:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/6G3XOXMKGZG5JAZAHKXLU4JG4A.PNG)
Sunrise City, a 238-acre mixed-use district in the heart of Kissimmee’s tourism corridor, will approach buildout in 2020 with a new shops and restaurants and three luxury apartment communities that will be under construction simultaneously.
Orlando’s Intram Investments, master developer of the community on S.R. 535/Vineland Road, sold three major parcels within the community last year to different multifamily developers for a combined $45.45 million. They would join Integra Sunrise Parc, which was completed in 2018. One project, the $70 million Prime at Sunrise by Tampa-based 2nd Wave Development, has been underway since June 2019 and is scheduled for completion this summer.
Two more firms filed Site Development Plans in recent months and are in for building permits. The three new communities will deliver more than 1,100 Class A rental units to Sunrise City.
“Sunrise City offers a great mix of retailers and restaurants plus Publix is within walking distance from the apartment projects," Intram Vice President Randy Hodge said. "With all the roads that converge near the site, the Project is well positioned to provide an easy commute for families that have one member that works in the theme park area and another that works near the airport or in Medical City.”
In early 2019, an affiliate of Northwood Ravin and Tampa-based Framework Group paid $25 million for 45-plus acres immediately east of the shopping center and straddling both sides of Sunrise City Drive. The same development team made their Orlando market entry with the 309-unit Solstice community just east of Vineland Premium Outlets.
Their plan for the Kissimmee site calls for a total of 465 apartments divided among two complexes. The smaller parcel north of Sunrise City Drive would feature a combination multi-story buildings of garden-style flats and carriage house units. It would have its own pool/recreation area, dog park and a 6,125-square-foot clubhouse and fitness center. The site plan submitted by Hanson Walter & Associates also shows a designated area for ride-sharing services.
The larger parcel to the south features five multi-story residential buildings with an even larger clubhouse: 17,175 square feet, with a fitness center and 1,500-square-foot gaming center. Outdoor amenities include a pool and spa surrounded by cabanas, and a separate lazy river – the first of its kind in an Orlando rental community.
“As far as amenities go, that’s pretty amazing,” said Luke Wickham, a senior vice president at CBRE who specializes in investment sales. He said Solstice was one of the nicest communities to be built in this market in recent years, and the lazy river will be a strong selling point.
“It’ll help set a new bar,” Wickham said. “People will love having it as an amenity, so you should be able to get higher rents and, in competitive market, stand out.”
There’s also a half-acre dog park and adjacent passive recreation area, and a walking trail encircles a large pond on the other side of property. This community also has a rideshare pick-up zone. Hanson Walter & Associates is the civil engineer;
In December, Lantower Residential, a Dallas-based multifamily developer and operator, filed an SDP and applied for building permits for the 321-unit complex in the Sunrise City. Lantower bought the 41-acre site in February from Integra Land Co., the first multifamily developer at Sunrise City, which exercised its right of first refusal on the site.
Chief Operating Officer Philippe LaPointe told GrowthSpotter this is the first phase of development within the community and comprises about 12 acres of the site. The submitted site plan calls for six 4-story multifamily buildings and four clusters of carriage-style apartments, along with a clubhouse, resort pool and two more courtyard-style outdoor amenity areas.
“We have taken the position that tenants want a very large, state-of-the-art gym and clubhouse with a best-in-class kitchen for entertaining their friends,” LaPointe said. “They’d rather have one exceptional pool that’s the center of the property than to have two pools.”
The Lantower community will have a pet park and pet spa, he said. But don’t expect to see gaming areas, golf simulators or other amenities that, in their experience, are rarely used.
Lantower Residential, a subsidiary of H&R REIT, already has a footprint in Central Florida through recent acquisitions, such as the former Alta Grande apartments across from the J.W. Marriott Orlando. Lantower is wrapping up construction on a new multifamily community in Miami, but this one is its first in Orlando. The company engaged Charlan Brock to design the complex, along with Hanson Walter. Forum Architecture & Interior Design is the interior designer.
“The units are going to be very well done, modern and luxurious,” LaPointe said. “They’re some of the nicest we’ve ever seen.”
The 340-unit Prime Orlando will introduce new flexible, indoor-outdoor spaces throughout the community. 2nd Wave Development Director Marc Sembler said the company is raising the bar on design and amenities with a 2-story clubhouse, saltwater pool, yoga lawn, gaming lounge with golf simulator and dog parks for large and small dogs.
“We’ve tried to amenitize it as much as we can,” he told GrowthSpotter in 2019.
Meanwhile, Intram has completed the site work for a new Miller’s Ale House, which should be completed in 140 days, and filed an SDP for the remaining commercial outparcels along Vineland Road. The plans call for a new QSR with drive-thru and 14,000-square-foot multi-tenant building with an available end-unit restaurant and retail space. The SDP identifies eye-wear retailer America’s Best as a tenant, but Intram has not confirmed the lease. The retail center’s first phase was anchored by a Publix Super Market, as well as department stores TJ Maxx and Ross.
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.