Palm Beach Atlantic University asked the West Palm Beach Planning Board on Aug. 19 to approve a minor amendment to the university's previously approved dorm and parking garage project, and the board recommended approval to the City Commission.

The board voted unanimously to recommend reducing the garage from 11 levels to 8.5 levels, to approve a revised decorative facade treatment that includes a Christian "ichthys" (Jesus fish) geometric element, and to grant a waiver for limited encroachment of support columns into the required eight-foot setback along South Dixie Highway, subject to conditions that the north and south facades receive extended treatment so long as the change does not increase the garage budget.

Why it matters: The garage sits on Dixie Highway in a visible public right-of-way; commissioners and staff sought a more articulated facade after the city commission approved the dorm and garage earlier in the year but asked the developer to return with improved screening. The project is under construction and financed by bonds, so the design team told the board it could not increase the budget and was reallocating ornamentation to cover more of the facades.

What the board heard: Harvey Oyer, representing the applicant, said the university was "voluntarily reducing the height of the proposed garage" and presented designs that use a fish motif previously used elsewhere on the campus. Oyer told the board the reduction removes 185 parking spaces and that the team will need to "make up for that elsewhere on the campus in the future." Architect Chris Santoro (Cube3) described the garage as precast concrete panels with applied metal work for the decorative elements and confirmed the painted finish and a matte powder-coat look for the metal.

Staff comments and conditions: Anna Maria Ponte, development services director, told the board staff supported the height reduction and the proposed west elevation treatment but asked that the north and south facades receive additional ornamentation or scoring so the building reads as a complete volume from Dixie Highway. Staff recommended approval with three conditions focused on facade continuity and coordination on the geometric rhythm and paint color. Staff also supported the requested setback waiver for a limited number of support columns that would project into the landscaped area between the sidewalk and the garage.

Board action and limitations: The planning board passed a motion recommending approval subject to staff conditions with a further modification requiring that the architectural treatment be extended along the full north and south elevations "provided it does not increase the current budget as allocated for the parking garage." The motion passed unanimously. The board and applicant agreed that any additional facade coverage must be accomplished without raising the bond-funded construction budget.

Next steps: The Planning Board recommendation goes to the City Commission for final action; the applicant and staff will continue to refine the rhythm and placement of decorative elements on the north and south facades within the no-new-cost constraint.

Speakers quoted in this article were present at the Aug. 19 planning board hearing and identified in the record.