the previous owners and has permits for structural work and relocation on the Collins estate. However, neighbors claim very little remains of the original structures.

    The city requires that significant exterior architectural characteristics remain intact, but what is deemed acceptable can be subjective. Daniel Ciraldo from the Miami Design Preservation League said intensive construction often involves replacing and reconstructing elements, which may not result in a perfectly restored structure.