Equestrian Village project gets approved at site of old Palm Beach Polo stadium

The Wellington Planning, Zoning and Adjustment Board approved the development of Equestrian Village, a dressage arena, condominium-hotel and commercial complex on the site of the former Palm Beach Polo stadium, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

The County is the considered the country’s polo capitol during the winter months and had long supported the construction of the new arena, but property owners Wellington Equestrian Partners’ plan for a condo-hotel and commercial space to acommpany the arena was a source of controversy. The owners had wanted to build a 54-foot tall structure that tops out at six stories in an area where construction is limited to 36 feet.

But WEP worked with the planning board to come up with a proposal that assuaged the fears of the community. “We don’t want it to be a block. We want it to be a very nice architectural landmark in the community. We want it to look more like the Ritz and not a Walmart,” said Mark Bellissimo, managing partner at the firm. “We’re staging it so that the average height of the hotel is a lot less than the five stories.” [Sun-Sentinel]