One of Wellington’s largest remaining developments wants to tweak a few architectural details as construction continues this summer — in one case expressly to slow the roll of skateboarders.
Yes, skateboarders. A proposed bike rack at Lotis Wellington appeared with a requested change before a meeting of Wellington’s Architectural Review Board on Wednesday, June 25, in part specifically to discourage gnarly derring-do by boarders using the structure as a platform for rides and tricks.
“The racks that were originally approved, they came with more of a rectangular design,” said Rich Kasser, project director at Lotis Group. “We chose to go with one that has more of an angled edge.”
This came after discussions with people who provide this sort of thing to developments, he said.
“We didn’t want them to become seats, or for skateboarders to use them, or for other people to use them not what they were intended for,” Kasser said. “After talking to vendors that work in site amenities, they said go with something that has more of an angled edge.”
That modification was among a slate of requests approved unanimously by the board for the mixed-use project west of State Road 7 and north of Forest Hill Blvd.
With other requested changes at Lotis, the cost and availability of materials or insurance liability concerns sometimes prompted the builders to update their proposals.
Take the case of trellis structures, designed for pathways and green areas. Originally, these were meant to provide shade and had swings hanging from them.
But developers grew worried about insurance costs if people fell out of the swings or got hit by them. There was additional concern about maintenance costs, officials said.
So, the swings were out in the latest request, replaced by benches.
“It’s not going to invite people to swing and create some type of an injury issue,” Kasser said.
A dog park will feature an updated list of equipment for the exercise and entertainment of four-legged visitors, including a watering station, he said. The park will be known as Lotis Woofington.
Two cypress preserves on the site will now come with educational signs. They will discuss preservation, wildlife and related topics.
“It’s a way to bring in a little more knowledge and engagement than just somebody walking by,” Kasser said.
Board Member Maria Wolfe asked if invasive plants have been removed from the cypress preserves.
Kasser said that process is underway in the larger stand of nearly an acre on the northern part of the site, and also planned for a smaller area to its south.
Planters will change colors slightly in blues and grays to coordinate with the hues of paving stones near them, officials said. An array of benches will more heavily reflect the community’s signature blue accent color, with less silver surface area.
It has been a long road with plenty of changes, big and small, at the Lotis project.
Initial plans more than four years ago focused on senior and assisted living near Wellington Regional Medical Center, but delays associated with the pandemic and changes in market demand prompted an overhaul in strategy.
That was met with some frustration by Wellington Village Council members, but by the start of 2024, the council gave a 4-1 approval to revised plans that fully opened it up to buyers not tied to age or medical condition.
That involved 372 residential units from single-family homes available for purchase to rental apartments as small as 680 square feet.
Marquee attractions include Cooper’s Hawk restaurant, slated to open by the close of 2025, according to project officials at the June 25 meeting.
No opening date was offered for a planned Lazy Dog restaurant, though the eatery has been appearing regularly for village architectural approvals, and on other occasions, project officials have referred to an early 2026 launch there.
One touted draw, a PopStroke mini-golf course tied to famed sportsman Tiger Woods, dropped out of the mix by early 2025 as backers focused on another of their courses in the region.
With its Lotis 1 and Lotis 2 portions combined, the project sits on close to 120 acres that have represented one of the few major undeveloped parcels in Wellington.
In other business, Board Member Stacy Somers was chosen to continue as chair of the Architectural Review Board.