Latest news with #MosaicDevelopment
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Housing and retail will replace Florida boat ramp parking. See what's planned
A six-story apartment complex with retail space has been tenatively approved to rise along the Manatee River on land that had been used for boat ramp parking. But the plans have set off backlash from residents. An online petition created in April 2021 garnered nearly 4,000 signatures opposing development of the property. In June, city of Palmetto leaders picked Mosaic Development's proposal to build the $53 million project. The development could be completed by the end of 2028, officials say. The proposed project would transform the 3.4-acre site on the corner of Eighth Avenue West and Riverside Drive into a six-story building with 155,652 square feet of apartments, 5,000 square feet of retail space and 5,000 square feet of amenities. 'The building is phenomenal. I really love the building, I love the concept,' Palmetto Commissioner Scott Whitaker said at a recent meeting. Amenities will include a deck with a pool and a two-level parking garage for residents and retail customers. The parking garage will be the base of the building and, overall, there will be about 368 parking spaces. What to know about the Manatee River complex Mosaic is no stranger to the 'urban style vertical living lifestyle' the company pitched for this project. The developer's portfolio includes projects like the recently completed Nine20 Manatee apartment building in downtown Bradenton and similar projects in Sarasota, Tampa and St. Petersburg. The residential portion of the project will consist of 152 one-and two-bedroom units 'to respond to the current marketplace demand of apartment living and help to create a critical mass of residents to support the growing popularity of the City of Palmetto,' according to the presentation. The average rent would be $2,177 per month. Controversial boat ramp parking Al three residents who spoke at a June Community Redevelopment Agency meeting on the proposal opposed the project. One of the common issues: the loss of boat parking space. Mosaic's plan includes 22 boat trailer parking spaces on the side of the building. 'The boat trailer parking, it could be cumbersome,' Commissioner Whitaker said at the meeting, adding that there is still room to navigate how boat trailer parking would be addressed. Palmetto apartment construction timeline The 3.4-acre parcel used to house a Shell gas station. After the CRA purchased the land for $1.1 million in 2012, the agency received funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and $300,000 in tax credits to clean up the site. On May 19, CRA board members ranked each developer's proposals based on 11 categories, and Mosaic's plan received the highest number of points. Then, on June 2, the board voted 4-1 in favor of Mosaic's plan to be selected for this project. Next comes seven weeks of negotiation before the plan comes back before the CRA board. City commissioners can use that period to talk to the developers individually to address any questions or concerns. After that, design could begin in September and last through May. The construction goal is to complete the project around August 2028, according to the presentation.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Affordable housing for veterans, first responders could be coming to Beaufort County
BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WSAV) — When it comes to finding affordable places to live, veterans and first responders are struggling to access that luxury. However, a 40+ acre stretch of land could soon be home to a development that might help alleviate that stress. The 43-acre site across from Sun City's entrance off Hwy 170, might soon be the location for what developers call a 'community enhanced development'. 'This is really about a philanthropic effort to really enhance the community and enhance what the community has to offer,' said Amy Friedman, the property listing agent with The HomesFinder group. The collaboration between Mosaic Development and Lowcountry Veterans Housing Foundation is planning to bring 222 new apartments and homes through a project known as 'The Mews Village'. Anthony Bastardi, founder of Mosaic Development, explained that since their foundation 2 years ago, they've stuck to one mission. 'Providing quality market-rate housing, predominantly rental, with a public benefit attribute.' According to Bastardi, it's not just about building more homes – it's about giving back to the community. 'It's not just market rate rooftops, but market rate rooftops that have a public benefit attached to them,' said Bastardi. Out of the 200+ units, 24 apartments will be specifically designated for disabled veterans and first responders. These units will be housed in four mansion-style homes, with each apartment designed around the veterans' specific disabilities. The apartments will feature smart home technology and will be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) approved. The development would also include a public park, shops, restaurants, a music stage, nature trails, and more. These added amenities would help create a thriving community for everyone, not just those who live in the development. 'They're putting in a shopping center here. They're doing some commercial work there,' said Friedman. 'So it's really a perfect place to kind of have a family friendly town development where not only we can reach out and make it affordable, because that's really important right now, but a place for people from Sun City, for example, or from any of the surrounding communities, can come and have a really nice dinner or go see music under the stars.' John Stufflebeem, founder of Lowcountry Veterans Housing Foundation, explained that this project is in full support of the counties thriving military community. 'It is filling a need with the number of veterans that live in the area and with the number of active duty who in some likelihood will get out and stay in the area. The idea is that especially for those who are physically disabled, they may need places that are configured to help them with their disabilities or with their issues.' He added on that many neighborhoods and communities aren't necessarily compatible with disabled veteran's needs. 'They're having a difficulty in transitioning with their medical issues into a normal neighborhood, or community environment, and we want to be able to give them that,' said Stufflebeem. 'We want to be able to not give them a handout, but a hand up to be able to not only survive, but to thrive in a community.' As for the project's funding, Bastardi shared some insight into how it will be financed. 'There is Mosaic Development, which is a philanthropically oriented market-rate developer. And we have convention on financing, bank financing, and equity financing for a project that's approximately $75 million.' The veterans' portion of the project, including the four mansion-style homes, will be funded separately by the Lowcountry Veterans Housing Foundation, which will handle its own financing. Bastardi explained that this isn't the projects first time with the county. Their original plans involved the same outline for the village, but with workforce housing instead. 'Beaufort County has, I would say, an abysmal record of developing or supporting workforce housing, and it's sorely needed. So that was our original plan,' said Bastardi. As they progressed, the team discovered resistance from the local government and voters who were concerned about overdevelopment. 'We discovered by our numerous meetings with community leaders and elected officials that there is a kind of a no-growth sentiment in government and certainly among many voters, that Beaufort County is already too congested or already too stressed in terms of required services.' Despite providing the same public benefits, like parks, shops, restaurants, and workforce units, Bastardi says, it still was not enough to overcome the anti-growth sentiment. Mosaic Development and the Lowcountry Veterans Housing Foundation is set to present the revised project to Beaufort County's Natural Resources Committee next week. With the changes supporting first responders and the military community, they're hoping for a more positive outcome. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
