1008 East Ponce Proposed to Bring 67 Units to Northern End of Coral Gables
The northern edge of Coral Gables is continuing its historic swing toward densification, and another multifamily proposal has just joined the pack. 1008 E Ponce de Leon Boulevard, LLC, which is associated with T.A. Builders, has proposed a 12-story development known as 1008 East Ponce, set to include 67 luxury units. The project is on track to go before the city’s Development Review Committee on November 20th. The proposal arrives amid a surge of activity nearby. It would be one of six multifamily developments of at least five floors rising in the area, with one already under construction and several more gearing up to start soon. The developer has controlled the half-acre property at 1008 E Ponce de Leon Boulevard since 2016, when it bought the site for $2.825 million. To lay the groundwork for redevelopment, the project’s attorney described the existing site as “aging” and called the new building a “very high-quality project.” Inside, the 67 units would span one-bedrooms, one-bedrooms plus den, two-bedrooms ,and three-bedrooms, along with three live-work units on the ground floor. Amenities include a fitness center, a rooftop pool, public terraces and lounge space, plus other indoor uses that have not yet been named. On paper, the ground floor includes 6,535 square feet of retail, but don’t picture storefronts. That total is built from a fitness center, a leasing office and the live-work units, which serve residents or function as amenity space instead of drawing in shoppers. Outside, the plans call for wider sidewalks, added greenery, and other streetscape improvements. Parking sits overhead, with 110 spaces tucked inside a concealed podium. From there, the building climbs 126 feet to the roof, or close to 140 feet counting an ornamental crown. Its elevations (prepared by the project’s architect, Behar Font) follow the Mediterranean Revival theme common among developments in the city, and the design leans heavily into ornament, with cornices, arches, columns, concrete brackets and more. The facade is largely white stucco, along with metal balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. Because the project requires a zoning amendment, a comprehensive plan map amendment, and mixed-use site plan approval, it will ultimately go to a City Commission vote, and the neighborhood’s history means that vote may not be a guarantee. Development in North Coral Gables has historically drawn pushback, and parts of the area remain relatively low-rise, with apartment buildings commonly topping out at three floors. Crystal Residences, just steps away, has faced continued opposition from nearby residents. Whether 1008 East Ponce would meet the same reception in a city where development is frequently contested remains unknown. The developer’s attorney, for their part, makes the case for approval in unambiguous terms. They describe the property, which fronts East Ponce de Leon Boulevard, as “the ideal infill opportunity” and argue that granting the requested changes would put an underutilized site to its best use, delivering “maximum public benefit with minimal impact” through a mix of uses and public open space.
13-Story Office Tower Proposed at 283 Catalonia Avenue in Downtown Coral Gables
South Florida’s office boom looks set to continue in Coral Gables, where a developer is betting on a new 13-story tower in the city’s core. 283 Catalonia Realty, LLC, which is associated with Constellation Realty, has just unveiled plans for the building at 283 Catalonia Avenue. The project is scheduled to go before the city’s Development Review Committee in a few weeks, and if it makes it through a lengthy approval process, it would deliver 83,335 square feet of Class A office space to the area. The tower would replace a three-parcel assemblage currently occupied by a two-story office building. The developer bought the properties for $6.1 million in 2015 and is only now bringing forward a proposal for the site. To make a development of this scale possible, the project is seeking multiple changes to existing zoning, including a variance, a Future Land Use Map amendment, a zoning amendment and a transfer of development rights, among other requests. The Specifics Office space would fill the upper levels, with 83,335 square feet spread across floors 8 to 13. The building would also hold 10,723 square feet of retail, including 3,977 square feet on the rooftop, where a padel court would stand as one of the few amenities set aside for workers. Parking is built into the podium, with 311 vehicle spaces and six bicycle spaces spread across levels 1 through 7 to serve both office and retail users. In a letter, the project’s attorney makes the case that the tower would strengthen Downtown Coral Gables. The new Class A office space and retail, the letter argues, would attract businesses and professionals, bring more foot traffic and support nearby restaurants and shops, while broadening the commercial tax base. The attorney calls the project “a significant investment” in the downtown’s growth and says it would help the area evolve into a more walkable, economically thriving urban center that complements existing and planned development. Arquitectonica’s design for the tower pairs traditional and modern architectural motifs. The exterior would be clad in stone, stucco, bronze framing and clear glass, set in a palette of beiges and browns, with cornices punctuating select portions of the facade. The garage gets its own treatment. Instead of leaving the parking levels exposed, the design wraps the podium in the same stone and stucco and adds spandrel glass, opaque panels that mimic windows, so the base gives the impression of an active use rather than a parking structure. The 13-story structure would rise 193 feet to its tallest point, with each office floor featuring generous 15-foot ceilings. Though it would not be the tallest building in Coral Gables, it would add another large structure to a downtown that has been expanding for decades. Just nearby, an 11-story luxury high-rise known as Ponce Park Residences is already rising. Because the project requires multiple zoning changes, it must pass through several boards after the DRC review before reaching a final vote at the City Commission. Floridian Development believes approval, given minor changes, is likely, since the project is contextually aware, mixed-use, and carries other benefiting factors.