Boca Raton Approves 120-Unit Townhome Community; Concern Over FAU Housing

A rendering of the now-approved ‘Villas on 5th’ community. (Planning Document)

The Boca Raton city planning board has approved a new, 120-unit townhome community to be constructed on a vacant parcel on NW 5th Avenue.

The Villas on 5th, as the community will be known, will include 22, three-story “townhome-style” apartment buildings with a total of 120 units, plus a two-story, 5,364 square foot clubhouse and pool at the property located at 2600 NW 5th Avenue, which is currently undeveloped.

The townhomes will be constructed on an 8-acre property. All of the units will contain three-bedrooms and span 2,013 square feet to 2,139 square feet in area.

“The proposed, three story townhouse building type is in character with the surrounding neighborhood,” said attorney David Milledge, representing the developer, Boca Villas Owner LLC. The company is owned by Integra Investments of Miami.

According to Jim Bell, a long-range project manager for the city, a full-access driveway to the community will be constructed along NW 5th, plus pedestrian access points at four sidewalk connections and 16 shared walkways fronting NW 5th. Having heard concerns over density, city building staff recommended prohibiting garages from being converted to any use that would prevent the parking of motor vehicles, which was mandated as a condition of approval.

More than 50 percent of parking for the community is in the garages, Bell said.

The future location of the now-approved ‘Villas on 5th’ community. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

A rendering of the now-approved ‘Villas on 5th’ community. (Planning Document)

The future location of the now-approved ‘Villas on 5th’ community. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

The project included a density variance and rezoning that allowed the townhomes to be constructed in an area that would normally have allowed only low-density residential construction – likely about 35 single-family homes. A prior developer proposed 182 units of student housing for Florida Atlantic University at the site, which never came to fruition in the face of opposition by neighboring residents.

The townhome application reduced the number of units to 120 and the height of the proposed buildings to 33-feet from 50 feet.

“This is the definition of an infill development, as it is conveniently located within major corridors,” said Milledge. “The development is compatible with the surrounding institutional and multifamily uses. It’s appropriate as a transition between other uses.”

Ultimately, the planning board voted to allow the property to allow “medium” multifamily density.

“In terms of access, it’s one-way in and one-way out,” Milledge explained, adding that a gate will be placed behind a driveway that will allow drivers to leave the property in the case where they made a wrong turn or otherwise were unable to open the gate.

The developer will also dedicate back to the city a 14-foot easement spanning a quarter-acre worth $409,000. This area will be used to support pedestrian access enhancements along the roadway.

“There’s a lot of vegetation and effort to protect pedestrians,” said architect Peter Girotti. “These buildings kind of have two frontages – when you come in from the street as a visitor or from the back as a resident parking your car, you see frontage.”

Some residents, mainly from the neighboring Windwood community, said they opposed the increased density at the adjacent property.

“The traffic has always been an issue there for years,” said resident Constance Brooks. “They could build 35 beautiful homes there if you gave them some more zoning, and they could still make money. To me, this is greed, and we’re going to be lowering our quality-of-life for a greed project.”

A rendering of the now-approved ‘Villas on 5th’ community. (Planning Document)

The future location of the now-approved ‘Villas on 5th’ community. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

The future location of the now-approved ‘Villas on 5th’ community. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Residents of Kingwood Terrace said they were concerned the density could affect quality-of-life issues in the area, especially if the townhomes turned into de facto student housing for FAU. The concern was echoed by board member Larry Cellon.

My concern is that this may turn into ‘upscale student housing,'” he said. “Plus, every unit has a small courtyard, maybe 100 square feet outside of the front door – I don’t know how they’re going to manage all of these individual little courtyards.”

Milledge said the townhomes will not be marketed to college students and it would be unlikely they would be used for that purpose.

“The intent is not to account for any of the student housing burden FAU may have,” said Milledge. “Is it possible students who have the bankroll will want to live here? It’s possible.”

Leases, however, will restrict number of unrelated tenants on the property at one time plus the number of vehicles.

“There will be a provision within the lease that restricts the allowable number of vehicles, per tenant, to the spaces allotted to them, which will be two,” he said.

The board approved the application unanimously in a 4-1 vote.