Garage Design Snag Stalls Billionaire Cohen’s West Palm Point Office Building Proposal

The 10-story parking garage redesign for the already 23-story office building proposal was opposed by Palm Beach commissioners, prompting Cohen’s legal counsel to tease litigation. 

Wealthy investor Charles Cohen is vying to have the construction of a 23-story office building in downtown West Palm Beach approved by the city. However, a redesign of the 10-story garage was rejected by city commissioners, further delaying the start of the project. 

At the beginning of November, West Palm Beach city commissioners opted to postpone their decision on a design plan offered by Cohen for the West Palm Point development for the third time without adequate reasoning.  

The West Palm Point Development 

Cohen’s West Palm Point development is estimated to be worth more than $100 million. It will include 430,374 square feet of flexible office space, a 480-square-foot café on the roof, and 16,630 square feet of commercial and retail space on the first floor. 

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects was chosen as the project’s design team as required by the city. Pelli Clarke Pelli changed its concept of the 1,195-space parking structure for the development by including a wall of organic greenery to obscure the building and make it look less like a parking garage. 

Multiple Delays By Palm Beach Commissioners

At the city’s sessions on Sept. 20 and Oct. 28, officials postponed voting on the proposed West Palm Point development. Cohen’s construction and design team thought that the renovated carpark would help create support for six zoning exemptions needed for the project but was initially rejected by the municipal administration. 

The redesigned parking structure, however, did not satisfy municipal commissioners. They continued to request a “parking garage that doesn’t look like a parking garage,” per commissioner Kelly Shoaf. The vote has been further postponed until their next session on December 13, 2021, due to a unanimous vote made during the early November meeting.

The attorney speaking on behalf of project management for the West Palm Point development says, “We’ll work as best we can to try to make something happen, so we don’t have to end up in a lawsuit, because that’s the only other option. We don’t want to go there. But I don’t know how to answer the question of what it should look like, and I’m worried we’re not going to be able to truly do that.” 

Involved In Real Estate Litigation? Get Help From an Experienced Palm Beach, Florida Lawyer 

Feinstein Real Estate Litigation & Business Law has the skills and expertise needed to provide your business with comprehensive legal representation during a construction dispute. Call now at 954-767-9662 (Fort Lauderdale), 561-981-6212 (Boca Raton,) or 305-728-5267 (Miami).