Florida Construction News staff writer
The City of West Palm Beach has announced completion of Flagler Station, an affordable apartment community developed by Housing Trust Group (HTG). This $33-million project is the first new affordable apartment community to be built in the city’s downtown in the past 30 years. It was a public-private partnership between HTG, the City of West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach County
The project team for Flagler Station is general contractor Rinaldi Construction, engineer and landscape designer WGI, Inc., architecture firm Corwil Architects, and interior designer B. Pila Designs.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Housing Trust Group for their unwavering commitment to bringing affordable housing to the City of West Palm Beach. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a more inclusive and vibrant community. We eagerly anticipate the positive impact this development will have on the city and its residents,” said Mayor Keith A. James.
Located at 991 Banyan Boulevard, the development is an eight-story, high-rise property with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Community amenities include a 3,200-sq. ft., double-high multi-purpose clubroom, a computer/business center, a rooftop pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and on-site parking.
It’s named after Henry Flagler, the 19th-century industrialist who built the Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) and the site will keep some of the original, now defunct FECR tracks, which have been incorporated into the development as part of a linear park featuring original artwork and murals. The intent is to build out this park along the rest of the rail right of way to make it a true “rails to trails” conversion. This supports a transportation and mobility plan adopted in 2018 featuring an integrated system of bike lanes, busways, train stations, trolley routes, sidewalks, and roads to reduce car traffic and make the city more pedestrian-friendly.
The building’s architectural design echoes the “brutalist” style that characterized the Old West Palm Beach City Hall, now demolished, and the Federal Courthouse buildings. With its partner, Corwil Architects, along with city officials, HTG delivered a design that is both contemporary and historic in its aesthetic. Archways were incorporated into the building facade to showcase structural elements while giving reference to the Beaux Arts architecture of Grand Central Terminal.
