City OKs SkyView’s property project
Kissimmee City commissioners unanimously agreed with their city manager’s choice of New York-based SkyView Companies to design and manage the infill redevelopment of the 23-acre Beaumont property next to Osceola RegionalMedical Center.
The council voted by consent last week to begin negotiations with the firm, which recently launched its Florida operations. SkyView was the overwhelming choice of the staff selection committee, which compared its proposal with two other firms.
The company is backed by Canadian private equity group Onex Development and is known for projects like Sky View Parc in Flushing, New York. The group is currently developing its second phase, which includes a 743-unit luxurycondominiumtower with a spa and fitness center.
“Over the past 10 years we have delivered over $1.5 billion in mixed use development in New York City consisting of 1,300 condos and apartments, 3,000 parking garage spaces and 1.2 million square feet of retail / medical office. We are adept at modeling complex mixed-use economic return structures,” Chief Operating Officer Stephen Liberty wrote in the proposal.
Liberty has moved to Orlando tolaunchthecompany’snewFlorida operation, and the firm has already enlisted two of its trusted architecture and design firms to create the Beaumont vision that won over the staff. They’re working closely with St. Petersburgbased consultant Mario Farias, who has advised the company on its Florida venture
The plan begins with extending the street grid to create 10 city blocks within the 23-acre district.
The conceptual plan calls for building two- or three-story luxury townhomes (called Garden Homes) on Blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4, which all abut an existing residential neighborhood and city fire station. Blocks 5,6 and 7would take a more urban form, with five-story mixed-use buildings wrapped arounda parking garage. Themultifamily buildings would have a mix of neighborhood retail, office and flex space at the ground level, along with the amenities and lobby for the apartment buildings.