- April 23, 2024
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Phase one may begin next year
“This will probably always be known as the old hospital property,” said developer Buddy LaCour about the area where Memorial Hospital once stood on Sterthaus Drive.
But if he and other investors in Ormond King Center LLC are successful, the 27-acre site will be the location of five-story residences called Ormond Renaissance Condominiums.
“We have a few fiery hoops to jump through for the city,” LaCour said.
The project will need a rezoning approval from the Planning Board and City Commission before construction begins, which is projected to be early 2015. The first phase could be completed by late 2015.
LaCour said it’s a unique location for a condo because it’s centrally located to shopping, the beach, and Interstate 95, and has several points of access by way of Orange Avenue and Old Kings Road.
“It’ll be easy to come and go,” he said.
When fully built out, the residence will have 11 buildings, each containing 26 condominium units. The first phase will be built next year, and the timetable for the other phases will depend on demand, but LaCour expect all to be completed in four years.
The market demand may also affect the occupants. LaCour said the phase three buildings may be for those 55 and over, depending on sales for the first two phases.
No short term rentals will be allowed, but LaCour said rentals of at least six months will probably be allowed.
“Florida was built on rentals,” he said. He said people have traditionally bought a house, and then rented it out until ready for retirement.
“This will be a good fit for that,” he said.
LaCour presented plans for the development at a neighborhood information meeting on Aug. 26 at the Ormond Beach YMCA.
One audience member said she was concerned about the increased number of area residents, many who will be renting. She said population will also grow because of increased business from the residents.
“This town does not have a gigantic police force,” she said. “Who will police the parking lots and the unruly tenants? I moved from South Florida to get away from this.”
LaCour responded that it will be a 65 to 70 million dollar project at build-out, and will pay for necessary services.
“That’s what we pay taxes for,” he said. “People will demand goods and services. It will have a positive influence. It’ll be a cool place to live.”
Features will include a lagoon-style pool and elevators. One floor of each building will be for parking. There will be two- and three-bedroom units priced from $200 thousand to $300 thousand.
The largely wooded area to the east will remain a conservation area.
Early plans called for a house of worship to be constructed, but those plans are on hold because unique, specimen trees were found in the area.
One resident was concerned about the trees along Old Kings Road, and LaCour said the trees would not be touched.
When asked about traffic, Parker Mynchenberg, engineer for the project, said that a study has shown that there will be less traffic than when the hospital was there. There are no plans to widen any roads.
LaCour said he expects half of the residents to be retired. He also expects that a lot or professionals will need housing in the area, because of the growth of the local medical industry and new industry in Daytona Beach, such as the Trader Joes distribution center.
