Developer plans Golden Gate Point condo

Another new luxury condominium building is in the works at Golden Gate Point.

In July, WB Golden Point LLC announced plans to build Evolution, an eight-story, 20-unit structure at 111 Golden Gate Point. Units will range from 2,071 square feet to 3,519 square feet, and the condos will retail between $1.3 million and $3 million.

The 0.83-acre parcel is the largest remaining open lot in the waterfront residential district, located west of downtown near the John Ringling Causeway. The developer worked with DSDG Architects on the design of the building. The development team hopes to begin construction next spring and complete the project within 18 months of commencing work.

Representatives for the developer held a community workshop Sept. 21 at City Hall, fielding questions from Golden Gate Point residents regarding the project. A leading point of concern was the parking associated with the project, which tied into a larger issue facing a neighborhood that is nearly built out.

Evolution will have 42 parking spaces — two per unit, and an additional two guest spaces. Although that meets the city’s parking standards, those in attendance questioned whether that would prove sufficient.

Mark Sultana, the principal at DSDG Architects, said the development team would have loved to include additional parking within the property.

The building will have 30-foot setbacks from the property line, and Sultana said plans originally included more guest parking spaces in the rear of the property. The city’s regulations don’t allow for designated parking spaces within a setback area, however.

Those at the meeting wondered whether the city would consider adjusting its rules to address a potential on-street parking shortage within Golden Gate Point. Although Sultana expressed skepticism about the city granting an exception, residents thought it was an issue worth pursuing.

Multiple residents said there is increased strain on the parking supply in the area as developers build more units in Golden Gate Point. As a result, they thought the city should be open to the idea of allowing for adjustments to the standards in this specific neighborhood.

Brent Parker, an architect and Golden Gate Point resident, said he thought the city might be willing to listen if the neighborhood organized and asked for changes.

“If the whole neighborhood is standing there and there’s 30 of us yelling and screaming, ‘We want this,’ then they tend to cave in,” Parker said.

Residents also questioned the development team’s plans for managing the construction of the property. Sultana said a contractor would ultimately be responsible for the staging, but because there were large setbacks on multiple sides of the building, he anticipated the setup for construction and worker parking would be easier than it has been for other projects in the area.

He added that when on-site parking has not been available for other projects he’s been involved with in Golden Gate Point, the contractor bused in the workers from an off-site location.

Elsewhere in Golden Gate Point, Vandyk Cos. is seeking a variance from the city’s building regulations to construct a nine-story, 15-unit condo at 688 Golden Gate Point.