Editorial: Attitude shift getting Chapel-by-the-Lake project... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Sounds like both the city of West Palm Beach and the developer visions are getting closer together. It also seems that the church who is selling the property may scale back or adjust what amounts to a windfall for them in terms of the sales price and details of the deal. I do have a problem with the design of the project since it does rely, as pointed out in the article below, on a parking garage as a base to the whole project. That is the pedestal referred to here in the bit from the article. That is preventing it from interacting in an engaging way with the street and surrounding area. Click title for link.

The commission can allow variances from the city’s comprehensive plan only if a project is considered “innovative.” One good way to meet that requirement and to deal with the “intensity” issue is for the developers to change the parking “pedestal” of the project. The focus should be all the cumulative effect the project would have, not just on the number of units. A cyclist-pedestrian path on the east side of the project would retain the community access to a slice of the city many residents cherish. A single, taller tower could preserve the view.