West Palm Beach names City Center team

[bobliocatt]

Brian Bandell

West Palm Beach Commissioners on Thursday chose a team led by Republic Property Corp. to build its $50 million City Center project downtown.

Commissioners voted 5-1 in favor of Washington, D.C.-based Republic, which partnered with architects Michael Graves & Associates of New York, Song + Associates of West Palm Beach, Catalfumo Construction of Palm Beach Gardens and the law firm of Greenberg Traurig.

The group is to build West Palm Beach's new city hall and library on a 2.6-acre site east of Quadrille Boulevard, between Clematis Street and Banyan Boulevard.

The site will also include a photo museum and could feature private development such residential, retail, office space or a hotel.

The city will enter negotiations with Republic soon, said West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, and should finalize the deal within a month.

Commissioners said they hope to have the City Center project completed in 2007.

Republic beat out a team led by KUD International of New York, which worked with architects Robert AM Stern Architects of New York and STH Architectural Group of West Palm Beach, construction firm Weitz Co., Boca Raton developer Kenco Communities and the law firm of Carlton Fields.

[bobliocatt]

This sounds like it may be a nice project, We'll have to keep an eye out for this one.

[Urban_Legend]

I had heard something about a new library, but I thought those plans were put on the shelf. With this new development, plus Cityplace and the Convention Center area, downtown will finally be urbanized all over the place. This could really spur alot of private development around it. I'm really glad to hear about all this West Palm stuff, because I'm planning on going to college up there.

[prahaboheme]

West Palm has really done a great job in the past few years. It will be interesting to see what the architects come up with..hopefully nothing Med. Revival.