Official Press Release from the City of Sanford.

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SANFORD, FL – The Sanford Waterfront Partners provided a work-in-progress presentation of the preliminary Master Plan for the Downtown / Waterfront Catalyst Site before the City of Sanford City Commission and general public at the June 13th Regular Commission Meeting. The Commission Chamber was filled to capacity with interested and enthusiastic Sanford residents who came to hear and see the design concepts being proposed by the development team. 

 future downtown sanfordThe presentation was led by Victor Dover, co-founding Principal of Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planners and started with a magnificent aerial view of the catalyst site from Lake Monroe coupled with background history of the growth and changes to downtown Sanford from 1887 to present day. Historic photos of 1st Street, Park Avenue and Sanford Avenue was a nice stroll down memory lane.

The Sanford Waterfront Partners’ Master Plan for the Catalyst Site proposes a connected sequence of urban spaces progressing from the waterfront at Seminole Boulevard to First Street consisting of a mixed-use hub of commercial and residential buildings that range in height from 2ndstories to 5 stories and include rooftop terraces that take advantage of the lake view.  The group’s presentation also included public spaces designed for informal gatherings, sidewalk and terrace dining and an interconnected series of outdoor plazas and paseos.  They also demonstrated how they intend to deliver on the walkability features that residents have asked for by providing a pedestrian-friendly streetscape that makes walking downtown easy, safe and convenient, and brings vitality back to the city streets.

 

The project will contain approximately 234 studio, one, two and two bedroom + den apartments including loft-style apartments and townhomes. The design concepts presented demonstrates thatfuture downtown sanford-2 this group really listened to the “big ideas” that the residents expressed at the April 9th community design workshop.

“It can’t just be one experience. Each component or blocks of the site should take on a different characteristic”, says Victor Dover.  The proposed designs have incorporated mixed-used buildings with retail and dining on the ground floors and market-rate residential units on the upper floors.   It was suggested that the glass storefront designs would provide lots of transparency and light for the retail blocks which makes it inviting to the public. 

Some of the streets would be designed so that they can be closed on occasion for special community events similar to “Giralda Under the Stars” event in Coral Gables, FL, where a city block is closed to vehicular traffic and visitors are able to stroll down “Restaurant Row” filled with tables and chairs to enjoy live music, art, fine dining under the stars.

 

Richard Heisenbottle encouraged the audience and general public to meet with the group following the meeting to voice their comments and provide suggestions about what was presented. Sanford Waterfront Partners will continue to take public comments in writing over the next few days in an effort to ensure that everyone is heard.

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About Sanford Waterfront Partners

www.facebook.com/SanfordWaterfrontPartners

 

About Torre Companies

http://www.torrecompanies.com

https://www.facebook.com/Torrecompanies

https://twitter.com/torrecompanies

 

About R.J. Heisenbottle Architects

www.rjha.net

www.facebook.com/RJHeisenbottleArchitects

https://twitter.com/HeisenbottleArc

 

About Dover Kohl & Partners

www.doverkohl.com

https://www.facebook.com/DoverKohl                

https://twitter.com/doverkohl    

 

About City of Sanford

Sanfordfl.gov

City of Sanford Facebook page

https://twitter.com/OfSanford

 

MEDIA CONTACTS:

 

For Sanford Waterfront Partners, Torre Companies and R.J. Heisenbottle Architects

Kathia Dash | 305-446-7799 Ext 22 | rjha@rjha.net

 

For the City of Sanford:

Lisa Holder, Communications Officer

407-688-5019 | Lisa.Holder@sanfordfl.gov.