What's not to like? Palm Beach architectural board green-lights two houses. Here's why
The Palm Beach Architectural Commission has been busy of late reviewing residential projects and keeping applicants guessing, sometimes, about whether or not their projects will quickly pass muster or have to undergo revisions. The board is tasked with approving the look of all new architecture in town, unless a project involves a landmarked property or requires only minor construction.
Among the homes that recently earned a thumbs-up from the notoriously tough panel were a couple of two-story projects, one at 599 S. County Road in the Estate Section and the other across town at 220 Arabian Road on the North End.
On South County Road in Palm Beach
The house on County Road was designed by Miami architect Rafael Portuondo for a vacant lot owned by SAS Realty Enerprises LLC, a New Jersey-based limited liability company. Property records and town documents show the ownership is most likely connected to Dr. Greg Simonian, a heart surgeon in Paramus, New Jersey.
Measuring two-fifths of an acre, the South County Road lot changed hands for $5.1 million in early 2021 as part of a new subdivision platted in 2017 at the corner of El Bravo Way. In that deal, agent Gail Cohen of Brown Harris Stevens acted for the buyer. Broker Christian Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate represented Sir Peter Wood, who developed the six-lot subdivision on land that was once part of an estate owned by the late communications billionaire John Kluge.
The architectural board initially considered Portuondo’s design of the house in May, when commissioners asked for refinements. Three months later, the panel gave its conditional approval to the reworked house, which incorporates a number of British Colonial- and cottage-style design elements, the architect said.
The house will have coral-stone exterior accents, light-gray window frames and doors, and sage-green shutters. Among the conditions for their approval, board members asked Portuondo to change the roof material from cedar-shake shingles to tile.
The grounds will include a garden area bordered on three sides by the garage, a guest cottage and one wing of the house. The grounds were designed by landscape architect Dustin Mizell of Environment Design Group.
“I think it’s a very nice addition to the Estate Section,” Commissioner John David Corey said about the house in August. “I think it works very well on South County Road.”
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On Arabian Road in Palm Beach
At the same meeting, the architectural panel approved the design of the new residence for the vacant lot on Arabian Road but asked for minor adjustments. The property is owned by a limited liability company controlled by Robert Frisbie Sr., a principal of the Frisbie Group real estate development and investment company. His wife, Kim, writes articles on sustainable gardening for the Palm Beach Daily News.
The Frisbies today reside in a condominium in the Frisbie Group-built Via Flager By The Breakers development on Royal Poinciana Way.
Dailey Janssen Architects architect Roger Janssen’s design for the house on Arabian Road has a courtyard design with a one-bedroom pool cabana connected to the main house by a side-loading garage. The house will have a cedar-shake shingle roof, a smooth-finish stucco exterior, painted shutters and a front door made of washed cypress. Kim Frisbie worked closely on the landscape with designer Mizell to ensure the vast majority of the trees and plants will be native species.
Several residents wrote letters of support for the house, although one neighbor was opposed.
“This house has a real ‘fit’ to the town,” Commissioner Betsy Shiverick said before the project’s approval during its initial review by the board. “It has a tiny bit of formality but it also has an informality that says it’s close to the beach.”
In February, the Frisbies used an ownership company to pay a recorded $4.6 million for the lot, which measures about a quarter of an acre near the inlet at the northern tip of Palm Beach. On the buyer’s side was Corcoran Group agent and Frisbie Group principal Suzanne Frisbie, who is Robert Frisbie’s sister-in-law. Agent Thomas B. Holmes of Illustrated Properties acted on behalf of the seller, Walter Wick.
Of the 10 major residential projects reviewed by the commission at their Aug. 23 meeting, only the houses on Arabian Road and South County Road won approval. The rest were deferred for restudy.
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Darrell Hofheinz is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist who writes about Palm Beach real estate in his weekly “Beyond the Hedges” column. He welcomes tips about real estate news on the island. Email dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com, call 561-820-3831 or tweet @PBDN_Hofheinz. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: How did Palm Beach Architectural Commission rate these two houses?
