Mandarin Oriental to join city’s high-end hospitality
The Mandarin Oriental will be part of Penn-Florida’s Via Mizner
mixed-use development at the corner of Federal Highway
and Camino Real in downtown Boca Raton.
Rendering provided
By Mary Hladky
A Mandarin Oriental luxury hotel is coming to downtown Boca Raton.
The hotel, with 158 rooms and suites, will be part of the Via Mizner mixed-use project being developed by Boca Raton-Penn-Florida Cos. at Federal Highway and Camino Real.
The first phase of the project, a 366-unit upscale apartment building, is now rising from the ground.
In its Nov. 10 announcement about the hotel, Penn-Florida said it also plans 100 luxury condominiums to be called the Residences at Mandarin Oriental that will be connected to the hotel by a sky bridge. SB Architects will design the hotel and condo, which will be managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
Once completed in 2017, the hotel will be the second Mandarin Oriental in South Florida. Its highly rated Miami hotel opened in 2000. Other Mandarin Oriental hotels in the United States are in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Las Vegas.
Mandarin Oriental, known for its service and fine dining, will provide competition to the Boca Raton Resort & Club and the Hyatt hotel that is now under construction at the southeast corner of Federal Highway and Palmetto Park Road.
“It certainly is a very luxurious landmark hotel,” said Mayor Susan Haynie. “I think it would be a positive for our community.”
But Haynie, who had not reviewed the site plan as of late November, said she wants assurances that the hotel and condo will be attractive and meet all city codes in light of the controversy surrounding the appearance of The Mark at CityScape. That project next to the Hyatt is a mix of retail, offices and 208 apartments.
The hotel and condo could escape opposition from residents who have objected to some proposed downtown projects. That’s because the three Via Mizner towers will not exceed the 160-foot height limits in parts of downtown that fall under the Interim Design Guidelines implemented by the city in 2008.
“I think having a Mandarin Oriental would be good for downtown,” said Ann Witte, a financial and economic consultant who helped launch the city watchdog website BocaWatch.org and now is vice president of BocaBeautiful.org. Both organizations oppose unrestrained downtown development. “I don’t think we will fight the project.”
That said, she opposes the approval of two modifications Penn-Florida is seeking for a driveway and parking garage at the hotel and condo buildings and continues to call for the design guidelines to be scrapped.
BocaWatch chairman Al Zucaro, in a Nov. 24 online commentary, criticized the city planning and zoning board’s Nov. 19 approval of the two modifications by a 4-3 vote. He said the board should have required design changes and the city should not approve new developments until a final decision is made on keeping, amending or eliminating the design guidelines.
The city council, sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency board, will take up the matter later this year. The city also must approve amendments to Via Mizner’s original plans that did not include the hotel and condos.
The hotel will have a rooftop restaurant, outdoor terrace and bar, banquet and meeting space, ballroom, fitness center, spa and rooftop pool.
Via Mizner also will include retail, offices, restaurants and a private club.
“Via Mizner will be one of the premier mixed-use projects in the country and Mandarin Oriental will raise the bar for hospitality and contemporary living in South Florida,” Mark Gensheimer, Penn-Florida president and CEO, said in a statement.
Penn-Florida has developed many projects in Boca Raton, including One City Centre at 1 North Federal Hwy. and Atrium Financial Center at 1515 North Federal Hwy. Its proposed University Village is working its way through city approvals. The project on nearly 80 acres at Interstate 95 and Spanish River Boulevard would include residential units, retail and office space.
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