Developers of Tower 155 agreed to modify the original proposal to 140 feet at its highest point and 170 condos.
Rendering provided
By Sallie James
Plans to increase the height of the proposed Tower 155 condominium project and reduce the number of units won approval from the city’s Planning and Zoning Board in December.
Developer Jim Comparato’s project at the corner of Mizner Boulevard and Boca Raton Road will rise to 140 feet at its highest point, and contain 170 upscale condos instead of 192, if Boca Raton City Council members approve the Planning and Zoning Board’s Dec. 18 recommendation.
The modifications would offer larger units with loftier views of Mizner Park. Under the proposal, the project would have 12 stories instead of nine.
“It’s a lifestyle experience we are trying to create for our downtown property,” Comparato said. “It looks right down the center of Mizner Park.”
The Tower 155 project is slated to be built on 1.25 acres instead of the minimum two acres required by the city’s interim design guidelines. However, city officials are expected to review and possibly revise the minimum parcel size requirements this month.
Downtown manager Ruby Childers has said the guidelines were never intended to exclude smaller parcels, but were put in place to require developers of small parcels to use them.
The revised project would increase structured parking from 120,124 square feet to 120,840 square feet and allow 1,105 square feet of retail on the ground floor at the southwest corner of the site.
When completed, the project would include four townhomes, 35 one-bedroom units, 100 two-bedroom units, 25 three-bedroom units and three multilevel penthouses. The units would range from 800 square feet to more than 2,400 square feet, Comparato said.
Units would cost from about $400,000 to $1 million.
“The building is something different in Boca Raton because it’s a new mixture of architectural design with an art deco flair,” Comparato said.
Tower 155 will be a “smart” building which will allow unit owners to select amenities like lighting, security, air conditioning in the same manner in which they might select an entertainment system.
The shortest part of the project will be eight stories, and include a roof deck with a pool, a bar, a Jacuzzi area and a fitness center, he said.
A sales center at 199 Boca Raton Blvd., expected to be open by Feb. 1, will display two furnished units so buyers can experience the design elements, such as 10-foot ceilings, Comparato said. Construction of Tower 155 will likely take 18 months, he said.
In addition to Tower 155, Boca Raton has three other 12-story downtown building projects:
• The Mark at CityScape, a 12-story apartment building, is set to open early this year at the southeast corner of Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway.
• Construction has begun on 12-story Via Mizner, a 366-unit apartment complex at the corner of Camino Real and Federal Highway.
• In September, the City Council approved a 12-story Hyatt hotel for the southeast corner of Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway next to the Mark at CityScape.
Boca Raton’s buildings are officially capped at nine or 10 stories (100 feet) plus some added height for decorative elements. With temporary rules, the city is allowing taller buildings if certain guidelines are met.
Only parcels that are 2 acres or larger currently are eligible for contstruction of buildings higher than 100 feet. The city may consider dropping that requirement when the City Council meets this month.
If the 2-acre minimum is dropped, more than 150 lots would become eligible for taller buildings.
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