Members of the Associated General Contractors Florida East Coast Chapter will receive an update from Chris Roog, the City of West Palm Beach’s director of economic development, at the association’s chapter membership lunch on July 20.
Roog “will present on the exciting new opportunities for West Palm Beach and their impact on the construction industry and the city’s Flagler Financial District,” the chapter reports.
The presentation is sponsored by the Related Group and the event announcement says Roog will discuss that developer’s proposal for a “Class A office building at the First Church of Christ, Scientist property in downtown West Palm Beach.”
The proposed project would be 25 stories, designed by David Childs (One World Trade Center, and is expected to create 700 temporary construction jobs.
“We took great care to select the most uniquely qualified architect in the nation to design this building helping us create a magnificent architectural signature for West Palm Beach,” Related Urban president and CEO Ken Himmel said in an earlier statement published in South Florida Business Journal.
“He (Childs) thoroughly understands how to build proximate to historical buildings and celebrate the site’s history heritage in ways that create 21st century vitality and enrich the value and experience of every aspect of this high profile site. We are fortunate, indeed, that he fell in love with the idea and has become a passionate champion of positioning this city toward achieving its potential.”
Related’s office building would be on the northwest portion of the site so the church building constructed in 1928 would remain, Related representatives were quoted as saying. The building has not been designated historic.
Childs vowed to preserve the church building, which he called a landmark building designed by architect Horace Trumbauer. He said the office building would be tied to the church by an axial reflecting pool that recalls the one at the Lincoln Memorial.
The fee to attend the presentation at the Hilton West Palm Beach is $50 for AGC members and $65 for non-members. To register, contact danielle at danielle@agcfla.com by July 13.
