The 50-unit complex may include a rooftop deck with pool and cabanas, gym, valet service, and Wellington’s first underground parking garage
WELLINGTON – Times are changing, and Wellington is ready to change with them.
Such was the general consensus of council members and the write-in public on Sept. 24 at the first hearing on ordinances that would allow an ultra-high-end luxury condominium complex.
Condos will be priced between $2.5 million and $6 million, and the property should have an assessed value of $140 million at completion.
The proposed 50-unit, four-story complex called Coach House would be at the southwest corner of South Shore Boulevard and Greenview Shores Drive — the former home of the notorious Players Club that closed more than a year ago.
“Part of our problem in the community is that we developed a scheme that is different, and it’s a little bit dated,” Mayor Anne Gerwig said, referring to ordinances that can make it difficult to redevelop older communities and buildings.
The ordinances, which unanimously passed the first hearing, would change the property’s zoning from commercial to medium-density residential and allow the condos and certain other multi-family parcels to be eligible to build to 56 feet. The existing ordinance allows only 35 feet, and the developer initially requested 72 feet.
The conceptual design, which developers say is not expected to change substantially, includes a rooftop pool with cabanas, a fully-equipped gym, a fountain, electric car charging stations and valet service. It will also accommodate 120 underground parking spaces — a first for Wellington.
Representatives on behalf of developer Sperin LLC, led by Wellington resident Neil Hirsch, agreed that in exchange for being granted the 56-foot height, they would increase the building’s setback from the road and include a host of aesthetically pleasing features like an entrance fountain.
In an attempt to shed the reputation of the Players Club, developers told council members that the new complex would not be a “party place,” but rather a quiet community geared toward the “lock and leave” lifestyle for high net worth individuals who will likely use the condos as second or third homes.
The Players Club was prominent after an accident in the early hours of Feb. 12, 2010, inflamed the community. Wellington polo mogul Goodman had just left the Players Club when he ran a stop sign at Lake Worth Road and 120th Avenue South. His Bentley plowed into 23-year-old’s Scott Wilson’s Hyundai, forcing it into a nearby canal. Goodman left the scene. Wilson drowned. Goodman was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Gerwig seemed to embrace developer’s objectives, noting a need for such a facility in the area. She said that as people age, they often like to downsize from large homes or farms to something requiring less maintenance.
“We have a very good applicant who’s going to be the first of his kind to set the standard,” said council member Michael Drahos.
But not everyone was thrilled about the plans.
“In order to fix the sins of the Players Club, this will create one of the most densely used parcels of land in Wellington and allow access points on South Shore where traffic is already difficult,” said Alexander Domb, Wellington resident and attorney for Palm Beach Polo, Inc. and Polo West Golf Club, Inc., which oppose the proposed development.
Domb said his clients are unhappy with the prospect of increased traffic. They also think the project will set a precedent for development of the open spaces, farmland and low density areas that give the village its unique character.
“It’s pretty clear from what happened on Tuesday night that the council intends to set a precedent for future development in Wellington,” Domb said. “This is the test case. I don’t think [the public has] gotten the message yet that this is what’s happening because there wasn’t anyone there.”
Developers say a study showed that traffic will be lighter than it was when the Players Club was open, and that the development will “put Wellington on the map outside of the equestrian community.”
“This has never been about maximizing profits,” said John Greene with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. “It’s about creating something that has never been done in Wellington.”
Greene, who lives in Wellington and whose company will exclusively handle the condo sales, said construction is not contingent on financing or pre-sales, and that once plans are approved, completion can be expected in about two years.
Developers say they will preserve the mature oak trees along South Shore Boulevard, will build the structure to Florida Green Building standards, and will retain at least 50 percent green space on the 5.53-acre property.
Developers say they hope to receive state approval in time for the November council meeting, where they will ask
