Miami Beach's Historic Preservation Board will take up a continued application for three digital kiosks proposed for sidewalks in two of the city's historic districts.

IKE Smart City, the Columbus, Ohio-based company that had 12 kiosks installed along Lincoln Road, Washington Avenue, 5th Street and Convention Center Drive as of April 2026, wants to add three more. The proposed sites are Washington Avenue and 12th Street, Washington Avenue and 8th Street, and Española Way and Drexel Avenue. The application appears as an open and continued item on the board's Tuesday, Oct. 13 agenda. The hybrid meeting begins at 9 a.m. in Commission Chambers, with a Zoom option available.

Board revisits application first heard in April

The hearing is a continuation of a session that began April 14.

At that earlier meeting, city planning staff recommended approving the two Washington Avenue kiosks with conditions and asked that the Española Way location be continued to a future date at the applicant's request. Both Washington Avenue sites sit within the Flamingo Park Historic District. The board's final action on the two Washington Avenue locations at the April 14 hearing could not be confirmed from available records.

Wave-shaped kiosks designed for historic districts

Each proposed unit is an IKE "Wave Part" kiosk designed by architect William Lane. According to IKE's April 14 presentation, the structures stand about 8 feet 4 inches tall and roughly 46 inches wide. They feature dual 65-inch touchscreens, free Wi-Fi and an optional emergency call system. Lane described the wave-shaped cabinet profile as echoing ocean waves and sand dunes.

Staff flagged a tension in their April analysis: placing a uniform kiosk design across multiple corridors "introduces considerations related to uniformity and contextual variation, particularly within historic districts and architecturally sensitive areas." Staff also noted that the growing number of street-level installations "incrementally affects the overall clarity, organization, and visual continuity of the pedestrian environment."

Total sidewalk width varies sharply between the two Washington Avenue spots. The 8th Street location has roughly 21 feet 6 inches of total sidewalk width. The 12th Street site, near Old City Hall, has about 11 feet 9 inches. Unobstructed pedestrian clearance at each site was not specified in the staff report.

City authorized new locations in December

The Washington Avenue Business Improvement District requested the new locations, according to IKE's presentation. The City Commission authorized them on Dec. 17, 2025, through Resolution No. 2025-34035. Under the city's agreement with IKE, the company covers all installation, maintenance and operational costs. The city can require IKE to move or remove any kiosk at no public expense.

The seven-member board is chaired by Linsey Lovell. It includes representatives from the Miami Design Preservation League and Dade Heritage Trust and has authority to grant or deny certificates of appropriateness for structures in public rights-of-way inside locally designated historic districts.

Residents can attend the Oct. 13 hearing in person or join via Zoom. The board's next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10.