The Helen Mar Apartment Hotel, located at 2421 Lake Pancoast Drive, was designed by Robert E. Collins in 1936 for its owner, John Marsa. The name "Helen Mar" is believed to derive from Mr. Marsa’s mother, Helen, with "Mar" being both part of his surname and the Spanish word for sea. The building's stucco facade featured black vitrolite horizontal bands, and its elaborate parapet was accented with individual balconeys projecting from the windows. Inside, the building boasted ceilings over 10 feet high, fluted columns, and stylized crown moldings. The front entrance could also be accessed via a footbridge spanning Lake Pancoast.

In later years, the building was renamed The Pancoast Plaza. In 1987, Tony-winning Broadway producer Michael Harvey purchased the building for $1.4 million. He invested an additional $250,000 to convert the 86 apartments into condominiums and refurbish the grounds, also restoring the original name, Helen Mar. Although Harvey lived on the Beach between 1950 and 1955, he only came to fully appreciate South Beach's uniqueness much later.

For a long time, the building's owners did not prioritize preserving its artistic design. During renovations, many architectural elements were found covered in paint and other materials. However, the final restoration project successfully preserved many of the original Art Deco design elements.

Mdt Tompkins recalls, “I completely renovated the entire building in the mid-90s, including the grounds and pool. It’s a really interesting building—for instance, the basement is designed to flood with every high tide. It has holes in the floor connected to a French drain system. I believe there are pile footers 30 feet deep into the hard clay and limestone. Built before modern building principles like tremie slabs, it’s stood for over 85 years and has undergone major restorations. During our restoration, we found various artifacts, including Navy documents from WWII when it was used as barracks for officers on leave. It’s a fascinating building with a rich history!”