I just witnessed the alleged architectural offering of an apartment complex for our most affluent of the affluent equestrians.
A 50-unit project for the seasonal super rich to be inflicted upon 65,000 others who live and work nearby or use South Shore Blvd. and must approach this behemoth at the Greenview Shores terminus. The owners should, at minimum, have to stay all year round as the rest of us do and witness their oversized lodgings daily.
I wonder if these folks would be amenable to such a structure contiguous with their horse farms across the country as they would inflict upon us?
This monstrosity of gigantic proportions (four stories in height) is the advent of abrogating existing village code that well may be what future developers point to and say, “Why can’t I build something equally as big and offensive.” For surely, it will be the “precedent,” even if not legally.
The breath and girth of this, which appears to be an imaginative child’s rendering, is out of place. Why, in fact, not enlist middle schoolers in Wellington the opportunity to compete and to offer even more imaginative renderings?
Witnessing this for the first time shocked me no less than would 100 Harpies flying into my face. OK, I exaggerate, but I did think of Shakespeare’s “out spot” and was unable to get the girth and width and breath of the building out of my mind’s eye. Even Frank Lloyd Wright would turn over in his grave for the unimaginative monolith imposition.
To developer Neil Hirsch: you have been a pillar in the Wellington community and our equestrian community for so many years, and much respected. Is this what you wish to be remembered for, all in the name of money?
To our council, whose job it is to protect us and enforce our codes, and to make sure that our planned community is not visited by behemoths that belong on Military Trail or Congress: to allow this un-equestrian edifice in the heart of Wellington’s polo and equestrian community, “It out-Herods Herod. Pray you, avoid it.”
To our mayor and esteemed council, I implore you to think about the intent of Wellington’s founding peoples, who wanted large, obtrusive buildings on State Road 7 and not in the heart of our equestrian community and residential side of South Shore Blvd. Drive down Forest Hill Blvd (going west), make a left turn onto South Shore (going south), and I defy you to see anything less than natural greenery on your left, with just hints of housing through the mound and trees and foliage. Don’t be the first to open the floodgates to four-story buildings in our village’s center.
You alone, as our elected officials, have the duty to protect Wellington, and to have some imagination for our future. Do not let it be of downtown Miami or West Palm Beach, where anything goes with reach-for-the-sky heights. Why abrogate our code and turn it upside down for 50 people not even permanent Wellington residents?
If this passes, it will be your legacy, your mark, or should I say your stain upon us. We all love the equestrian community, but this would be one step too far.
Surely someone with an imagination and forethought can better design a less-obtrusive complex, something that fits into the verdant foliage and community, perhaps with an equestrian flair, without the appearance of an overstuffed box store ready to regurgitate its contents.
If horses could speak, they would collectively say, “neigh.”
George Unger, Wellington
George outdid himself with this dramatic nonsense. Having a thesaurus a click away has been a godsend to George as is his ability to Google Shakespeare quotes.
His drivel is actually becoming entertaining it’s so pretentious and self gratifying.