The Palm House renovation project may finally have the approval it needs to move forward. In late October 2020, the Palm Beach Architectural Commission voted 6-1 to approve the re-development project’s main components. The one caveat was that the board wants to take another look at the paint color the developers want to use on the building’s exterior. The Commissioners also wanted to wait on deciding on the proposed landscaping plans. The primary designs have been approved, however, and after many years of lying dormant, it’s finally time for the Palm House renovation project is one step closer to renewal.
The Palm House Renovation Project
In September, Commissioners met with the Palm House project’s architects to review their proposed plans. At that time, it was evident that project architects would have to make several changes. The Cooper Carry in Atlanta was commissioned to resign the Palm House.
The property had unfinished construction six years before, which the previous owner initiated but failed to complete. The structure was eventually sold in a private sale approved by the bankruptcy court for approximately $40 million in May of 2018 to the current owners. However, the deal was not authorized by the court until earlier this year.
The renovation focused on repairing damage and removing unfinished and unapproved projects left behind by the prior owner. With that work completed, the project’s architects could then focus on creating the Palm House’s new design.
The commissioners were concerned about some of the proposed design details for the rear courtyard area and how the project’s overall features meshed. One particular concern was a dome-capped structure over a corner breezeway.
When the newly revised designs were presented, the commissioners reportedly found that the team incorporated many of their suggestions. They were pleased to see the architects proposed using a Mediterranean-style pavilion instead of the dome-capped structure along with a reworked pedestrian breezeway. The changes comported with the hotel’s existing architecture. Other proposes changes included making the poolside water feature simpler and scaling back the main building entrance into the pool area. The architects also changed the design so that the rooftop is no longer accessible to guests and added new windows above the garage entrance. The refuse area was no longer at the southeast corner of the property but would instead be in the property’s basement.
The commission endorsed the 11 code variances needed for the project placing the Palm House one step closer on its road to restoration. Now, with the Palm House renovation project can move towards seeking approval from the Town Council.
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