Paco Martinez Has Appealed The Babylon Apartments’ Historic Designation

July 21, 2016

Photo via Flickr/ Phillip Pessar

Paco Martinez, short for Francisco “Paco” Martinez, the owner of the little red building on Brickell Bay Drive called the Babylon Apartments, is not happy about what’s happened to his plans to demolish. On July 5th the City of Miami Historic Preservation Board officially designated the Babylon in acknowledgement of its pioneering postmodernist design. Demolition was averted, almost. With only 15 days to appeal the decision before it became official, Martinez finally appealed yesterday, the day before the deadline, according to the Miami’s historic preservation office. Back in limbo, the appeal brings the Babylon in front of city commissioners, who will decide its destiny a few months from now.