Sunrise condo towers planned

By Jeremy Milarsky
Staff Writer
Posted November 20 2004

SUNRISE · People who live in west Broward County could actually see a skyline on the western horizon in the next few years.

A Davie development company has asked permission to build two 26-story condominium towers on five acres on Flamingo Road south of Oakland Park Boulevard, next to the Sawgrass Mills shopping mall.

If approved by city commissioners on Tuesday and eventually built, the buildings would be the tallest in Broward County west of State Road 7. The county's tallest buildings, such as the 42-story Las Olas River House condominium in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood's 39-story Westin Diplomat hotel, are on the east side.

"We're very excited about it, obviously," said Jim Rosewater of Weitzer Development in Davie. "I think it's time for these things to happen."

Rosewater is referring to a high-rise condo/apartment plan that's been in the works for years: The construction of a pedestrian-friendly urban village around the Sawgrass Mills mall, with dense, high-rise apartments and condos.

"We've been working on this for years," Sunrise City Manager Patrick Salerno said. "So this is not just something that's just happening."

It's also not the first time someone has submitted plans for a high-rise next to the mall at the same location, the northwest corner of Pink Flamingo Lane and Flamingo Road.In September 2001, another developer, Sawgrass Property Investments, wanted to build a 23-story apartment building.

But the city's approval for that plan expired, according to government records.

The new project, called Villa D'Este, calls for 396 condominium units, with a three-story garage with more than 800 parking spaces. It would be the only Sunrise condominium that will offer valet parking.

People interested in buying a unit at Villa D'Este can reserve one in January, and "the least expensive units will be in the low 300s to the 600s," Salerno said.

Homeowners would have a clubhouse, gym, sauna and steam room, yoga room, massage room, putting green, swimming pool with shade pavilions and a sand beach.

"We're trying to take a Miami Beach, resort-style condominium and bring it to west Broward," Rosewater said.

"It's going to be very upscale," he said. "Chic would probably be the best way to describe it."

Rosewater said the towers could be built and open by 2007, but "that's a complete approximation."

Jeremy Milarsky can be reached at jmilarsky@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2020.

Darn. I had this idea two years ago. I wondered what it would be like to have high rises that bordered- instead of Biscayne Bay or the intracoastal or atlantic, the Everglades instead. I had mixed feelings as to whether anyone would care. Guess I was wrong. Imagine the view of Sawgrass Mills, the big interchange w/ I-75, east Broward, NCR Center, and Miami-Dade Co.

nice, great proposals out west!

it wont happen the nimbys will shut this down

but buildings of this height have gotten approved before...it's just that there was no execution on the part of the developer, maybe these guys are more serious about this!

ok the reason why don't wont get built is because this area doesn't really have many tall bldgs and they will be afraid if they allow these 2 to get built more will come.also i don't think this area is appealing to many people.

^^^ Problem is, the city is 100% behind it. NIMBYs can bitch, but this densification is inevitable. And doing it around that Godforsaken mall is a great idea IMO.

this is rite next to a major mall... nimbys arent gonna b that thick, the kinda person that is an extreme nimby would not lvie rite next to a mall... thisll get done... though im not totaly sure its a great thing, u want ur density east, so u can build concentrated infrastructre, not west, were its just gonna mean u have 400 people in cars out west on a piece of land that wouldve taken manybe 30 people in homes, we want our density on the beaches, miami, ft lauderdale, or west palm, not all the way out in the glades

Well not only is it next to that monster mall but theres a good number of office parks out there at sawgrass and already bellsouth is around 8 or more floors. If this does get built hopefully those people in the office parks will move there and stop driving.

Sunrise OKs 2 high-rise towers

By Kevin Smith
Staff Writer
Posted November 24 2004

Sunrise · The construction of two high-rise condominium towers was approved Tuesday night in a step officials said continued this city's commitment toward innovative development.

The plan, submitted by Davie-based Weitzer Development, was unanimously endorsed by the Sunrise city commission.


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"I think it's going to be a very good thing for the community," said commissioner Donald Rosen, noting that the upscale condos would likely bring new and upscale residents to the city. "I see this as another innovative project that will enhance the value of Sunrise."

Mayor Steven Feren described the proposal as "cutting edge" and said the location -- when combined with Sawgrass Mills, the Office Depot Center and the pending 28-building Artesia development -- will attract not only new residents but thousands of new visitors to enhance the city's tax base.

The project, called TAO, would place two 26-story condominium towers on Flamingo Road, just south of Oakland Park Boulevard. With 396 units and more than 800 parking spaces, the development would be the only condominium in Sunrise to offer valet parking.

A city official said last week prices for the smaller units would start in the low $300,000 range. Amenities would include a gym, sauna and steam room, a yoga room, a putting green and a swimming pool.

Jim Rosewater of Weitzer Development estimated the towers might be open as soon as 2007, but other factors could affect a completion date.

The five-acre plot is located next to Sawgrass Mills shopping mall. In September 2001, a 23-story apartment building was planned for the same location by Sawgrass Property Investments. The city approved that plan initially, but the approval has since expired.

For a long time, residents of west Broward County were able to enjoy the view of the line of buildings to the east, Rosen observed. But the residents of the new towers will be able to give as good as they get.

"They'll be able to look at the Fort Lauderdale skyline, and Fort Lauderdale will be able to look at ours," he said.

Kevin Smith can be reached at kssmith@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2009.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-csunrise24nov24,0,745431.story

great news!

Tao condo to put some height in Sunrise

by Robyn Friedman, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Posted January 24 2005

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Davie-based Weitzer Communities LLC has announced plans for a condominium project that will create the tallest buildings in Broward County west of downtown Fort Lauderdale. The project, called Tao, will help establish a new urban center in Sunrise.

"I see Sunrise as developing into the western hub of the tri-county area," said Jim Rosewater, a partner of Weitzer Communities. "It's a great location to work and to live, and you also have Sawgrass Mills and the Office Depot Center nearby."

Tao, which will rise on an eight-acre site at the corner of Flamingo Road and Pink Flamingo Lane, will feature two contemporary 26-story towers housing 395 units. The one- to three-bedroom units will range from 967 to 1,973 square feet and will feature gourmet kitchens with granite countertops, European-style cabinetry and stainless steel appliances as well as master baths with marble floors and showers and granite countertops. Every unit will have a balcony and views of a 36-acre lake on the site. Prices will range from the high $200,000s to over $600,000.

Rosewater said he expects to break ground on the project in the late summer or early fall of 2005 and complete it about 22 months later.

Tao's amenities will include a lobby decorated in a blend of modern and Asian décor, fitness center, concierge and valet service. Its outdoor recreational area will overlook the lake and will include a meditation garden, infinity-edge pool, tennis court, putting green, barbecue area, children's playground and a real sand beach.

Rosewater said that the target market for the project includes empty-nesters, young professionals and international buyers. He is currently accepting names for a waiting list and plans to start selling the units in late April.

The project does face competition, however. Coconut Creek-based Minto Communities Inc. is building Artesia, a 1,470-unit condominium and townhouse project on a 74-acre site just north of the Office Depot Center, and sales have been brisk. Additional condominiums are planned for the mixed-use Metropica project, also nearby.

But Rosewater is unfazed. "The residential component at Metropica hasn't been designed yet," he said. "By the time they get a developer onboard, we'll probably be almost sold out."

Rosewater also said that he doesn't consider Artesia to be competition for Tao because most of the buildings at Artesia are low-rise and have exterior hallways. "The landscaping and the site will be beautiful there, but it's more of an apartment-style design than it is a resort-style design," he said. "Our whole idea is to bring a beach-style resort to west Broward."

Still, at least one industry expert said that the idea of a high-rise in what has until now been a suburban area is still an untested notion. "It is bold to propose a high-rise, which is traditionally only found in beach or downtown areas," said Christine Pardo, a broker-associate with Kroll Realty in Fort Lauderdale. "It will be up to Weitzer, the city of Sunrise and other developers to create the lifestyle that brings people willing to pay these prices."

The architect for Tao is Miami Beach-based Kobi Karp Architecture & Interior Design Inc.

Robyn A. Friedman is a freelance writer. E-mail real estate items or tips to rafriedman@att.net.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-ybreal24jan24,0,6864226.story

http://www.sunrisefl.gov/images/upload/TaoCondominium2.jpg
http://www.sunrisefl.gov/tao.html

wow...they're kinda bulky but hey it's sunrise....and they're not ugly, nice architectural elements.....great for sunrise...maybe this will start a trend!!

http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/images/news_photos/33513/Sawgrass-Rendering.jpg

ouch...In hope the first one is the final design!....the buildings in the second rendering aren't too pleasing!

wow pretty big and massive great for sunrise, bet the nimbys would cry on this one lool

hasn't there been plans for a while to add condos & offices around sawgrass mills & turn it into more of a "downtown" type area? seems like they've been talking about adding to that area for years now. wasn't huizenga's blockbuster park or whatever it was gonna be called supposed to be built in this area?

This project is going to happen. The first (better looking) rendering is the most current rendering of the building. Check this project out at the City of
Sunrise website.

There are pamphlets for this project available at a kiosk in the Sawgrass Mills Mall. I picked one up some time around New Year's Eve.

Fortune Int'l Realty (in Brickell area MIA) was taking reservations for the units and the website is www.taocondos.com (http://www.taocondos.com)

Aparently, the Sawgrass Mills area has alot of projects planned including a walkable towncenter area for the city of Sunrise and IKEA is looking at a site owned by the Stiles Corp. south of the mall area on SW 136th Ave near I-595.

Remember? IKEA was looking to build its first Florida store in Davie but the damn NIMBYs ran them off. IKEA's people say they are determined to build a store in the Mia-FtL-WPB metro soon. South Florida is the biggest metro in the US without an IKEA.
So far IKEA has been focusing on the I-595 corridor of west broward.

should have started all ready
id Date: Est. Start Date:
January 2005 February 2005

Description:
Site work and new construction of two 26-story condominium towers in Sunrise. Plans call for two 26-story towers to house 396 one-, two-, and three-bedroom condominium units ranging from 1,100 to 2,000 square feet along with two-story, ground-level villas on a five-acre plot. Additional amenities include a gym, sauna, putting green,a swimming pool and more than 800 parking spaces.

Interested parties should contact the developer.
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