San Marco Crossing to sport two new identities
San Marco Crossing, the large housing development near the intersection of Kings Avenue and Route 1, has been divided into two separate communities each with a new name and identity.
Renamed The Exchange and Barlow, the multi-family apartment complexes will offer luxury apartments in close proximity to San Marco Square but each with its own unique identity and vibe.
“We thought it was really important not to have two-and-a-half blocks with just one project. It’s better if it’s multiple projects with different target identities,” said Jeff Rosen, principal with Chance Partners, developer of the project.
The communities will be similar in that both will be four-story complexes with ground-floor units, modern amenities, keyless entry, WiFi thermostats, high-speed internet, garage space for all homes and a pool. The new names of both developments were inspired by the railway nearby, Rosen said, noting a small park and dog run will be built across from the two new multi-family communities on Perry Place.
However, the Barlow, the larger of the two developments which lies between Olevia Street and Bertha Street near the Daily’s gas station, will have a more “formal and iconic” atmosphere to attract empty nesters and perhaps an older clientele, similar to the demographic of Rivervue, Chance Partner’s development in Avondale. It will open in the summer of 2021 and include 290 units – with 25 on the ground-floor – of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 632 square feet to 1,522 square feet. The Barlow’s design is meant to be “historic urban” coupled with a resort atmosphere.
Meanwhile, The Exchange will include a “more colorful” atmosphere with the idea of attracting a younger set of urban professionals. It is slated to open earlier, in Spring 2021, and will include 196 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units ranging in size from 632 square feet to 1,450 square feet. Unique corner units will offer floor-to-ceiling glass and views of the surrounding area.
“The Barlow, which is the larger of the two and closer to Atlantic is meant to be a timeless and sophisticated, upscale product,” said Rosen. “The Exchange, which will be one block south, will have a hip, boutique feel. It has a pop of color and is more vibrant and will have more energy in its design with a larger pool and balconies overlooking the pool. It is geared to a younger clientele.
“We view having two projects each with its own identity to a different target audience will help to activate the whole neighborhood because that is what we like so much about San Marco, it is not really any one demographic. It really can run a wide range of people that are interested in the neighborhood,” Rosen said. “We think neighborhoods work best when you have a mix of demographics and can appeal to different people. Everyone has their own taste in cars and clothes, so we think they will play off each other as individual identities, but still in the context of the neighborhood.”
The two projects are the second and third residential developments by Chance Partners that leverage the federal Opportunity Zone tax benefits and are located within the transitional census tract near Philips Highway.
Dynamik Design Partners of Atlanta served as the architect for both multifamily projects, and Kimley-Horn provided civil engineering services. Live Oak Contracting, based in Jacksonville, is the general contractor for both communities.
Chance Partner’s first San Marco development, San Marco Promenade, a 284-unit residential complex located along Philips Highway and Mitchell Place is open with approximately 50 residents who call it home, Rosen said, noting that because the Promenade development opened during COVID-19, it is hard to tell if the pandemic had an impact on the ability to rent the development. San Marco Promenade is a gated community, and its rents will be slightly less expensive than The Exchange or Barlow, he said.
“We’re extremely happy with the initial response from the community and the overall prospects. People are living there, and it’s been an overall positive experience. We’ve been able to pull residents that are looking, and not just in San Marco but also at the Town Center and Riverside. They are deciding that San Marco Promenade is where they want to live.”
Rosen said the second phase of San Marco Promenade is currently in design. Like its first phase, it will also be a gated community that fronts Philips Highway. It will include 226 units, and construction will begin in the summer of 2021. At this point, Chance Partners has not considered changing the name of San Marco Promenade’s second phase or to give it a different identity.
“We are still in the design phase and working through whether it will be consistent or kind of a standalone project,” said Rosen.
“We’re very excited for The Exchange and Barlow projects and to see them delivered next year. We want to get more people living within walking distance of San Marco Square,” he said.
By Lilla Ross
Resident community News
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