The future of Apple's Miami Beach store on Lincoln Road was uncertain after preservationists wouldn't allow the company to demolish a building in a protected historic district for a new shop, The Miami Herald reported.
In June, Apple submitted a proposal to demolish the building to construct a new store. The newspaper reported that Apple said its Art Deco building of four years was too small.
But the new, glass-enclosed cube design meant t the company had to tear down a building in a protected historic district. Preservationists argued that demolishing the building would destroy what has drawn people to the area, which is the Art Deco architecture.
Members of the city's preservation board praised the design but did not agree with the demolition.
The board returned the application to Apple and told the company to incorporate some part of the old building into the new design, the newspaper reported. But Apple withdrew their application in September, the Herald reported.
The Herald said an Apple spokeswoman wouldn't comment.
"We worked on a variety of options," said Herb Sosa, chariman of the preservation board, told the Herald.
Some property owners worried that if Apple moved, it would drive away a large number of people who come to the area, according to the Herald.
“Not every building that has one original cinder block left has to be saved," Lyle Stern, who is redeveloping the Lincoln Theater, told the newspaper.
Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower said the company told her that there were no plans of leaving the area.
"It was unfortunate what happened," Bower told the newspaper. “I made the overture because they are good people to have in Miami Beach. They bring people here. I said I would help in any way to make them happy, and they assured me they’re going to stay."
A call to Apple from NBC Miami was not immediately returned.
