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Downtown Orlando Developments

PMG cancels groundbreaking ceremony for Society Orlando tower due to pandemic

Growthspotter
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This is a view of the Social Orlando's first two towers looking east from the Lynx/SunRail station. The developer canceled a scheduled groundbreaking ceremony in light of the Coronavirus pandemic.

This is a view of the Social Orlando's first two towers looking east from the Lynx/SunRail station. The developer canceled a scheduled groundbreaking ceremony in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. (PMG)

Property Markets Group has canceled the groundbreaking ceremony planned for March 18 of its Society-branded mixed-use tower in downtown Orlando due to the the Coronavirus pandemic.

The New York-based developer has already broken ground on the first two phases of the project formerly known as “X Orlando” at 434 N Orange Ave. The mixed-use, tri-tower project will occupy a full city block next to the Bank of America tower and adjacent to the Lynx Central SunRail station.

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“Orlando has transformed over the last decade and become one of the leading multi-family markets in the country,” said Ryan Shear, Managing Partner of PMG, in a release. “Orlando has become a thriving destination of professionals, and Society Orlando is going to support the city’s continued growth.”

Developed in partnership with New York-based Raven Capital Management, Society Orlando is the largest residential project in downtown Orlando to date. The first two towers of the 1.5M+-square-foot development are slated for completion in Q4 2022 and will include 464 rental apartments and approximately 70,000 square feet of commercial space. Society Orlando is located at 434 N Orange Avenue next to the Orange County Courthouse.

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The ground-level food hall and loft-style co-working space are seen as amenities for the Society Orlando residents.

The ground-level food hall and loft-style co-working space are seen as amenities for the Society Orlando residents. (Handout)

Amenities at Society Orlando will include co-working spaces, a modern gym and fitness studio with frequent group classes, social lounge and dining hall, smart package lockers, self-service mini-market, and more.

“We’re excited about the continued growth of our national multifamily platform as well as our partnership with PMG,” James Masciello, Principal and Portfolio Manager of Raven, said in a release. “Society Orlando is a unique project that we expect will become the epicenter of Orlando’s growing downtown community.

The city's Appearance Review Board had approved the concept that included greenery along the balconies and across large swaths of the building's exterior. The feature was eliminated in the final design.

The city's Appearance Review Board had approved the concept that included greenery along the balconies and across large swaths of the building's exterior. The feature was eliminated in the final design. (Property Markets Group)

The Society brand offers housing options with rents within reach for residents in emerging urban cores, included among them are traditional units with efficient layouts, co-living options, and oversized amenities that host events promoting culture, wellness, growth and togetherness.

The building design, led by architect Adam Berkelhamer and Baker Barrios, was one of the most hotly debated projects in recent years. Earlier iterations included an elaborate “living wall” concept that ultimately got nixed as part of a three-way settlement among the developer, the city and the owners of the adjacent Central Station apartments.

The developer made several revisions to the building’s west elevation along Gertrude’s Walk, at the request of the city’s Appearance Review Board who felt the first draft was less dynamic. Those included adding ground-level retail facing the SunRail station to activate the space and wrapping the parking garage with living units to avoid a “back of the building” appearance.

Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at lkinsler@GrowthSpotter.com or (407) 420-6261, or tweet me at @LKinslerOGrowth. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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