Week of April 9, 2009
| Safe at home: 96 condos to go up aside new ballpark By Yudislaidy Fernandez At the $636 million ballpark complex slated for Little Havana, some may get to do more than watch the soon-to-be Miami Marlins play — they can live there. A 96-unit residential development is to accompany the stadium and four garages, the city's major use special permit application shows. Doral architectural firm Civica President Rolando Llanes, who worked on the permit application, said a residential liner along Northwest Third Street was a way to hide the garages and integrate the design with the neighborhood. Two garages would sit behind the housing, with 106 spaces reserved for residents, the application shows. Mr. Llanes said the residential element helps integrate that section of the complex — the back of the stadium — with the residential neighborhood it faces. Renderings show the units are to mirror those existing in the area at about three stories high, but built with a more modern architecture and balconies. The 86,278-square-foot residential component is proposed for the last phase once the stadium is built, Mr. Llanes said. Miami Capital Improvements Director Ola Aluko said the city may get a developer. "The city owns the rights to construct this or assign it to a developer," he said. The planning advisory board approved the application last week conditioned on the public having use of the stadium's entrance plaza, excluding game days. The application goes to the city commission this month. Mr. Llanes said designing a large project with budget constraints is a challenge. "You have to start with a concept and understand limitations and budgets to get to something that works," he said. "We think we got something that is elegant." |
Top