The details on the latest apartment project in Optimist Park

As it nears completion, Optimist Park — the area along the line from 12th Street to the Matheson bridge — is seeing a ton of apartment projects pop up.

Here are the details on the latest project, tentatively named Parkwood Residences:

• Located along Brevard Street from the Parkwood bend to 21st Street
• 307 units
• 9,000 square feet of “flex” space that will be used as retail when the market is there for it (retail would never survive right now, the area needs to be built up more). These spaces are located at Caldwell and Parkwood and Brevard and Parkwood.
• Right on the Parkwood Station light rail stop
• Road improvements to 21st and Parkwood
• Developed by the NRP Group

This is a solid project overall with a lot of good points.

For one, the developers will be making sidewalk and road improvements in an area that greatly needs it. There will also be 11,000+ square feet of public open space, mostly at the main corner of Parkwood and Brevard.

You could still find fault with a few things, though. The facade work has  a “this looks like every other apartment complex” feel. I’d also love to see some more space dedicated to art along the light rail facing the Brevard side.

Look for this to open sometime in 2018.

All images via NPR Group