Rollins presses pause on request for faculty apartments

The controversial project, which would have provided accessible housing to faculty and staff near the liberal arts campus, drew criticism from neighbors

Feb. 28, 2024

By Beth Kassab

Rollins College withdrew its request to build faculty apartments a few blocks from Park Avenue after an outcry from neighbors and concerns from commissioners that the building wouldn’t fit in the neighborhood.

College leadership has talked with each commissioner over the past several weeks, seeking input and feedback on accommodations while striving to preserve the integrity of the project,” Rollins administrators said in a statement. “This project remains a strategic priority of the college. We will take time to explore our options and come back with a project that benefits the College and the City’s Central Business District.”

President Grant Cornwell has said the college needs to be able to offer attainable housing to recruit younger faculty because housing prices in Winter Park are often $1 million or more.  

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A rendering shows a faculty and staff apartment project proposed by Rollins College.

Workforce housing and affordable housing are often thrown around as priorities of the City Commission, particularly in the context of expanding the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.

But the Rollins project quickly became a target for neighbors to shoot down, asserting the building would decrease their property values.

In January, Rollins attempted to appease some of those concerns by lowering the number of proposed units from 48 to 39 and reducing the size and length of the building along Welbourne Avenue.

The proposal was for a three-story 72,933-square-foot building with 104 parking spaces, which meets code requirements, according to a memorandum from city staff.

A number of residents of the Douglas Grand condominium building said they feared their own units will drop in value because of Rollins’ planned framed construction with what they called too few architectural details to emulate the Spanish-Mediterranean style the main campus is known for.

“Please consider whether or not you would purchase a $1 million residence across the street from what would be at best an average maintained, subsidized apartment complex,” read one email to commissioners from a resident.

“It is the appearance of the rental facility that makes it even more distasteful,” read another.

“Not to sound snotty, but this is the type of apartment better suited for cities like Fern Park or Casselberry,” a resident wrote.

In it’s statement, Rollins did not say when it expected to try again to seek approval for the project, but signaled it would do so eventually.

“We remain committed to ongoing dialogue with commissioners as we continue to refine the proposal,” the statement said. “We are grateful to the many Winter Park residents and community members who have shown support for this initiative aimed at addressing the college’s workforce housing needs.”

WinterParkVoiceEditor@gmail.com

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