Tampa developer aims to break ground on Oak Street apartments this summer
LAKELAND — Construction of Lakeland's first downtown apartment complex to include structured parking could begin this summer.
Tampa-based developer Onicx Investments, LLC has updated design plans to build a high-rise apartment complex with at least 200 units on the Oak Street Parking Lot, adjacent to McKeel Elementary Academy. It has hired Lakeland-based architectural firm The Lunz Group to oversee the project.
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"I think this is a need-based development as there is a lack of residential multi-family especially in the area," Eric Lindsey, Onicx's vice president of development, said. "We are hoping to help solve that particular issue while providing a well-thought out and nice-looking project for the community."
The Oak Street apartments are expected to cost upwards of $50 million to construct. The units will be approximately a mix of 50% studio and one-bedroom apartments, 25% two-bedroom and 25% town homes, according to Lunz's project manager Nicky Pereda. The one-bedroom units will range in size from 550 to 800 square feet.
"It's like a doughnut with a munchkin in the middle," she said describing the building's shape.
The seven-story apartment building will have a leasing office and about 2,100-square-feet of ground floor retail, which will be built on the perimeter of the property. Inside, a four-story parking structure will have public spaces on the ground level with slots for residents on the second and third floors. There will be 413 parking spaces in total, Pereda said, with about 130 available for public parking. Some of these spaces will be designed "for permit only" by the city to accommodate McKeel's staff and nearby businesses.
The top floor of the parking structure will be reserved to provide outdoor amenities for its residents. This may include an astroturf area for dog owners to use, according to Steven Boyington, who said he's watching the debate over the future of Munn Park closely to see if a dog park is built there.
Other amenities the developer has incorporated for future residents are a business center that will have desk space for those who work-at-home and a yoga space or fitness center. Bicycle parking and bike storage will be provided along with a mail and package room on the south side of the building.
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Pereda said the exterior design attempts to take into consideration how close the building will be to the downtown historic district and the area's atmosphere. There will be brickwork along the west frontage, where the developer plans to build the townhouses.
"Given Lakeland's unique character with the murals, we've created a nice space so if the developer should want to hire someone to do mural work and there is an opportunity to do so," Pereda said.
There is one small but potentially expensive issue. Boyington said one of Lakeland Electric's transformers sits on the southwest corner of the property, where the main entrance is proposed given its proximity to downtown. The developer would like to see it moved to the Northeast Corner of Kentucky Ave. and Peachtree Street, which is estimated to cost of more than $150,000.
"That's going to be an issue," Boyington told Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency's Advisory Board. "We need some pressure from you for Lakeland Electric to be more pliable."
Lindsey said the developer is ready to start construction of the complex by mid-summer.
Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Oak Street apartments may begin construction this summer
