This is a 26 story 232 multi-family unit mixed use project near Skyhouse.
Vishal Patel, Managing Partner of Magnolia Palmetto Holdings, LLC and Meghan Dietz of Baker Barrios, submitted their plans for a Courtesy Review by the Appearance Review Board of their 26-story mixed-use development project currently called Magnolia Mixed Use Tower at 319 N. Magnolia Avenue (MAP) in downtown Orlando.
The project has 232 multi-family units, around 15,875 sf of office space, around 6,000 sq ft of ground floor retail, and a 280-space parking garage. The site is 0.58 acres. There is an existing one-story office building on the site that was constructed in 1978. A Request for a Master Plan was presented at the June 18, 2019 MPB.
At the June 20th Appearance Review Board meeting the board discussed the pedestrian experience, the color of the building, the height difference of the building, as it relates to shading at Skyhouse, the gold feature on the building, and the parking space requirements.
Prior to the meeting, ARB Staff reviewed the proposed redevelopment plans and had Courtesy Review comments. Staff believed the project design, at this Courtesy Review level, still needs additional refinement. Additional attention needs to be paid to the skyline architecture so the building is unique and easily identifiable in the downtown skyline during the day and night. A prominent pedestrian entrance providing access to both the office and residential space must be provided along N Magnolia Ave. It is encouraged that the top of the building be appropriately lit in order to make the building distinct in the night time skyline.
The first floor of the building will contain retail space along the entire western frontage adjacent to N Magnolia Ave. with the leasing office located towards the rear of the building on the northeastern corner, fronting on Palmetto Ave. The remainder of Palmetto Ave. will be treated and utilized as a utility and access area with the entrance to the garage located here as well as trash and utilities. The northern and southern sides of the site will not contain any doorways, the north side fronts on an abandoned portion of Palmetto Ave. which the developer does not have rights to access and the southern side of the site abuts a 5- story office building.
The exterior design of the building consists of a large rectangular podium base with the residential units, primarily faced with glass, located on top of the podium. The applicant is proposing two vertical elements to tie the entire building together, along the eastern façade is a large rectangular element that carries from the 2nd floor of the building through the podium and all the way up to the amenity deck on the 26th floor.
A similar, but more substantial, vertical element is proposed along the western façade, carrying from the top of the building down through to the garage. This second element also wraps along the base of the garage providing a horizontal element across the western, northern and eastern facades.
There are decorative zig-zag treatments along all portions of the wrap, including the vertical portion as well.
Balconies appear on the upper floors marking the transition from the office space to the residential units on the upper floors. There is an amenity area on the top of the building. The amenity area includes several interior spaces that are capped by an angular “V” shaped roof.
At the ground level on Magnolia the project will continue streetscape treatment 2 along Magnolia that was started with the Skyhouse project.