Driftwood Capital (formerly Driftwood Acquisitions & Development)—a privately held firm specializing in the acquisition, development and investment syndication of hotel assets—has selected Gensler as the architect for the Westin Cocoa Beach, a new $250 million oceanfront hotel development on Florida’s Space Coast.
Gensler’s project team will provide site strategy and planning, as well as core/shell building and interior design, and pull in professionals from its Miami, Tampa and Costa Rica offices. The project is expected to break ground in 2022 and would be Driftwood’s largest project to date.
Driftwood is expected to open syndication for this property beginning in fall 2020.
Miami-based Shamim Ahmadzadegan, principal, design director and leader of Gensler’s mixed-use practice whose projects include the Riverwalk Place in Tampa, Fla., will oversee the design.
Carlos Rodriguez Sr., chairman/CEO of Driftwood Capital, said the company would use the history of the area as a guide for the design. “From the ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ story, to the surfing culture, to the space race and NASA, all of these formative moments in Cocoa Beach will be inspirational concepts used in the design. At the same time, we are truly committed to making this project energy efficient and designing it by incorporating the latest in technology.”
The Westin Cocoa Beach is slated for completion by mid-2024.