Palm Avenue Garage and Retail Shops

1289, North Palm Avenue, Sarasota, FL, United States

Add To Collection

Palm Avenue Garage and Retail Shops

1289, North Palm Avenue, Sarasota, FL, United States

Type

Commercial › Retail
Hospitality + Sport › Restaurant
Transport + Infrastructure › Parking

YEAR

2011

SIZE

100,000 sqft - 300,000 sqft

BUDGET

$10M - 50M

This 240,000 square foot
project was designed for the City of Sarasota
by the award-winning architecture firm, JONATHAN PARKS ARCHITECT, and built by
Suffolk Construction. The challenge for the Palm Avenue Parking Garage and
Retail Shops was to design a signature mixed-use building that would become a
portrait of the Sarasota
community. The resulting design solution
needed to welcome civic input and capture the spirit of the local artistic
culture.

To achieve this, the façade is
designed in a curvaceous, free-form sculptural style that reflects the area’s
artistic and modern environment. Located one block from Sarasota Bay,
the organic contours of the exterior surface resemble the wind-filled sails of
a ship. This design gesture perfectly reflects Sarasota’s past and present connection with
the waters of the bay. Additionally, the perforated metal “sail” shapes are
designed to complement the surrounding architecture along Palm Avenue.

Specifically relating to the
programmatic and aesthetic needs of the new parking garage, the “sails” are
designed to let natural light and ventilation into all parking levels while
screening the vehicles from public view. This is important in creating a
welcoming and safe environment for users of the garage while providing a
structure that “does not look like a parking garage”.

The ground level of the
six-story structure includes a variety of retail spaces. Each storefront is
unique, enhancing the pedestrian experience.
Awnings and trees provide shade, while the sails are designed with the street
level view in mind. An outdoor “lobby”
serves as the transition from the garage to street level. A playful, sculptural stair design announces
each visitor’s arrival while encouraging use over the elevator. The only place
where the sails touch the ground occurs at the lobby, promoting pedestrian
interaction.

Another important design
aspect of the garage is its user-friendly layout. Efficient vehicle circulation
is achieved by designing slightly angled parking spaces and a wide-open express
ramp free of parked cars. In addition, a
one-way traffic flow reduces vehicle conflict and enables easy maneuvering in
and out of parking spaces. A simple floor plan, identical on each level,
facilitates motorists’ ability to navigate.
The cast-in-place design eliminates shear walls and columns between
parking spaces, while an open floor plan with high ceilings creates a bright,
airy atmosphere that helps with visitor spatial orientation. The parking garage has spaces for 763 cars,
slots for 35 motorcycles, and accommodations for 80 bicycles.

The project is designed to
reach LEED-CS (Core & Shell) v3 Gold Level (Certification Pending). Green components include an underground
retention vault and cistern to store and treat storm water runoff from the
site. A portion of the water is reused for the irrigation system. Interior materials surpass LEED requirements
for off-gassings of VOC’s and other toxic chemicals. Energy consumption is reduced with LED
lighting and an energy management system that only provides artificial light
when and where it is needed. A solar
carport is located on the roof and plug-ins for electric vehicles are provided
on the first floor.

The result is an iconic,
user-friendly, environmentally-responsible design that satisfies the
functional, strategic, and aesthetic needs of the City, while contributing to
the overall success of downtown Sarasota.