Real Housewives of Miami star Lisa Hochstein listened as the Miami Beach Design Review Board approved her plans to build a mansion at her home on 42 Star Island Drive on Tuesday.
Preservationists argued the 88-year-old home should be saved not razed.
William Cary, assistant director of planning and zoning, said that while the city fully believes the house would qualify as an historic structure it would be "ethically inappropriate" to do that months after the Hochsteins purchased the home with plans for a new one.
"This is systemic of a much larger issue we have on the beach," said review board chair Jason Hagopian.
Last year on Miami Beach, 24 homes built prior to 1942 were demolished.
Nevertheless the board did approve the Hochstein's plan to build a new 14,000 square foot mansion to replace the 1924 house deemed an unsafe structure.
"We are going to celebrate," said Hochstein, who also said she has plans to fill the new home with a lot of children.
