Another 28 Story Building
July 24, 2019
WEST PALM BEACH — The Community Redevelopment Agency approved a letter of intent Monday that calls for a luxury office tower about 28 stories tall to be developed at the vacant tent site astride the Okeechobee Boulevard entrance to downtown West Palm Beach. At roughly 388 feet, the building would be among the city’s tallest. The letter of intent includes unusual phrasing as far as building height goes. It says the maximum 40-foot height of the lobby “shall not be included in calculating height or story restrictions for the project, and may include a mezzanine level. The non-binding plan calls for Cohen Brothers Realty Corp. to build up to 490,000 square feet of office space, with ground floor shops or eateries and up to 1,800 parking spaces. The building’s 24 office floors would sit atop a lobby as much as 40-feet high. The project would include public art, energy efficiencies, “distinctive landscaping/green space, distinctive architectural elements, double-wide sidewalks and community-serving retail.” Read the story below.
WEST PALM BEACH — “City officials hope a world class architect will turn the dusty tent site into a defining structure, a tower that provides much-needed top-flight offices, while serving as a landmark entry to West Palm Beach’s downtown.
Developer Charles Cohen hopes to fit that bill by assigning to it architect Cesar Pelli, whose firm has designed some of the world’s tallest and most notable skyscrapers, from the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur to New York’s World Financial Center.”
“Architect César Pelli, designer of NYC’s World Financial Center, dies at 92.”
https://ny.curbed.com/2019/7/22/20703980/cesar-pelli-architect-world-financial-center
So here we are another mega building being build in WPB. Does the city have an alternative? One resident believes so, and I like the idea.
“A Cultural Center and Public Park in the heart of our city are needed to fill the gap between the library and the convention center.” Please read the entire opinion below written by Harriet Janensch of WPB who was allowed 200 words and wanted to mention the disruptive construction that would continue in our city. Two words too many, so I am happy to add them here.
I had a conversation with Ms. Janensch and she mentions Mizner Park in Boca Raton. When I googled it I was very impressed with the area and what Boca had done for it’s residents. I am posting a picture and there are many more I hope you take the time to view them at the link below.
Story below concerns Jon Ward who oversees the WPB CRA and will sell this development to City Commissioners