Downtown board approves Daytona condo plans

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March 15, 2006

Downtown board approves Daytona condo plans

By CINDY F. CRAWFORD
Staff Writer

DAYTONA BEACH -- The days of talking about paint colors and adjourning in a half hour are over for the Downtown-Ballough Redevelopment Board.

Now that the city's downtown riverfront area has been discovered, it took the board two hours Tuesday to approve three major projects, including a seven-story loft, an eight-story condo-townhouse mix and a marina project with two 26-story towers.

The developments received rave reviews -- and unanimous approval, two for conceptual designs -- from the eight members present. But while board member and City Commissioner Shiela McKay said those projects were worthy, she cautioned her colleagues to resist the temptation to accept every project brought before them.

"We're getting a little desperate in Daytona Beach, thinking that if we don't take projects, nothing else will come," she said. "Yes, they will."

The board accepted conceptual plans for the largest project proposed Tuesday. Marina Point II would have two 26-story towers and replace Daytona Marina and Boat Works, south of Halifax Harbor Marina on Beach Street.

The condos would have 200 units at a price Key Real Estate Development representatives weren't willing to give out just yet. Before building the $90 million project that includes a marina, the Miami-based developers need approval from the Planning Board and City Commission to rezone the property from industrial to multifamily.

Local developer Jack White received a preliminary nod to move ahead on designs for a second loft project on Magnolia and Palmetto avenues. With his first project, Wall Street Lofts, nearly finished, White went before the board with conceptual plans for The William, a seven-story commercial-condo.

Downsized from two towers to one, The William would have 38 units above 6,600 square feet of retail space and measure in at twice the size of Wall Street Lofts. But first, White needs Planning Board and City Commission approval to rezone the property.

The redevelopment board gave a final stamp of approval to the Cosmopolitan, an eight-story condo-townhouse that would replace biker shops at Michigan Avenue and sit next to the twin-tower Beach Street Condos, which have received final approval.

On 5.4 acres, the 195-unit project will vary in height throughout, with the shortest, two-story lofts facing the neighborhoods on the west side to fit in with the single-family homes behind it, said Gerald Koi, architect representing Morris J. Kaplan developers. The Planning Board and City Commission have to give the final OK.