Palm Beach board OKs bulk of design for luxury condo project to replace Ambassador hotel
A proposal for an ultra-luxury, contemporary-style condominium project is one step closer to reality, after the Palm Beach Architectural Commission voted to approve a bulk of the South End development’s design.
The project is planned for a site that for decades was home to the old oceanfront Ambassador Hotel & Residences as well as an adjacent lakefront co-operative building.
Although they liked much of the architecture, the majority of commissioners said they thought the developers could reduce the so-called “footprints” of the three planned condo buildings. The board voted 4-3 to recommend that the Town Council deny two variance requests that would allow the development to exceed the zoning code’s lot-coverage threshold.
At their meeting Oct. 29, architectural commissioners unanimously voted to approve the demolition of the existing buildings. They also voted 4-3 in favor of the project’s 18 other variance requests. Another 5-2 vote approved the project’s architectural design with the condition that some portions would return to the commission on Feb. 25 after further refinement.
A rendering shows the latest design of a condominium planned for the oceanfront site of the longtime Ambassador hotel. The design won conditional approval Oct. 29 from the Palm Beach Architectural Commission.
The conditional approval was a major step for the project that had undergone multiple reviews by the architectural board, during which, commissioners regularly called for greater creativity in the design of the project.
The project is being proposed by developers Miami-based OKO Group and London-based private equity firm Cain International. Developer Vlad Doronin heads OKO Group and Aman Resorts, which specializes in developing ultra-high-end resort and hotel properties worldwide.
The plans call for replacing the aging oceanfront Ambassador hotel with two five-story buildings. The adjacent lakeside residential building for years known as the Edgewater House would be replaced by single five-story building. Each site would have an underground parking garage.
The property is addressed as 2720 S. Ocean Blvd. and 2730 S. Ocean Blvd.
A rendering shows part of the latest design of a condominium building that underwent multiple revisions. The project is proposed for a site on the South End of Palm Beach.
The project had won widespread support from South End residents, and many attended the meeting to endorse it. They also commended the developers for heeding the feedback they had gotten from the commission and for respecting the perspectives of their neighbors.
“We believe this enhances the character and beauty of our neighborhood, while staying true to Palm Beach’s timeless character,” said Fred Kamel, president of the Atrium Condominium Association, said in his remarks to the board. “I respectfully urge you to approve this project. I know there are some questions and, maybe, concerns, but if we can vote on it today with those exceptions, it would give a clear pathway to the developer (and) that would make a majority of the South End happy.”
The project’s support from neighboring condo owners did not go unnoticed, as commissioners lauded the project team’s outreach and willingness to gather and respond to feedback.
“No. 1, I applaud this architecture and (this) developer group for meeting with all the neighbors first and getting their input, getting their support and caring enough to do that,” Commissioner Kenn Karakul.
Karakul and others on the dais said the designers had addressed many of the commission’s previous concerns. Commissioners had criticized the buildings’ design for being too bulky and had said the overall architectural tone need more warmth. The board also had called for reducing the buildings’ sharp edges to give them a softer appearance.
To soften the building’s facades and reduce their boxiness, designers have rounded the edges of balconies and edges, while also extending the roofs’ eaves to provide additional shading, said design architect Jason Long of OMA, a prominent international architectural firm.
Additionally, the buildings’ glass-panel design has been adjusted with the addition of custom wood inlays, and have been slightly pushed into the building. The balconies’ previous metal guardrails also were replaced with wood versions, Long told the commission.
A rendering depicts one of the three condominium buildings proposed for 2720 and 2730 S. Ocean Blvd. in Palm Beach. The architectural design of the project earned conditional approval from the town’s architectural board on Oct. 29.
Attorney Harvey Oyer, who represented the development team, said the project would serve as a benchmark for future multi-family projects on the South End. The stretch of South Ocean Boulevard is known colloquially as “Condominium Row.”
The developers bought the the property in October 2022 in three deals totaling $147.6 million.
dlasa@pbdailynews.com
This is a developing story. Check back for any updates.
Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at dlasa@pbdailynews.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach design board OKs most of condo project for old hotel site
