When your business is on a Downtown campus and you need more parking — but you’re just about out of real estate — there’s one solution: go up.
That’s why Baptist Medical Center plans to build a parking garage on its surface lot adjacent to Interstate 95 and the Acosta Bridge ramp.
The site has frontage along Palm Avenue, Prudential Drive and San Marco Boulevard.
The conceptual design was approved Thursday by the Downtown Development Review Board.
The seven-story structure will be about 817,000 square feet, with spaces for 2,247 vehicles, including 33 handicap accessible spaces.
The garage will be constructed of precast concrete and glass; LED lights will be installed on the structure.
In addition to the design of the garage, architect Franklin Brooks, chairman of FreemanWhite, outlined the landscape plan for the project, which he said was intended to enhance the area.
The plan is focused along the Palm Avenue side of the garage. Shade trees and a lawn will be installed, along with planters and a shade canopy.
Sidewalk improvements will mirror the San Marco historic district standards.
“It will create a pedestrian zone,” Brooks said.
Board members were less than enthusiastic about the appearance of the building on the sides facing away from the hospital campus.
“It looks wonderful from Baptist’s perspective, but I’m concerned about what it will look like to drivers on I-95,” said Christian Harden, senior vice president of commercial brokerage at NAI Hallmark Partners.
Studio9 Architecture principal architect Craig Davisson said the design on the sides facing away from the campus was “lackluster” and put the worst side of the building facing San Marco Boulevard.
“The garage turns its back on the Southbank,” he said.
Rafael Caldera, CEO of general contractor Arkest LLC, suggested changing the facade treatment to “break up the sides of the building” to make it not appear so massive.
“All good suggestions,” Brooks said.
The design with modifications will go back to the board for final approval at a future meeting.
(904) 356-2466