A downsized version of the Ponce Park Residences, an Allen Morris project that’s been pitched to the city of Coral Gables at least four times in the last three years, will be considered Tuesday by the city commission. This time, the proposal is for a 9-story building — down from an original 16 — with 60 residential units and 20,000 square feet of commercial or retail space on the first floor.
The scaled down design by Zyscovich Architects is reportedly the result of several meetings with nearby residents concerned about the density and the traffic it would bring to an already busy area, next to the Agave Plaza project. Development, or overdevelopment, is a key issue in the Gables.
In 2021, Allen Morris wanted to build a 16-story, 161-unit tower with a ground floor of retail. There was a lot of resistance. After multiple residents spoke against it, the planning and zoning board voted unanimously to deny the project in what former Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers called a “slam dunk” decision.
The developer came back in 2022 with a 12-story, 80-unit luxury condo. The only thing the same was the ground floor of retail. But it was still too much for residents who continued to rally in opposition, and the board of architects voted unanimously against it.
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Today’s version is about half the size of the original version. The developer still needs a land use amendment to go above a maximum four stories, or seven with the Mediterranean bonus.
The agenda for Tuesday’s commission meeting seems to be dominated by this project, with South Miami Mayor Javier Fernandez as the lobbyist for the Allen Morris Company. It is set to be discussed at a “time certain” 3 p.m. This means probably around 4 o’clock.
Read related: ‘Slam dunk’ denial of Coral Gables massive high-rise at planning board
The site includes 3000 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, 216 and 224 Catalonia Avenue, 203 University Drive and 225 Malaga Avenue. The developer is also seeking an alley vacation — the city would have to convey a public alleyway so they can assemble the properties — a transfer of development rights, a tentative plat approval, and conditional use for a mixed-use site plan.
It will be interesting to hear what Commissioner Ariel Fernandez has to say about the “new and improved” project. He was critical of the original version in his role as then-publisher of the Gables Insider, which had promoted the conversations between the developer and the residents.
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