The Real Housewives of Miami star Lisa and her husband Dr. Leonard Hochstein recently received approval to tear down their Star Island home. They bought the 8,117-square-foot home for $7.6 million. The Hochsteins believe there are many issues with the house, such as cracks in the outside walls. According to them, the historic waterfront mansion cannot be salvaged.

The Miami Design Preservation League has been fighting to keep their home intact. The home was  built in 1925 and has recently been noted as historic, thanks to the preservation league’s efforts. The original house was designed by Walter DeGarmo, a prominent Miami-based architect.

William Cary, the city’s historic preservation director, states that the house wasn’t declared historic until after the Hochsteins purchased the home, making it unethical to deny their application.

“This is the most God-awful position that our staff can be placed in,” Cary said. “It would be ethically inappropriate for another board to intervene at this time.”

The new owners of the luxury waterfront estate plan on replacing the current home with a 14,000 square-foot mansion.

“I’m ecstatic,” Lisa Hochstein said after the approval. “I’m hopeful it will be done before this summer.”

The Hochsteins still need to receive building permits.

Source: The Miami Herald