These 4 Micro Apartments in Downtown Winter Park Would Have Been Awesome



By Mark Baratelli

What a missed opportunity!

There could have been four great affordable housing opportunities within steps of Winter Park Farmers Market and Park Avenue Shopping District. Instead, the City said no thanks to gripes from neighbors.

A 4-unit 10,556 sq ft apartment building will be constructed at the end of 301 West Comstock Avenue. The building's design is based on the Barbour Apartments at 544 N. Knowles Avenue, designed and built by Gamble Rogers in 1936.

Behind the building will be four 2-car garages for use by the tenants of the main building. Atop each garage will be a micro-apartment with full kitchen and bathroom. The units run 420 sq ft to 484 sq ft.

Allowing these small units to be rentals would have given the city affordable housing options almost in the heart of Downtown Winter Park. Neighborhoods with a variety of rents and housing types make for a diverse residential experience. While the area will have single family homes and duplexes all in a high range range, it's missing what's known as "missing middle."See below. 


The project will be visible to drivers at the intersection of  W. Lyman Ave and S. New York Ave. 

While the property on which the project will be built is zoned Low Density Residential, zoning always has the potential to be changed. That would potentially have had to be executed in order for these tiny apartments to become rentals. 

The property is adjacent to the duplex townhomes and single family homes of the David Weekly project and the FDOT railroad right-of-way. David Weekly is the king of buying older homes, demolishing them and replacing them with huge homes or huge front-loading duplexes. 

The individual units inside the main building range in size from 1,570 to 1,656 square feet with the detached garage (22 x 22) 484 sq. ft. and upstairs living space of 420-484 sq. ft.

***
Want to hear opinions from locals like you? Listen to The Daily City Podcast! And start each week with knowledge with our Monday Morning Email!

The project will take up this large wedge of land at the end of 301 West Comstock Avenue
Drivers will see the 2-story building and micro apartment-topped garages as they pass over the tracks at the instersection 
These are the Barbour Apartments  at 544 N. Knowles Avenue, designed and built by Gamble Rogers in 1936.
These are the Barbour Apartments  at 544 N. Knowles Avenue, designed and built by Gamble Rogers in 1936.


Sketch of the Barbour Apartments at 544 N. Knowles Avenue designed and built by Gamble Rogers in 1936.