Wrap & Podium
Vida Health Village
Vida Health Village is a 7-story transit-oriented development at the core of Advent Health’s life science and healthcare innovation district near Downtown Orlando. Many residents work at the medical complex located across the street, and the community’s location on Orange Avenue is a vital addition to Orlando’s up-and-coming Health Village neighborhood.
Residents enjoy ever-increasing dining, entertainment, and recreational options, as well as great jobs in the medical field. With its inspiring contemporary façade and prime location in one of the country’s fastest-growing innovation districts, it is no wonder that Vida Health Village has made an impression on Central Floridians in the short time since completion.
People who live and work in the Health Village have easy access to many great walkable neighborhoods throughout Greater Central Florida via SunRail, Central Florida’s rail transit system, as well as the Lynx bus service and the continuously-expanding Orlando Urban Bike Trail. These features enhance walkability and transportation access, which reduce the pressure of infrastructure costs and create better, healthier, more sustainable communities.
As planners and advocates of resilient, forward-thinking neighborhoods, we are proud that Vida Health Village is one of seven CBA-designed communities that support and utilize the SunRail.
// Wrap, Urban, Single Donut, Podium, Mid-Rise
Lyric at Norton Commons
What do you get when you mix retail, residential, and 11’ of site drop within a TND community? That’s a challenge CBA tackled with Lyric at Norton Commons in Louisville, Kentucky.
As a mixed-use development with 12,000 sf of retail within the Norton Commons TND complex, it was crucial to achieve connection to the street level without the use of steps. Similarly, a 5-level pre-cast parking garage with exits at common levels would need to connect both the residents and retail.
Our solution came in the form of breaking the building up into cleverly designed, hidden splits. This allowed us to respond to changes in grade internally while preserving a unified exte-
rior appearance. The preferable wood structure construction type was maintained, resulting in significant cost savings.
Multiple courtyards provide residents with gathering areas, each with a unique vibe and purpose. The connection walkway between the two larger courtyards crosses an elevation shift, so we used this to create a residential theater with elevated stadium-type seating. Throughout the community, adaptive thinking and structural coordination turned what could have been irregular or unused spaces into positives that could only be achieved with this unique site. Finally, the outstanding ownership group made sure all areas of the project were reviewed in detail and well thought out.
// Podium, Garden, Double Donut, Mid-Rise, Mixed Use
ARCOS
ARCOS was designed to support Sarasota’s ambitious downtown master plan and Rosemary District redevelopment program. Situated in the region’s core, ARCOS is a key piece of the neighborhood’s emphasis on walkability, with a Walk Score of 96 and a rising Bike Score of 72. The design required 3,500 sq.ft. of retail and 8,000 sq.ft. for community amenities, resulting in an expansive, inviting ground floor full of bustling activity and the potential to transform into future retail opportunities as needed.
ARCOS makes a bold architectural statement with its contemporary Dutch West Indies style. Considerable thought went into designing the exciting façade, utilizing chamfered
corners to provide rhythmic breaks and elegant massing. This sectional approach serves another purpose, shortening the block visually to embody a pedestrian-friendly urbanist quality. The site presented the challenge of a 5’ elevation drop from end to end, requiring compensation to provide level entries to access points.
Inside, the design was inspired by classic, beautiful hotels and voluminous train stations; a grand nostalgic experience viewed through modern interpretation. ARCOS is even home to an on-site art gallery on the ground floor that hosts international and local artists, contributing to Sarasota’s vibrant and diverse cultural identity.
Wrap, Urban, Mid-Rise, Double Donut, Mixed-Use
// May 2016 - March
400 Beach
400 Beach is a new, vibrant, and inclusive multi-generational community currently in development. With direct access to the new Riverfront Park and its world class civic assets along the edge of the Halifax River, the property will take advantage of a highly sought-after location only one mile from the world-famous Daytona Beach.
Located on a 3.5-acre site, the residential community is designed to capitalize on the larger regional vision for the Halifax River’s beautifully enhanced Riverfront Park system. With an emphasis on placemaking, the project will feature first floor engagement, dynamic architecture, high quality materials, and an intrinsic connection to the surrounding communi-
ty’s urban fabric. Sweeping views and convenient walkability to nearby shopping and dining will make 400 Beach a highly attractive living destination.
At 6 stories, the development provides abundant light and breathtaking vistas to every unit. The amenity package includes a salt-water swimming pool, fitness & wellness center, private professional and gathering areas to accommodate those choosing to work from home, and an observation deck with views of the Atlantic Ocean.
// Wrap, Urban, Single Donut, Mid-Rise
930 Central Flats
930 Central Flats is an attractive urban luxury mixed-use community that was designed to meet exacting city standards. This mid-rise project in St. Petersburg, Florida is a stylish, contemporary development that feels fresh and exciting. The building’s architectural design complements the surrounding Edge District, a vibrant award-winning Florida Main Street with eclectic and historic character.
930 Central Flats is a combination of apartments, retail, and townhouse units. Among its many features, 930 Central Flats is home to a comprehensive state-of-the-art two-story fitness center, dog spa, and a rooftop garden overlooking Central Avenue.
The project is a true Live, Work, & Play community, with dedicated outdoor social spaces, a yoga mezzanine, a South Beach inspired pool with surrounding sun decks, and over 3,500 sf of ground level retail, dining, and entertainment. Parking is conveniently located behind and below the retail.
To meet rigorous downtown standards, 930 Central Flats was required to pass a multi-step architectural review procedure. This collaborative process between our design team, the client, and the city resulted in creative and refreshing architecture designed to stand the test of time. As such, 930 Central Flats was honored with the 2019 Silver Aurora Award for Best Mixed Use Project from the SEBC.
// Urban, Single Donut, Podium,
Talison Row
Talison Row on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina presented several unique circumstances that created an exciting and rewarding design process.
The site is located within the 100-year flood plain adjacent to the historical city and tidal rivers, so we designed Talison Row as a podium structure. This allowed us to shelter vehicles within the flood plain, while simultaneously raising the buildings and mechanical equipment.
The podium typology enabled us to meet our density goals and provided interstitial spaces that became wonderful pocket parks, courtyards, and community gardens.
Geologically, Charleston is a seismically active region that requires specific design countermeasures. Talison Row utilizes stone columns and earthquake drains, which dissipate pore pressure during seismic events.
Finally, the City of Charleston maintains development guidelines, along with an architectural appearance board that reviews new designs. In order to ensure Talison Row would complement its neighbors, we worked diligently to create a Low Country-style community that met the city’s exacting standards. The result is an architectural expression that feels like a village, with units that take advantage of spectacular views of the tidal Cooper River and Downtown Charleston.
// Garden, Mid-Rise, Podium
Row Associates Structural // Nalin
Parking Garage // 309 // Site // 170
Scope // Visioning concept through CO Project Number // 3439
Design // Feb 2011 - Nov 2011
Construction // Jan 2012 - Aug 2013
Talison
UFORA Gainesville
UFORA Gainesville is under construction near the University of Florida. The project is a 232 unit (663 bedrooms) eight story apartment community consisting of a retail condo, rentable units, and five levels of parking by a centralized structure. An amenity center is located on the 8th floor, consisting of a pool deck, fitness center with sauna, yoga room, and an outdoor patio on the south side of the building.
A unique aspect of this project is the evolution of our design work, which began pre-COVID-19 and has since adjusted to meet new standards. From the January/February 2021 Student Housing Business (Volume 12, Issue 3):
The interesting things that happened on this project were that we had to change the amenity space during and after COVID,” says Architect Cristian Oquendo. “It got bigger. We used to have 30 square feet per student or per bed. Outdoor spaces have always been important but COVID has pushed us and also pushed our clients to think more about how to add spaces and make them comfortable.”
Oquendo says that most designs today need to feature roomier amenity space, averaging approximately 35 square feet per bed. In addition to enlarging open areas, CBA also had to tweak designs in real time, managing rising lumber prices, which were at an all-time high.
// Student, Urban, Podium, Wrap, Mid-Rise
