Board approves Star Island home demolition

'Real Housewives of Miami' couple wants to build new home on Star Island

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The city of Miami Beach's design review board approved plans allowing a "Real Housewives of Miami" couple to demolish a mansion on Star Island and build a two-story home.

Lisa Hotchstein and her husband Leonard first brought this issue to city leaders in December, according to a staff report, and about a month later "submitted plans entitled 'Hotchstein Residence,' as prepared by Kobi Karp Architecture." They bought the 49,511 square foot lot in a foreclosure proceeding.

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READ: Design Review Board memo concerning 42 Star Island Drive

Hotchstein wants to tear the iconic 1925 mansion down to construct in its place a two-story home with a guest house on the front portion of the property and a new two-story guest house and/or gym at the rear of the property.

The couple brought architects and other experts to the meeting Tuesday who said the mansion is structurally unsound.

The board approved the Hotchstein's plan despite preservationists arguing against it.