309 5th Avenue North

While a certain other blog seems to focus on the blight in Lake Worth, I thought I would do a series on things that are moving in the right direction here in the city.  Three things that were on the agenda at last Wednesday's Historic Resource Preservation Board meeting (6/12) - click here for video - are of particular note. One I have already mentioned and that is the house which may contain the remains of one of the James family associated with the founding of Lake Worth, then Jewel. I will have more on that after Wednesday morning when I plan to take a camera to that property while they use some sophisticated equipment to check for remains or evidence of a burial site on or near the property.

The one that I will focus on here is 309 5th Avenue North.  Click here for the section of the agenda dealing with this project which contains the staff report.  Below are some pictures that I took after the meeting showing the existing building on the property. It is being incorporated into the new design of the property in what I think is a "cool" and historically sensitive manner.

Looking southeast, the only building on the property is this two-story frame garage structure with 1 bedroom and 1 bath

This is the rest of the existing yard area. There is no record of a house ever being built on this portion of the property.

This is looking west towards the east elevation from the sidewalk on North O Street. Parrot Cove townhouses are seen in the background.

Apparently a couple who have horses in Wellington and are here for the winter months will be living here during the horse season. The changes they propose will not only allow them to live very comfortably in our tropical environment; the changes will also compliment and contribute to the surrounding neighborhood.

Here are some of the plans and renderings showing what is now approved. A variance was needed since the code says that you cannot have a pool between the main structure and the street. That was approved separately. The board's decision was unanimous.

This is the guest house being added on the North O Street side of the property. It will have a center hallway, with a gate and one bedroom and a recreation room split by the walkway.

This is the north elevation view showing the new guest house on the left (east) and the existing two story structure which will gain a covered second floor porch over a patio area.The garage doors will remain to retain the look of the original structure.

This is a view looking west which shows the new guest house in front with the existing two story structure to the rear along the alley.

This an elevation showing just the existing building, with the addition of the second floor porch. It will overlook a pool and patio area that will take up the center part of the property.

South elevation showing the area between the two buildings and representative landscaping. The board was concerned about privacy and security due to the pool and that was translated to the applicant.

An aerial perspective looking towards the southwest, with the changes to the existing building, the addition of the pool and patio and then the guest house to the east.

An overhead rendering. This shows the new guest house a little too close to North O Street and the applicant agreed to move it more to the west. It was an initial misunderstanding.

You can see the floor plans in the staff report and application link if you want to see more details.

Jose Jaramillo represented the owner as the project architect.

The current owners picked up this property for $87,000 in October of 2012. Good things are coming to Lake Worth and this Wellington/Lake Worth connection seems to be a trend.