The plans for the 384-unit Mizner 200 condo complex have been through a few revisions.
Rendering provided
By Mary Hladky
Nearly three years after a developer first proposed a luxury condominium now named Mizner 200, the city’s most controversial downtown project has gained approvals from two boards.
The only hurdle remaining for the 384-unit condo is a July 24 vote of the City Council, sitting as Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners.
The relief of developer Elad National Properties and architect GarciaStromberg /GS4Studios was palpable after the Community Appearance Board’s 5-2 vote in favor of the project May 16.
“You do not know the joy that brought us, that that was the last thing we had to deal with,” GarciaStromberg CEO Jorge Garcia told Planning and Zoning Board members two days later, after explaining his agreement to make two minor design changes CAB members requested.
Minutes later, the Planning and Zoning Board gave the project its blessing with a 5-1 vote.
John Gore, president of BocaBeautiful.org which opposes the project, said his citizens group still thinks it is too massive.
“We think it is the last nail in the coffin as far as downtown development is concerned, because if they can build a building like this — twisting the interpretation of 4035 — they can build anything,” he said, referring to the city ordinance that governs downtown development.
Gore is far from conceding defeat, saying he always expected the two boards to recommend approval.
Mizner 200 “is going to where the real battle is going to take place. That is the City Council,” he said.
Downtown Boca Raton has experienced a surge of development recently, causing angst for many residents who decry what they see as the changing character of their city and the erosion of the city’s signature Addison Mizner architectural style.
But while they blasted projects such as the mixed-use Mark at CityScape, at the southeast corner of Federal Highway and Palmetto Park Road, their most vehement opposition was aimed at Mizner 200.
Elad stunned downtown residents in September 2014 when it unveiled plans for 500 luxury condos designed by “starchitect” Daniel Libeskind. The proposed project’s four towers rose as high as 30 stories, well exceeding downtown height limits.
When that concept drew no support, Elad ditched Libeskind and hired GarciaStromberg. The West Palm Beach firm has since revised the project four times, with the last two iterations right in line with what the city allows.
The project would replace Mizner on the Green’s 246 rental units on nearly 9 acres along Southeast Mizner Boulevard. The design changes cut square footage by 10 percent, decreased the average unit size, increased setbacks and added more green space.
At nine stories, Mizner 200 meets the building height limit for that part of downtown. Two levels of parking will be underground and on the ground floor. Building materials will include smooth and textured stucco, stone accents, wood-look trellis and slate tile roof.
The project is set back from the road to accommodate a promenade with covered walkways, trellised sitting zones, pocket parks and shade and palm trees.
To overcome objections that the project is too massive, the architect divided Mizner 200 into three sections that allow views eastward to a golf course and the ocean. The central section will sit 170 feet back from Mizner Boulevard.
Even so, objectors say Mizner 200, at more than 800 feet long, is still far too large.
Many of its sharpest critics live in the Townsend Place condominium immediately to the south of the proposed project. They complain that Mizner 200 will sit so close to their condo’s north building that owners will lose eastward views and sunlight, reducing their property values.
They have been joined by Investments Limited, a prominent city developer planning a makeover of its Royal Palm Place shopping and dining destination on the west side of Mizner Boulevard. Royal Palm Place also would lose views and its residential component would compete with Mizner 200.
Opponents, wearing red-and-white “No Mizner 200” badges, jammed the CAB meeting.
“Townsend Place is against this project … as it is now constituted,” said Craig Sherman, the condo’s president. “It is too close to Townsend Place. Something with less buildings and less mass might serve the purpose …”
Joel Cohen, another Townsend Place resident, described Mizner 200 as a “large monstrosity.”
Robert Eisen, a land-use consultant with Investments Limited, said while the architect has made design improvements, the project is too big and violates the city’s urban design policy.
“This one large building is contrary to the image and brand that has been developed in the downtown,” he said. “This building is just plainly too big …”
The city’s urban design consultants, though, concluded that the project passed muster, as did the city’s planning staff.
Calvin, Giordano & Associates concluded in January that Mizner 200 complied with city ordinance 4035 across the board. But after the city hired a new consultant, The Mellgren Planning Group, city officials asked that it, too, review the project.
After initially determining that changes were needed, TMPG met with GarciaStromberg president Peter Stromberg, who outlined design revisions that already had been made. He also presented three-dimensional renderings and a digital model of the project that convinced TMPG the project complied with the ordinance.
“The detail readily apparent in the graphically rich renderings demonstrated a careful attention to design quality and an understanding of the level of craft Addison Mizner incorporated into his works,” the consultant wrote in a memorandum to the city.
Two CAB members wanted to withhold approval so the architect could revise Mizner 200 once again. But the majority voted in favor after the developer agreed to two changes — eliminating trellises on the north and south ends and putting shade trees along the street rather than palm trees. The architect warned, however, that the location of utility lines may not allow the location of shade trees and palms to be switched.
Fewer project opponents attended the Planning and Zoning Board meeting on May 18, and seven residents stepped forward to support it.
“Mizner 200 is a great improvement to what is there today …” said one resident. “I think this is a beautiful project.”
The board asked few questions before voting its approval, with the condition that the developer add an element such as planters near the curb to help protect pedestrians on the promenade from fast moving cars.
Mizner 200 is the last major project in the downtown awaiting a final decision by the CRA. Investments Limited has not yet submitted plans to the city for Royal Palm Place.
Two approved projects — luxury condo Tower 155 and the Mandarin Oriental hotel and Residences at Mandarin Oriental — have yet to be completed.
Very little land is available for more big projects, but the downtown will continue to evolve as landowners decide to redevelop what already exists.
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