Developer submits revised plan for Westmoreland Square apartments

The Brooklyn-based developer of a vacant lot on W. Colonial Drive has finalized plans for a mixed-use apartment building and scrapped plans for a hotel component in the building.

The proposed Westmoreland Square project would rise on two lots comprising 1.3 acres at the corner of Colonial and Westmoreland Drive, which lies within the Orange Blossom Trail CRA district. Real estate developer Aron Herczl bought the property in 2018 for $505,800 and previously filed plans for a 6-story building with structured parking that would have included ground-floor retail, a 36-room boutique hotel and 79 apartments on the upper floors.

“City staff has worked with the applicant through several revisions,” spokeswoman Ashely Papagni told GrowthSpotter, adding that if the new comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning are approved, the developer would be able to go straight to permitting without having a file a new site plan. The cases head to the city’s Municipal Planning Board on April 18.

The reworked plan maintains the same building footprint but eliminates the hotel component, swapping it out for more apartments. The first floor would include a 2,368-square-foot restaurant space, 4,422 square feet of retail and commercial use and a lobby/entrance for the residents. The number of apartments would go from 79 to 115. The developer is seeking a waiver for the 75-foot height restriction and a 10% parking reduction. The building would be just over 83 feet tall. In his project description, Bob Ziegenfuss with Z Development Services said the additional height is needed to accommodate the parking requirements and to allow for more architectural features and changes in roof line.

“The Developer and the City of Orlando prefer a mixed-use development with maximum density for this urban infill site and the increased height helps to accomplish that goal,” he wrote. “The small site size would limit the ability to provide the code required number of parking spaces. To support the mixture of uses proposed, a more vertical development is needed to provide the necessary parking.”

In his project narrative, Ziegenfuss said noted that the project should qualify for a density bonus because it meets certain criteria – such as complementary commercial uses and enhanced landscaping. The city’s bonus program is designed to encourage redevelopment and renewal of blighted areas.

“We feel that this site is uniquely situated in the area of the downtown UCF campus, the Creative Village and the Packing District,” he wrote. “The subject site is located in an area that is surrounded by other recently redeveloped property and proposed development that will transform this area of the City in the coming years.”

The project also would move the existing utilities underground while upgrading the streetscape with new shade trees, enhanced landscaping and a wider sidewalk, Ziegenfuss said.

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