Gail Speckamp of South Palm Beach holds a photo of her late husband, Rudy, a Vietnam veteran, alongside a table of her creations. Speckamp bakes for hospitalized veterans on an almost daily basis as her way of showing appreciation for their sacrifices. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

For many at the VA hospital in West Palm Beach, the homemade cookies, tarts and occasional pie slices offered up at celebrations and special events serve as a reminder that the veterans are not forgotten.

For Gail Speckamp, making the sweet treats is a reason to get up every morning.

Trapped in her home by the pairing of a bacteria-driven disease and a severe immune deficiency that makes coming in contact with another person perilous, Speckamp is the founder of Baking for Veterans, a nonprofit she started to give back to vets like her husband, who suffered from a Vietnam War-related illness that led to his death in 2017.

“It was meant to be,” she says of her decision right after the pandemic to start baking for vets. “God gives everyone special gifts; mine is baking.”

Baking for veterans, she says, is her way of showing her appreciation for the service they gave to the country but also to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Speckamp is provided with full benefits — including coverage of costly medical treatments — in large part because she is the widow of a Marine who died from war-related injuries.

The decision to start baking for veterans, she said, was born out of her determination to not just sit at home and be unproductive.

“I had to think of something to do in order to stay busy,” she said. “That’s when I came up with the idea of baking.”

Brainstorming with a few of her neighbors at their Dune Deck Condominiums in South Palm Beach, Speckamp arranged to have supplies delivered to her door and baked goods picked up by a gentleman who works at the VA hospital.

Soon the head of volunteer services at the hospital reached out to Speckamp asking her to bake for celebrations and special events, sometimes requesting as many as several hundred baked goods at a time.

That turned out not to be a problem for Speckamp, who is not your average at-home baker. She and her late husband, Rudy, owned a restaurant in Maryland for more than 20 years. Speckamp was the perfect sidekick to Rudy, a master chef who was later recruited to train others.

Speckamp, 73, is quick to reject the label of pastry chef — something she isn’t — but her baking skills bring her pretty close.

Among her creations, some based on Rudy’s recipes, others collected over the years, are Romeo and Juliet cookies with grated parmesan cheese, guava paste and chocolate chips, and chocolate chow mein cookies. She even adds an occasional cheese cake or Key lime pie to the mix.

“They’re all delicious, one after the other,” says neighbor Reinette Saleeby, who serves as taste tester along with one of the staff members at the condo. “Her banana bread is just so delicious and natural.”

All Speckamp’s creations — including dog treats — are made with natural ingredients.

“She makes everything like she is making them for kings and queens,” Saleeby said.

Speckamp doesn’t just bake the sweet creations; she is also a master of packaging. All of her offerings are individually packaged with a label that lists the name of the item and all of the ingredients.

The labels also note that the sweets are made in a “cottage food operation,” meaning they are not made in a commercial kitchen and are low-risk foods not requiring refrigeration.

“She loves to bake and she loves when the veterans love it,” said Saleeby, who has bestowed the moniker “The Queen of Love and Giving” upon her friend and neighbor.

She says that baking does wonders for Speckamp, who could easily spend her days thinking about the challenges ahead. Instead, she thinks about what creation will come up next.

“Baking is helping her in such an extraordinary way,” Saleeby said. “It gives her a purpose.”

Speckamp had been baking for veterans for a year or so before she decided to launch her nonprofit organization to help offset the cost, which she estimated to be about $1,000 a month.

The organization has a website: bakingforveterans.org.

Speckamp says that once she accepted that her ability to leave her condo was limited, she focused on what she could do.

“Now I get up every morning and say, ‘What am I baking today?’” 

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Town challenges state’s sand transfer plant plan — When it comes to the sand transfer plant in Manalapan, it might as well be a four-letter word. Many in town blame the plant at the Boynton Inlet for depleting the town’s beaches as it sends sand south — though it’s a matter very much up for debate.

Now Manalapan is asking for an administrative hearing after the Florida Department of Environmental Protection moved to renew a 10-year agreement with Palm Beach County without consulting the town.

Town Manager Eric Marmer said at the commission’s Oct. 14 meeting that a resident alerted the town to FDEP’s unilateral move to proceed with the plan. In response, the town will seek a stay to evaluate the proposed agreement, he said.

“We talked to them. I thought they were gonna include us more. They did not,” Marmer said.  

“They were trying to negotiate something that was less formal, but I’m not really happy with the fact that they were doing that without consulting us at all,” he added.

Even though the sand transfer plant is not as harmful to Manalapan’s beaches as initially believed, Marmer emphasized that any project affecting the town warrants municipal input.

Town Attorney Keith Davis is preparing to file a notice of intent challenging FDEP’s approach. 

Town rethinks beach-raking strategy — Manalapan is considering a major overhaul of its beach maintenance approach, potentially replacing traditional beach raking with a more targeted trash collection method.

Town Manager Eric Marmer proposed at the commission’s Oct. 14 meeting using part-time town employees with a side-by-side vehicle to conduct beach cleanup two to three times weekly. 

The plan aims to reduce the costly and potentially invasive beach-raking services, which currently run around $275 to $300 per session.

“We saw so much trash getting picked up while the beach raker was out there,” Marmer told town commissioners. “I got a text from a resident asking why there’s so much trash on the beach even when the beach raker is working.”

The proposed strategy would keep beach raking as an option for significant sargassum accumulation, but significantly reduce its frequency. The town would retain the flexibility to call private beach rakers when necessary.

By using part-time staff and a side-by-side vehicle, Manalapan hopes to create a more efficient and cost-effective beach maintenance program, while keeping municipal employees engaged.

A detailed plan is expected to be presented at the commission’s Nov. 4 meeting.

In April, town officials tried to get to the bottom of which mechanical beach-raking company was leaving deep ruts near turtle nests. The two companies that clean the beach of debris, though, pointed the finger at each other.

Residents sign up for iguana eradication plan — Well, for those old enough to remember, as the cartoon icon Yosemite Sam used to say, “Varmint, I’m a-gonna blow you to smithereens!”

Manalapan Police Chief Jeff Rasor says approximately 25%-30% of residents have agreed to allow a police sharpshooter with an air rifle onto their property for iguana eradication. 

The town decided in September to move away from an outside vendor and have a police officer give it a go.

“We’ve gotten a very positive response from the community,” Rasor said at the commission’s Oct. 14 meeting.

Residents interested in participating in the iguana removal program are encouraged to contact the town’s Police Department for more information.

Sgt. Tracey Merritt, the Police Department’s firearms range master and expert, will be tasked with trying to efficiently kill the iguanas. Signs will be posted at the guard station on Point Manalapan — which is the iguana beachhead, per se — to inform residents when Merritt will be on the property.

New garbage hauler selected — Manalapan has chosen Waste Pro as its new waste collection provider after a competitive bidding process. At the Oct. 14 Town Commission meeting, officials approved moving forward with negotiations for a contract with the waste management company.

Town Manager Eric Marmer reported that a selection committee reviewed three proposals and ranked Waste Pro as the top vendor. The initial first-year contract price is set at $53,731, with future years to be negotiated based on potential cost-of-living adjustments.

“But I wouldn’t negotiate a contract that we would, you know, go from $53-to-$100,000 the next year, or something like that,” Marmer said.

Waste Pro services similar coastal communities, including Ocean Ridge, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Hillsboro Beach. 

The commission authorized Marmer to continue contract negotiations, with a final agreement expected to be presented at its Nov. 4 meeting. The proposed contract would have an initial five-year term.

Less trouble to install emergency generators — Manalapan town commissioners on Oct. 14 took the first step to simplifying the permitting process for residents seeking to install emergency generators, eliminating the need for architectural review and creating a more direct administrative approval path.

The commission approved, on first reading, an ordinance that would allow emergency generator permit applications to bypass the town’s Architectural Commission. 

Instead, these applications will now receive an administrative review before moving directly to the building department for permitting.

Town Attorney Keith Davis said the ordinance aims to expedite the process for residents seeking to install emergency generators. 

The ordinance will return for final approval at the commission’s Nov. 4 meeting.

— John Pacenti

Cove neighbors say long docks would ruin their views — A Point Manalapan resident seeking to build a dock extending out into Manatee Cove withdrew his permit application just before his variance request was to be heard on Oct. 14 by the Manalapan Town Commission.

Many neighbors of the property at 1400 Lands End Road, purchased in April for $4.5 million by Adam and Ana Bersin, said they face similar problems to the ones the Bersins are experiencing — shallow waters that sometimes make it impossible to launch a boat into the cove.

However, the neighbors said they were all aware of the cove’s limitations when they bought there — and did so because they knew that would limit boat traffic. The cove is in the Intracoastal Waterway but sees little boat traffic because of its shallowness.

Nearby homeowners, writing to the town in opposition to the variance, feared that if the variance was approved, more dock-extension variances would be requested in the future. They said they do not want to see their idyllic views turned into a marina vista with 25-foot dock extensions into the cove.

Adam Bersin told The Coastal Star he decided to withdraw the application at this time, but may consider reapplying in the future.

— Larry Barszewski

I live on the barrier island in Delray Beach and recently experienced 19-minute police response time (18:49 to be exact) after calling 911, confirmed by my phone records and surveillance footage.

At a recent City Commission meeting, a commissioner and the city manager publicly disputed this fact without evidence and Commissioner Juli Casale stated that she was “fairly certain” that my claim “wasn’t accurate,” followed by City Manager Terrence Moore saying, “not accurate at all. … We’re doing great.”

This delay and lack of police presence on the barrier island is unacceptable and puts all barrier island residents at risk.

Furthermore, when city officials publicly challenge verified claims, it undermines trust in our local government.

I respectfully urge the city to allocate adequate police patrols here. Residents pay significant property taxes and deserve reliable public safety and honest communication.

For privacy reasons, I request that my name be withheld from publication.

— William,
barrier island resident
Delray Beach

Editor's note: An event report obtained from police by The Coastal Star shows the call was received at 5:01 p.m. and the first dispatch was 8 minutes and 16 seconds later. No time is listed for when the officer arrived. The report said the suspicious incident reported turned out to be an Instacart delivery.

When I joined the commission in 2020, we were talking about the aging waterlines, constant water main breaks and the rising cost to Ocean Ridge of owning the waterlines.

A comprehensive plan was discussed to:

A) Get money from Boynton Beach to address water main repairs, since we are paying the same exact rate Boynton Beach residents do while Boynton Beach maintains the waterlines at that same price. We basically pay more for the water although on paper it is the same.

B) Find a long-term solution where Boynton Beach either takes over our waterlines as part of its service — or, what really was the proper way — to discuss sewer service along with water service from Boynton Beach.

The problem was that the very people who were trying to negotiate with Boynton Beach and discuss the greater picture were rudely cut off by the current seated commission and all discussions ended.

In fact, Ocean Ridge does not have a current contract with Boynton Beach for water service; the expired contract is simply being extended automatically month after month.

Taking money from the reserves for capital projects like this leaves the town vulnerable to emergency needs. The $2 million should have been funded a long time ago through added property taxes specifically for a water/sewer fund.

This commission, however, is incapable of looking at long-term solutions and would rather use fix-a-flat instead of replacing a tire that has no tread left!

Not properly budgeting for the improvements you need to make is about the same stupidity as cutting Medicare and Medicaid from 40 million people so 500 billionaires enjoy tax cuts.

Ocean Ridge enjoyed low taxes for decades and did not budget for 70- to 80-year-old waterlines we all knew were failing soon. Time to pay the piper.

The residents of Ocean Ridge deserve better from their government.

— Martin Wiescholek,
former town commissioner,
Ocean Ridge

By Patrick Sherry

Lantana Town Council members like the idea of holding more town-sponsored food truck events as long as local restaurants aren’t hurt by the competition. 

At their Oct. 10 workshop, council members discussed potential revisions to the town’s food truck regulations. Their biggest fear was seeing food trucks take business away from established restaurants. 

“These restaurant owners are investors in our town, and if we’re going to allow these food trucks to come in here, we are taking away from investors who put their time and money — maybe even their savings — all into owning a restaurant,” Council member Chris Castle said. “If they leave, then what do we have for our people?”

Council members said they want to protect the restaurants while still allowing for food truck events that are popular in the community.

Currently, food trucks are only allowed on public property during town-sponsored events. Food trucks on private property are limited to three hours of operation at any given time and must have the written consent of the property owner. Other venues where food trucks are stationary in one location and operate like a standard restaurant must follow normal restaurant regulations.

Council members agreed to maintain their current stance on only allowing food trucks on public property for town-sponsored events, but they were open to implementing more events to improve community involvement. 

As for food trucks on private property, officials will consider increasing how long the trucks are allowed to operate at any one time, how they will dispose of their waste, and other potential permitting changes. 

After researching the possible options, town staff will bring back recommendations for the council to consider at a future date.

“This is all about resources for the community,” Mayor Karen Lythgoe said. “It’s got to not hurt the neighbors on the next street over.” 

The Town Council is preparing to hold more workshops on a regular basis. No formal decisions can be made at them; instead, they serve as a time for preliminary policy discussions where council members, through consensus, can give direction to staff on what they want to see brought back to them for official action. 

The council tentatively announced its next workshop will take place on Nov. 21. 

Tall privacy wall earns support on Hypoluxo Island — The Lantana Planning Commission recommended approval of an application to build an 11-foot wall on a nearly $8 million property near the Ocean Avenue bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway.

Ana Davie, owner of the property at 101 N. Atlantic Drive, explained to the commission on Oct. 22 that she and her husband want to build the wall for privacy and safety reasons. She recalled instances of fishers and unwanted visitors trespassing on their yard.

“It’s really for the safety,” Davie said. “We’ve had stuff stolen off the dock. I have videos, and I’ve filed multiple police reports.”

Town ordinances allow walls with a maximum height of 6 feet. However, the owners asked for an exception to this to prevent people from getting on their property by going under or through the side of the bridge. 

Commission Chairman Edward Shropshire said he doesn’t think the wall is needed, and it wouldn’t give the owners complete privacy. 

“I saw very little evidence of any kind of trespassing or anything down there — to me, this seems excessive,” Shropshire said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for this place; I think it’s too high. I don’t think it’s necessary.” 

The commission passed a motion recommending approval of the variance request 4-1. The wall will start at 11 feet at the bridge side of the property and become 9 feet as the ground rises to the east.

Police body cameras translate, too — Lantana police officers will be using new body cameras and tasers with improved technology to help them on the streets. 

The new cameras will be able to translate conversations. They will activate if officers draw their sidearms, tasers, or turn on their blue lights. 

The Town Council on Oct. 27 authorized the purchase of the cameras and tasers from Axon Enterprise, Inc. for $760,000 with a five-year contract. Officers’ current equipment will be out of warranty and obsolete in December. This gives them a new opportunity to use more advanced equipment. 

The body cameras will be able to translate in multiple languages for people and officers out loud. Axon is also working to implement capabilities for translating Haitian Creole because of the large Haitian population in South Florida. 

“They are very gung-ho about getting us on the street,” Police Chief Sean Scheller said. “My office right now is full of boxes of tasers and body-worn equipment that they’ve already sent that [we are] just waiting to get trained on and implement.” 

Dune restoration near beach — Officials from the town of Palm Beach reassured Lantana residents that Palm Beach’s dune restoration project would try to limit the impact on Lantana’s shoreline.

Patricia Strayer, engineer for Palm Beach, presented her town’s plan at the Oct. 27 Lantana Town Council meeting. The plan includes dump trucks delivering sand near Lantana in South Palm Beach. There, sand will be placed for shoreline protection.

Strayer said problems finding an optimal route and the turtle-nesting season prevented Palm Beach from completing the project earlier, but officials want to finish it quickly.

“We think it’ll be done in probably four weeks, but we’re guaranteeing that it’ll be done before Christmas,” Strayer said.

The dune restoration is expected to start at the beginning of November. Access to beaches will still be allowed, but some areas will be restricted due to construction.

Organizations give to community groups — The Kiwanis Club of Hypoluxo-Lantana Sunrise and the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce made awards at the Lantana Town Council’s Oct. 13 meeting to the Lantana Police Explorers to support its efforts to help people in need. The Kiwanis Club gave $2,000 — plus $1,000 in grocery store gift cards — and the chamber $589 to the explorers. 

The money for the donations was raised through the Kiwanis Club’s food trailer and the Chamber of Commerce’s Shred Event proceeds.  

A separate $1,500 award from the Kiwanis Club was given to the Friends of Foster Children organization.

More art to come — The Lantana Town Council is interested in starting an Art in Public Places program.

Council members discussed a program at their Oct. 10 workshop that would pay artists to produce murals and utility box wrappings.

The goal would be to create a unique community identity that celebrates notable aspects of the town.

“This is part of our brand … it’s part of who we are and it’s given us an identity,” Mayor Karen Lythgoe said.

Specifics on designs would be decided in future meetings, as well as potential costs. The program could include commissioning artists to design large-scale pieces throughout the town, officials said.

Underperforming schools — Palm Beach County School Board member Edwin Ferguson, presenting the Lantana Town Council with an annual report on Lantana public schools at its Oct. 13 meeting, said students in town were underperforming in areas such as English, language arts and mathematics compared to the district average.

Ferguson emphasized the need for an increased focus on improving early education because it helps with future academic performance. He encouraged community involvement and for parents to join programs — such as the community networking Bridges program run by the Children’s Services Council — to help them take an active role in their children’s education and to help them succeed academically.

“We should take ownership of these schools; they’re our schools,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson’s goal for the next school year is to expand career and technical education courses, expand exceptional student education centers to support students with different learning needs, and increase native language support for the diverse community.

— Patrick Sherry

Downtown Delray Beach hosted the 14th annual Witches of Delray bike ride on Oct. 25. The event, a fundraiser for the Achievement Centers for Children & Families, has become one of the area’s most whimsical and beloved traditions, blending Halloween fun with community involvement. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

ABOVE: Riders often share costume styles to make teams. These ten, the Spell Sisters, won the Best Team honor.

Kelli Freeman applies makeup to Catherine DuBois, two good witches. 

The Campbell Soup Witches. 

The 1980s Witches sported gigantic cell phones and boom boxes.

What better way to propel your bike in a witches parade than with broom power?

Nearly six years after developers secured Boca Raton City Council approval for the first phase of the Camino Square project at 171 W. Camino Real, they now want to proceed with the second phase at the site of a former shopping center anchored by a Winn-Dixie that closed in 2010.

The first phase included two eight-story apartment buildings with 350 units, which are now more than 95% occupied, and two parking garages. The second phase, located on the western side of the 9.1-acre tract, was to have nearly 38,000 square feet of retail.

But now, landowner Kimco Corp. and FCI Residential Corp., an arm of sugar producer Florida Crystals, want to replace the retail with two more eight-story apartment buildings that have a total of 394 units and a parking garage. Only 8,600 square feet of retail would be constructed.

City Council members, sitting as Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners, objected to the change when they considered the revamped project on Oct. 14. They gave the developers a month to revise it once again.

Project attorney Ele Zachariades reluctantly agreed, saying she understood the council’s wishes.

Earlier in the meeting, she explained that her clients were unable to secure a retail anchor tenant because an existing gas station blocks view of the property from the street so people driving by won’t know that retail is there.

“There is no marketability for retail at this location,” she said.

But Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas and Council member Yvette Drucker said that development without retail would not bring people to the area to create a vibrant atmosphere.

Mayor Scott Singer said he shared that concern.

“For me the bottom line is, does this satisfy the vision of the downtown. Does it create vibrancy in the downtown,” Nachlas said, before answering her own question by saying it doesn’t.

— Mary Hladky

By Rich Pollack

After months of delays, road work along State Road A1A in Highland Beach and southern Delray Beach appears to be winding down with returning seasonal residents discovering a newly paved — almost finished — and smoother highway to drive on.

But delays and travel interruptions are not totally in the rearview mirror yet. Finishing touches on the $8.3 million project were still ahead while at the same time crews were fixing a sewer line break on A1A near Linton Boulevard, the project’s north end.

Construction workers, who began the road improvements in May 2024, have been doing the final paving since mid-October, but Highland Beach leaders say that’s not the end of the project.

Work remains, according Highland Beach Town Manager Marshall Labadie, including smoothing out the transitions from driveways to the road, which is now slightly higher than prior to construction. That work could result in some temporary lane closures and delays.

Those using A1A near Linton Boulevard and those heading east on Linton toward the bridge and A1A might also encounter traffic delays.

On Oct. 24, Delray Beach officials notified residents that a contractor on the A1A project damaged one of the city’s sanitary sewer mains.

Repairs on the main began Oct. 27 and were not expected to be completed until Nov. 3.

Those repairs were to include lane closures on eastbound Linton at the bridge and lane shifts on southbound A1A just south of the Linton intersection. Bicyclists and pedestrians could also expect detours.

In Highland Beach, Labadie emailed residents in October recognizing frustration with the slow pace of construction — which had an original completion target of sometime during the summer — and with continued drainage issues.

Labadie said that drainage on the roadway has improved but there is still flooding on swales and the sidewalk, which means some pedestrians will walk in the roadway to avoid the water.

“Whether you are awaiting a response or payment related to a claim with the contractor, are frustrated with the pace of construction, flooding issues, or overall project progress — please know that your concerns are valid and shared by the town,” Labadie wrote.

The email went on to point out that the project is being done by the Florida Department of Transportation, not the town, and urged “reaching out directly to both the FDOT District and State Offices to elevate your concerns.”

Susan Brockway, at home in coastal Boca Raton, looks back fondly on her nine years on the Community Foundation board and urges people to contact the foundation for guidance on where to donate. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

As of June, Boca Raton resident Susan Brockway concluded her nine years of board service with the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. 

“I first served at the Community Foundation as a grant reviewer for the MacArthur Grants, and after that I was asked to join its board of directors,” Brockway said.

While she’s involved with many charities, the Community Foundation holds a special place for her. “I am still a fund holder there,” she said. 

“I was quite excited when I was first introduced to them and became involved. The Community Foundation identifies the community’s greatest needs and helps to fulfill those needs. 

“I loved working with them. The growth it has experienced over those nine years was just fantastic in terms of dollars and its help to nonprofits and the community.”

Brockway, 68, was especially proud of the Community Foundation’s collaborative role within the Palm Beach County Funders Group during the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Together, we created a common application for grant support, streamlining the process so that emergency funds could be distributed efficiently and quickly as the pandemic unfolded,” she said. “The support reached health centers, food pantries, child care programs and homeless shelters, helping the most vulnerable with essentials to survive during those trying times.

 “In the end, the Community Foundation distributed about $3 million of our own funds while assisting others in this collaborative identify needs for their funding.”

Having retired as an accountant, she said she feels blessed to have time for her volunteer work and to enjoy her family.

Among her volunteer endeavors, Brockway will continue as a board member of her alma mater, Stetson University, and she remains actively involved with Place of Hope. Additionally, she has just joined the board of the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. 

“Those are my biggest commitments,” she said.

Brockway wishes to get the word out to fellow philanthropists that the Community Foundation has a deep knowledge of local needs. 

“We have so many people who have moved here, and they don’t know about the nonprofit world” in Palm Beach and Martin counties, Brockway said. “While they can still support the causes they care about back home, the Community Foundation can introduce them to how they can help” locally. 

                                 — Christine Davis

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?

A: I have lived in South Florida since I was 9 years old. I lived in a very small town in West Virginia prior to moving to Miami in 1967. From Miami we moved to Lake Worth in 1973. I attended public schools and experienced many facets of desegregation while in Miami. Following high school, I attended a small private university, Stetson University, in DeLand.

My background has given me empathy towards public school teachers, having witnessed what they had to deal with when I was a student, and then leaping forward to today, it is definitely a difficult career that is often underappreciated and undervalued. Second, I have a passion for helping students pursue college degrees that need financial help to do this. I truly wanted to attend a four-year university, and I vividly remember my high school guidance counselors strongly guiding me to attend the local junior college since I had financial need. I am so happy that I was able to attend Stetson for four great years.

Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?

A: I began working in public accounting upon my college graduation. I was a CPA with Coopers & Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers, in their West Palm Beach office in the audit area. I left Coopers to work for one of my audit clients as their financial controller at a real estate development in Boca Raton. 

To share a bit of humor related to my audit career, I had the immense pleasure of serving on the audit team at The Breakers hotel and working in a beautiful ocean view room that had been converted into a workroom for an extended time period, and also going to the PGA of America in Palm Beach Gardens and working in a lovely environment — and then having to pivot to work on the first-ever audit of Palm Beach County and spending days and nights in the bowels of windowless county building basements. It was all great experience, but no doubt this influenced my move to work in Boca Raton for a real estate development that had a golf course and tennis facility.

Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?

A: That is extremely difficult as we see how rapidly the world is changing with AI, world and domestic political views, and the desire for balance with career and personal life.

I think that it is important for young people to develop social skills and good manners. A positive first impression can open doors before your technical skills are even tested. 

Q: How did you choose to make your home in coastal Boca Raton?

A: Purely out of geography. When my husband and I married he was working in Miami and I was working in West Palm Beach and we settled in Boca Raton, where we could both commute to our jobs.

Q: What is your favorite part about living in coastal Boca Raton?

A: Wow. Having been here 42 years it is tough to be concise on this. But my wonderful friendships are a blessing beyond compare, and I love the community for the generosity of its people and their philanthropic support of so many important causes.

Q: What book are you reading now?

A: A novel that I just finished reading is The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. I love historical fiction and this is a great historical mystery novel inspired by the diaries of an 18th-century midwife in Maine. I am enjoying Awestruck by Jonah Paquette. It is a guide to cultivate the awe that is possible in our everyday lives.

Q: What music do you listen to when you want to relax? When you want to be inspired?

A: I am a huge fan of Chris Stapleton, a country music artist, and I had the great pleasure of seeing him in concert in June. So, for relaxation, I must put his name at the top of the list. For inspiration, I often choose contemporary Christian music.

Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?

A: I certainly had people early in my years that guided my college and career decisions, but presently I am surrounded by so many unbelievably talented women that I serve with in various volunteer capacities I do not know where to start. 

I am fearful to list names as there are too many to name, but I must share how Sherry Barrat, who I served with at the Community Foundation and now the Kravis Center, has inspired me. Her preparation and focus allow her to chair a meeting in an effective and timely manner. And her contributions as a committee member are always well thought out and well communicated. 

Second, the three founders of Impact 100 Palm Beach County — Tandy Robinson, Lisa Mulhall and Cindy Krebsbach — inspire me every day with what they started and how smashingly successful it is. These women had a lofty idea that they succeeded in bringing to life in one short year — with the help of the Community Foundation initially serving as their 501(c)(3) — and Impact 100 PBC has flourished and granted nearly $8 million to nonprofit programs serving southern Palm Beach County.

Q: If your life story were to be made into a movie, who would play you?

A: Reese Witherspoon! Only because I have been fortunate enough to have people tell me that I looked like her.

Q: Who/what makes you laugh?

A: Right now it is my five grandchildren. They bring me immeasurable joy and laughter each day.

Ocean Ridge commissioners recently got their first glance at the proposed fire station at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park at the Boynton Inlet. Rendering provided

By John Pacenti

As if pulled from the pages of some children’s storybook, the look of the new fire station planned for Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park at the Boynton Inlet was revealed to Ocean Ridge town commissioners at their Oct. 6 meeting.

While sporting a contemporary design, the look and feel of Boynton Beach’s two-story aqua-and-white building is definitely retro. One could imagine lifeguard Ken spending his day there before his big date with Barbie after work.

Boynton Beach Fire Rescue provides service on the barrier island to Ocean Ridge and Briny Breezes.

Fire Chief Hugh Bruder said Station 6 will have three stories and will house an advanced life support fire engine with technical rescue capabilities and the city’s new fire boat — which is supposed to be delivered in November.

The station is badly needed, he said.

“We are averaging, if you look at Coast Guard numbers, one water rescue call per day on all of our waterways, including the inlet and the ocean,” he said.

Bruder emphasized the station will serve Delray Beach and surrounding areas, as well. 

“We’re going to be running into Delray, we’re going to be running into South County. We’re going to be running anywhere we’re called to help save a life,” he told The Coastal Star. 

The facility will include space — including the boating dock — for the city Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. It features design elements like water-view rest areas for firefighters.

Construction is expected to begin within 90 days, following final approval by the Boynton Beach City Commission. The project is expected to take about 12 months, with projected completion in late 2026.

The only criticism at the meeting came from Ocean Ridge Commissioner David Hutchins, who wasn’t keen on the circle 6 adorning the building. 

“Just when I was looking at the Station 6 up there, it kind of reminded me of Motel 6,” he said. 

Related: Qualifying schedule for municipal candidates

By Mary Hladky

A crowded field of Boca Raton City Council candidates seem certain to draw more voters than usual to the polls for the March 10 municipal election.

Two more residents have announced their council candidacies, with voters now able to choose among four running for mayor — as well as contested races for council seats A, B and D. All candidates still must qualify with the city clerk’s office to be on the ballot. The qualifying period begins on Nov. 3 and ends on Nov. 12.

Political newcomer Joshua Joffe is running for mayor, joining the high-profile matchup between Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas and Council member Andy Thomson. The fourth is perennial candidate Bernard Korn, who so far has not won an election.

The winner will replace Scott Singer, who is prevented by term limits from seeking reelection.

Joffe is a civil engineer and active environmentalist who said he is not a member of Save Boca, the group pressing hard to halt the development of the city’s downtown campus.

In a brief interview on Oct. 23, Joffe declined further comment, but said that he would be posting more information online soon about himself and his campaign platform.

While Thomson’s three-year council term ends in 2027, Florida law requires him to resign from the council to run for mayor. He did so on Oct. 23, effective March 31, which is the day he or one of the other mayoral candidates takes office.

Jessica Gray, a well-known environmentalist who is executive director of Boca Save Our Beaches, is running for Thomson’s Seat D against former City Council member Robert Weinroth. He later served as a county commissioner and county mayor.ray originally filed to oppose incumbent Council member Marc Wigder for Seat B, but since has switched to Seat D.

Gray is not a member of Save Boca but says she shares that group’s “mission in preserving public land.”

She has served as a member of the city’s environmental and sustainability advisory boards.

“I am running because I really care about where Boca is headed,” she said. “I spent years to protect and preserve our environment. I want to make sure the city grows the right way and thoughtfully. I am running because Boca residents deserve trust and accountability.”

Wigder is opposed by Meredith Madsen, a Save Boca supporter who is founder and CEO of Sunshine & Glitter, which sells sunscreen products.

Planning and Zoning Board member and attorney Christen Ritchey has filed to run for Nachlas’ Seat A. Her opponent is Korn, a real estate broker, who has filed to run for this seat as well as for mayor.

The mayoral race already has shaped up to be a battle royale, with Nachlas and Thomson raising far more contributions to their campaigns than has been typical.

As of the last campaign finance disclosures on Sept. 30, Thomson had raised $98,519 while Nachlas had $189,876, which includes a $100,000 loan to her campaign. These amounts are direct contributions and do not include additional amounts raised through their campaign committees.

Would-be candidates for the upcoming March 10 municipal elections have to qualify to be on the ballot by filing for the office they’re seeking with their town clerk or city clerk, and meeting the necessary requirements. The qualifying periods for the offices are in November, but the times vary by municipality. 

Here is a look at the qualifying periods for local municipalities, the seats up for election in each municipality and the current holders of those seats:

Boca Raton: Mayor and three council seats

Qualifying period: 8 a.m. Nov. 3 to 5 p.m. Nov. 12

Seats currently held by: Mayor Scott Singer (term-limited), Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas and Council members Andy Thomson and Marc Wigder

Briny Breezes: Mayor and two council seats

Qualifying period: Noon Nov. 11 to noon Nov. 25

Seats currently held by:  Mayor Ted Gross, Alderman Jeff Duncan and Alderwoman Holly Reitnauer 

Delray Beach: Two commission seats

Qualifying period: Noon Nov. 3 to noon Nov. 21

Seats currently held by:  Vice Mayor Rob Long and Commissioner Angela Burns

Gulf Stream: Five commission seats (one to be appointed mayor)

Qualifying period: Noon Nov. 4 to noon Nov. 18

Seats currently held by: Mayor Scott Morgan, Vice Mayor Thomas Stanley and Commissioners Robert Canfield, Michael Greene and Joan Orthwein

Highland Beach: Mayor and one commission seat

Qualifying period: Noon Nov. 10 to noon Nov. 25

Seats currently held by:  Mayor Natasha Moore and Commissioner Donald Peters

Lantana: Two council seats

Qualifying period: Noon Nov. 10 to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 21

Seats currently held by: Council members Christopher Castle and Mark Zeitler

Manalapan: Three commission seats

Qualifying period: Noon Nov. 4 to noon Nov. 18

Seats currently held by: Commissioners Elliot Bonner, Orla Imbesi and Dwight Kulwin

Ocean Ridge: Two commission seats

Qualifying period: Noon Nov. 3 to noon Nov. 14

Seats currently held by:  Commissioners Carolyn Cassidy and David Hutchins

South Palm Beach: Mayor and three council seats

Qualifying period: Noon Nov. 10 to noon Nov. 25

Seats currently held by:  Mayor Bonnie Fischer, Vice Mayor Monte Berendes, and Council members Sandra Beckett and Elvadianne Culbertson

Source: Clerks’ offices and municipal websites

Highland Beach’s popular holiday celebration, the Mingle Jingle, returns on Dec. 4 with food, live music and more.

A free public celebration open to Highland Beach residents, this year’s Mingle Jingle will again be held at St. Lucy Catholic Church from 5 to 8 p.m.

The event will feature several food truck vendors and other food vendors as well as a live band.

Visitors will have a chance to see the town’s public safety equipment on display and can learn more about town departments, including the library, and volunteer boards. Town commissioners will have a booth at the event. Once again, trolley rides will be provided, with several stops along State Road A1A.

— Rich Pollack

Icy Bean owner Donna Thompson (right) sits with her sister Kim McMillan and Kim’s son, Jamie, and daughter, Amaya. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

Icy Bean Hawaiian Shave Ice & Coffee cafe opened in May at 1200 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, and Gary Fishman, a Delray Beach resident and one of Icy Bean’s first customers, wants people to know about it. 

“It wasn’t just the promise of caffeine or the sight of a rainbow-colored shave ice in a flower cup that made me stay. It was her,” he wrote about his first visit to the shop.

“The woman behind Icy Bean is Donna Thompson. You wouldn’t know it at first glance, but Icy Bean — Delray’s delightful new shop blending Hawaiian shave ice with specialty coffee — isn’t just a business. It’s a love letter to someone no longer here.” 

That day, Thompson shared with Fishman that her younger sister, Jamie, had died by suicide in August 2023. That sad event was life-changing for Thompson, and in 2024, she and her family decided to move from Long Island, New York, to Pompano Beach.

“Not because it was easy — but because staying put was impossible,” she told Fishman.

By chance, while visiting downtown Delray Beach, Thompson happened upon an available shop space that she felt would be the perfect place to sell Hawaiian shave ice. And so Delray Beach is now home to Icy Bean Hawaiian Shave Ice & Coffee. 

As she explained to Fishman, inspired by her sister, she designed her cafe to “promise people a good moment in their day. Even if it’s just five minutes with an iced latte. Even if they walk in heavy, I want them to leave just a little lighter.”

Soon, in honor of her sister, Thompson will place a “Hope Tree” in her shop, where cafe visitors can write messages, names or mantras. Thompson also plans to sell soulful merchandise with proceeds to support mental health organizations and a scholarship fund in her sister’s name.

For Icy Bean’s backstory, Thompson with her family went to Maui for a Thanksgiving vacation in 2010 and fell in love with this Hawaiian specialty dessert. It consists of ice cream on the bottom, layered with syrupy “shave ice” (note: this is true Hawaiian lingo — the ice is not shaved) and topped with a creamy “snow cap” (also a true Hawaiian description). 

Visitors to her cafe love her Hawaiian “shave ice” dessert, Thompson said. “We’re close to the beach and it’s a refreshing treat.

“People who have had it in Hawaii get excited,” Thompson said. “They ask me, ‘Is it the real thing? Is it authentic?’

“People from Hawaii have come in and shown me their license. They say, ‘Prove it.’”

Icy Bean’s menu consists of a variety of Hawaiian ices in fruit flavors and specialty fusions, paired with espresso drinks, teas and lattes. Icy Bean also serves snacks, sodas and pastries. 

Hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. 

For more information, visit icybean.com.

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Three adjacent retail buildings in Delray Beach’s Pineapple Grove neighborhood to the north of the Hyatt Place hotel sold for a combined $27.43 million in related transactions. 

All three sellers were LLCs managed by Boca Raton-based attorney Daniel A. Kaskel. All three buyers were Delaware-registered companies that listed their address as 455 NE Fifth Ave., Suite D-358, Delray Beach.  

In the largest deal, 186 NE Second Ave. was sold for $10.2 million to 186 Pineapple Grove LLC by QCRE VIII LLC in September. The 1,888-square-foot retail building sits on 0.39 acres. It last traded for $3.2 million in 2019.  

Recorded in October, 140 NE 2nd Ave. LLC sold the 7,182-square-foot building at 140 NE Second Ave. on 0.35 acres for $9.13 million to 140 Pineapple Grove LLC. It last sold for $6.25 million in 2020.  

Also in October, 162 NE 2nd Ave. LLC sold the 8,560-square-foot retail building on 0.31 acres at 162 NE Second Ave. for $8.1 million to 162 Pineapple Grove LLC. It last traded for $3.85 million in 2020. Zoning in Pineapple Grove allows for four-story multifamily buildings or hotels.

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Attorney Henry Rosen and his wife, Vanessa, paid $22 million for a 5,792-square-foot oceanfront home at 3435 N. Ocean Blvd., Gulf Stream. 

The seller was Bon Property LLC, managed by Aogan Darra O’Haolain, a financial executive from Ireland. Built on a 0.93-acre site in 1991, the five-bedroom residence is elevated 20 feet above sea level.

It was listed in February 2025 for $25.25 million. The home last traded for $21 million in April 2024. Candace Friis and Phil Friis of the Corcoran Group represented the seller in the deal, while the buyer worked with Sheldon Jaffee of Lang Realty.

*                             

James D. Terlizzi, the founder of Settlement Funding and chairman of DRB Capital, and his wife, Laura, sold their 7,293-square-foot, five-bedroom residence and guesthouse at 8 Driftwood Landing in Gulf Stream for $15.9 million, to Zee El Ocho LLC, managed by Benjamin J. Bavly, CEO of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts-based BlackStar Capital.

Brora 0418 LLC provided a $12.5 million mortgage to the buyer. The property was listed in January for $17.85 million. The Terlizzis bought the 1.12-acre property on a point lot with 445 feet of waterfront in 2007 for $4.3 million and then built a new home designed by Randall Stofft with interiors by Marc-Michaels Interiors. The estate offers two docks, 160 feet and 40 feet, respectively, and a lift. Candace Friis and Phil Friis of the Corcoran Group represented both sides of the deal. 

*                             

A new construction British West Indies home with 119 feet on the water at 989 Marble Way, Boca Raton, owned by Lawrence and Ivy Freedman, recently sold to BFL Trust, with K Souders as trustee, for $12.13 million. With five bedrooms and 7,677 square feet, the home was built in 2024 by National Custom Homes and designed by Brenner Architects.

The Matt and Nick Team (Matthew Moser and Nicholas Gonzalez), agents with Serhant Florida Realtor, handled both sides of the sale.

*                             

Robert and Molly Chiaramonte sold their four-bedroom, 5,472-square-foot home at 1007 White Drive, Delray Beach, for $9.9 million.

The new owners are Gerardo and Brittany Castillo.

Completed in 2018 by builder Mouw Associates and designed by Gary Eliopoulos of GE Architecture, this property is just two lots from the Intracoastal Waterway, with water vistas. The property last traded in 2019 for $3.975 million. Nick Malinosky and Michael O’Connor, agents with Douglas Elliman, represented the seller, with Malinosky representing the buyer.

*                             

With Alina Residences Boca Raton nearly 90% sold, El-Ad National Properties has listed residence 601 for $7.816 million. 

Spanning 4,910 square feet of interior living space alongside Southeast Mizner Boulevard, it is one of the largest remaining homes at Alina 220 with a corner four-bedroom-plus-den layout and wraparound terrace. 

Appointments with Elliman Development Marketing can be scheduled at the sales gallery at sales@alinabocaraton.com.

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Ezra Krieg and Christina Stamper were recently appointed to the Delray Beach Housing Authority’s board of directors. Krieg has held senior positions with organizations including Daily Bread Food Bank, Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Kids In Distress, and Gulfstream Goodwill Industries. He has served as chairman of the Delray Beach Initiative to End Homelessness, program chairperson for the Delray Beach Kiwanis Club, and as a member of several Palm Beach County advisory boards on affordable housing and homelessness. Stamper is currently the assistant director of operations for a family-owned electrical contracting company.

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Florida Atlantic University moved up to No. 100 in the U.S. News & World Report list of “Top Public Schools” for 2026, rising from No. 103 in last year’s ranking of the nation’s best universities. Florida Atlantic also climbed to No. 30 this year from No. 32 last year in the “Social Mobility” category, based on public and private national universities’ rankings computed using graduation rates of first-generation students and those who receive Pell grants.

The university is also listed as No. 25 nationally for Pell Grant Graduation Performance. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida Atlantic at No. 183 for “Top National Schools,” up from No. 189 last year.

*                             

The American Heritage Schools announced that 87 seniors (57 from the Broward County campus and 30 from the Delray Beach campus) from the class of 2026 were named National Merit Scholar semifinalists.

Additionally, 92 more seniors were honored with the distinction of national commended scholar. The Delray Beach campus is the No. 1 school in Palm Beach County and the No. 2 school in Florida in the number of National Merit Scholar semifinalists.

The combined students from both campuses comprise 9% of all semifinalists throughout Florida’s public and private high schools. One in seven students from American Heritage Schools in the Class of 2026 is a National Merit Scholar semifinalist.

“To be a part of the National Merit group is honestly amazing, and I think it’s just a testament to the incredible opportunities, resources and support we have here at American Heritage,” said Daniela Staton, a senior at the Palm Beach County campus and a Delray Beach resident.  

American Heritage Schools also announced that 95% of the students passed the Advanced Placement exams with a score of 3 or higher, compared to 69% in Florida and 73% globally. Advanced Placement scores range from 1 to 5.

*                             

Aspiring health care professionals at American Heritage Schools are making a difference.

On Oct. 3, students from both campuses in the schools’ premed program visited the pediatric cancer patients at the Salah Foundation Children’s  Hospital at Broward Health Medical Center for its 26th annual Superhero Party. During the party, the children wrote their wish lists for Santa and mailed them to the North Pole, played board games and dressed up as their favorite superheroes.

The premed students will work on raising money to make those wishes come true and celebrate with the children at their holiday party on Dec. 12.

*                             

Pebb Capital, a national real estate and private equity investment firm, announced the completion of Phase One at Sundy Village in Delray Beach. The 7-acre campus at Atlantic and Swinton avenues received a temporary certificate of occupancy, and retail and food-and-beverage leases bring the project to 88% leased. 

Joining the early roster of lessees — Vertical Bridge, Barcelona Wine Bar, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Double Knot and Drinking Pig BBQ — are Industrious, a workspace provider; Maman cafe and bakery; Dragonfly MRI, a wellness imaging center; JTC, a global provider of funds; Fairstead Development, a real estate firm; Lost Coast Collective LLC, an investment management firm; Coastal Investment Co., a private equity real estate firm; and the restaurant Delray Beach Craft Brewing LLC.  

Sundy Village’s Phase Two construction progress will continue with a 79,141-square-foot office building at 100 SE First Ave. and a 165-space parking garage at 48 SE First Ave. that will include 3,400 square feet of ground-floor retail. Through a partnership with the city, the garage will be available for public use after 6 p.m. on weekdays and throughout the weekends.

*                             

Fortress Investment Group has sold Sonata Boca Raton and Sonata Vero Beach to a public REIT. The two properties comprise almost 180 independent living, assisted living and managed care units along with on-site amenities.

Fortress acquired the properties in April 2021 from a REIT that was exiting its senior housing assets. Fortress then invested more than $1 million in improvements and made operational enhancements, which drove occupancy across the two properties from 75% to 97%. 

JLL Capital Markets represented Fortress in the sale. Agewell Solvere Living will continue to manage both Sonata properties. 

Christine Davis writes business news and can be reached at cdavis9797@gmail.com.    

By Steve Plunkett

Ten months after walking away from its proposal to build a world-class performing arts center in Mizner Park, The Center for Arts and Innovation has resurrected itself with a new mission: promoting creativity.

It planned to hold its first “What If?” Days Nov. 1 in Boca Raton and Miami Beach, and Nov. 2 in Fort Lauderdale. The 2-hour pop-up events promised to let young people explore their creativity with hands-on fun, live music, dancing, food, raffles and interactive stations.

Children ages 6 to 18 were also invited to enter the center’s “What If?” Challenge and dream up their very own “Center for Creativity” via a drawing and words, with the winner earning a spot on TCAI’s advisory Junior Creative Directors Board.

Andrea Virgin, chair and CEO of the organization, gave commissioners of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District a peek at the thinking behind the new endeavors on Oct. 20.

“For generations creativity has been in decline,” she said. “It starts at near universal levels for all of us as children, but around the ages of 8 to 14, that creativity capability (score) starts to really drop off, to about 30% around the age of 12, by the age of 15 to 12%.

“And then we get to the adults where we start to not really connect as much with our creative selves as much as we did when we were children. And then we pick it back up (going) into retirement.”

To combat the decline, the center is developing programming, like the What If? Challenge, to nurture creativity.

“We believe that creativity is for everyone. It is not just for artists, although we obviously work a lot with artists,” Virgin said. “But we believe creativity is for everyone from all ages, all industries, from any background; the world needs more imagination, not less.”

Coming in February will be a program called “What Do You See?”

“It’s a short film competition for our teenagers,” said Apryl Freeman, TCAI’s director of program development. “So, they are going to be with filmmakers to create their own short films and they’ll have their own screening and they will select the winner from there as well.”

The center also plans to offer intergenerational programming, or “creative kinship,” in which young and older generations come together for creative engagement; “creative reset” for adults in any industry who have lost touch with their creative selves; and “the gardens,” or programming that connects nature with creativity.

“We heard in a lot of our research that people feel they’re ... reset for their most creative work when they go out in nature,” Virgin said.
Virgin led a consortium of Boca Raton-based cultural organizations that in 2018 proposed a performing arts center at the north end of Mizner Park.

The project became The Center for Arts and Innovation, and its officials negotiated with the city for two years to hammer out a development agreement and the lease of city-owned land. The City Council approved the deals in 2022.

The next year the renowned Renzo Piano Building Workshop, which accepts only two or three commissions a year, agreed to design the center. The new design was unveiled in May 2024 with an estimated cost exceeding $100 million.

But over the last three months of last year, it all came crashing down. Facing a shortfall in donations, TCAI asked city officials to amend the development agreement to give the group more time to raise money. Unable to persuade them to do so, TCAI terminated the agreement on Jan. 8.

‘What If?’ Days
The Center for Arts and Innovation is holding a weekend of activities for children. Although all spots for its creativity pop-ups are gone, children can join a waitlist at thecenterforartsand innovation.org or simply show up and take part in the fun. They can also drop off their entries for the ‘What If?’ Challenge or submit them online.

Sugar Sand Park,
Boca Raton
9-11 a.m. Nov. 1
Normandy Fountain, Miami Beach
3-5 p.m. Nov. 1
Museum of Discovery and Science,
Fort Lauderdale
4-6 p.m. Nov. 2

Surf parks can provide reliable waves, something the Atlantic Ocean does not. Rendering provided

By Steve Plunkett

The best waves in Boca Raton would rise west of Dixie Highway if the parks district takes up a private company’s pitch to build a massive wave-maker, creating Boca Surf Park on about 24 acres at the district’s new North Park north of Yamato Road.

When it comes to surfing waves, the Atlantic Ocean along the city’s coastline just doesn’t cut it, the company says, with flat seas most of the time and only a few sporadic days on which the dudes can catch a decent ride.

The surf park — along with a recreation and entertainment complex and a golf-related facility — are being scrutinized for inclusion at the former Ocean Breeze golf course by the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District.

District commissioners reviewed those proposals as well as one for a “state-of-the-art” Boys and Girls Club facility at what is now called North Park at their Oct. 20 meeting.

“Nobody’s going to get a contract tonight. … There’s a lot more information to gather. There’s a lot more public input needed,” said Briann Harms, the district’s executive director.

Commissioners at a special Oct. 7 meeting ranked the surf park their top choice of 10 offerings by for-profit and not-for-profit entities, discarding six proposals. Already it has drawn opposition from residents of the Boca Teeca condominiums, which are surrounded by the parkland just north of Yamato Road and unevenly quartered by Northwest Second Avenue and Jeffery Street/Clint Moore Road.

Erin Wright, chair of the district board, said the man-made surfer waves would not be produced by a pneumatic system that would be disturbing to park neighbors.

“That is not the wave system that they will be using. The pneumatic system is very noisy with a lot of mechanical equipment,” Wright said. “The Wavegarden system does not use that. It’s much quieter. It’s electric.”

The proposal by Boca Surf Park LLC, which was first received unsolicited in July and led to a request for bids and the resulting 10 offerings, has received the most buzz. The team is led by the hometown Cottrell family, which founded and operates the Island Water Sports surf shop in Deerfield Beach.

The surf park would be in the northwest quadrant of North Park. Its backers would build the park without district help and say it would generate about $600,000 a year in payments to the district. They seek a 49-year concession agreement with two 25-year renewals.

“The question I get the most is, ‘Why does Boca need a surf park — the beach is a mile away,’” Cheyne Cottrell said at the Oct. 20 meeting. “And the reason is, we’re the most densely populated surf state behind California in the country. We have over 250,000 surfers in the state. … And we have a hunger that no other place has for good waves. The problem is we only have 40 days a year of waves in Boca, and surfing is hard, it’s unpredictable, low-quality, tidal and just very low-quality waves in general.”

Another proposal is for a multiuse, indoor-outdoor recreation and entertainment complex in the southwest part of North Park. The facility would have a performance gymnasium, climbing walls, an obstacle course, cafe and event space. It would also include 6,000 square feet set aside for an indoor soccer training program.
Its backers say they would pay the district $150,000 to $200,000 a year from its expected $1 million annual net income.

The third proposal, from Kemper Sports for a golf facility, was the least detailed primarily because its backers switched from wanting a northwest location to the southwest sector.

They will return to the district board in November with fleshed-out plans.

Their original idea was to have a short course, a Himalaya-style putting green, driving range and a “village hub” with a clubhouse, restaurant and event lawn. They, too, project an annual payment to the district of $150,000 to $200,000 for their “family-friendly, social golf campus.”

Harms was authorized at the meeting to hire an outside consultant to conduct financial feasibility studies on all four proposals for a cost not to exceed $10,000.

Before the meeting began in the 155-seat Willow Theatre inside Sugar Sand Park, at least three dozen people were turned away from the standing-room-only crowd after the anti-development group Save Boca put out a call for its supporters to lobby the district to break its agreement with the city to build softball fields on 11 acres of Sugar Sand’s “urban forest.”

The site is home to protected gopher tortoises, the group said, and the softball fields would not be needed if a March 10 referendum vote voids plans for a redevelopment of Boca Raton’s downtown campus.

“The Beach and Parks District has the power to terminate this agreement and prevent any active work from going on at the site, until the voters have a say on the matter,” the group said.

Fire rescue and city officials participated in a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony to rename Boca Raton’s station at 100 S. Ocean Blvd. the Kerry B. Koen Fire Rescue Station 3. The city honored Koen, inset, who died April 11 at age 80, in recognition of the former fire chief’s service and lasting contributions to the community. He retired as chief in 1998, after joining the department for the first time in 1964. He also served in Delray Beach.
TOP: (l-r) Boca Raton fire rescue officials Jay Sumner, Jeff Rupp, Robert Parks and David Eddinger; Lynn Koen, Kerry Koen’s widow; with Mayor Scott Singer, City Manager Emeritus George Brown, Council member Yvette Drucker, Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas and Council members Marc Wigder and Andy Thomson.
BOTTOM: (l-r): retired Boca Raton Fire Capt. Kenny Bailes, Lynn Koen and Brown.
RIGHT: The plaque commemorating the station’s new name. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Mary Hladky

James and Marta Batmasian, the largest commercial property owners in Boca Raton’s downtown, have revised their proposal to build a 12-story hotel and retail project on Northeast Second Street immediately north of the Tower 155 condo.

The new submittal no longer states that the couple wants to buy a city-owned nearly 0.3-acre lot on Second Street that is now used as a parking lot. The first proposal would have replaced the parking with a Batmasian-built park.

The rest of the Mizner Plaza project just south of Mizner Park appears to be largely unchanged in the new submittal. Attorney Ele Zachariades, who represents the Batmasians, did not return calls requesting clarification on the changes.

The project would include two towers with retail and restaurants on the first two stories and hotel rooms in the top 10 stories. The number of rooms has decreased from 242 to 219.

Parking would be on two levels underground.

The Batmasian lot purchase was strongly criticized by Tower 155 owners at an Aug. 21 Planning and Zoning Board meeting that ended with the board’s near-unanimous recommendation that the City Council approve the project.

The owners’ attorney, Richard DeWitt, outlined what he said were several technical missteps by the city but focused on the sale of the parcel. He criticized the Batmasians for how little they wanted to pay for the land.

A staff memo on the subject said the land initially was appraised at $2.4 million. But the Batmasians wanted to pay nothing, saying they should get credit for replacing 17 public parking spaces now on the lot by moving them into the underground garage. They also wanted credits for park construction and maintenance costs.

Staff disagreed that they should get the land for free. After giving the Batmasians reduced credits for construction and maintenance, staff recommended a purchase price of $883,558.

But DeWitt said there was an earlier appraisal that pegged market value of the property at $3.3 million. James Batmasian balked at that amount and asked for a new appraisal.

Yet he also indicated that the city was only asking for $10 — essentially a giveaway. That’s when the city requested the second appraisal.

DeWitt asked the planning board to either deny approval of the sale or table the matter so the board could fully evaluate it. That would include whether only the Batmasians would be entitled to buy the parcel.

Board members did not acknowledge his request. But they praised the project, with a majority describing it as beautiful.

Now that the Batmasians have revised the project, the approval process will be started anew, which will delay consideration by the City Council.

Voters can change rules to let public decide project’s fateA new version of the downtown plan shows park and recreation with City Hall to the west of Northwest Second Avenue/Boca Raton Boulevard, and development mainly to the east of the road. Rendering provided

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton voters soon will decide whether the city can redevelop its 31-acre downtown campus in partnership with Terra and Frisbie Group without voter approval.

The City Council on Oct. 28 unanimously approved placing on a Jan. 13 ballot a proposed ordinance and a City Charter amendment, both of which would allow voters to have their say.

That decision came as Terra/Frisbie has for the third time substantially reduced the density of the project and increased green space in the most recent effort to win the support of irate residents who have opposed the redevelopment project for months.

“We are excited to collaborate with the city of Boca Raton on a vision created by the community,” Rob Frisbie, managing partner of Frisbie Group, said at an Oct. 27 meeting.

“This proposal commemorates and honors veterans while delivering world-class amenities and cultural institutions.”

The ballot measures would not allow the council to lease or sell any city-owned land greater than one-half acre without a vote by the public.

The city wants to lease its land for 99 years to Terra/Frisbie in a deal that would generate significant income for the city and spare Boca Raton residents from potential tax increases to pay for downtown campus improvements, including a new City Hall and Community Center.

Council members made clear that, while they support allowing voters to make a final decision, they are deeply concerned about the problems the two measures will cause.

The city often leases more than a half-acre to nonprofits and cultural groups, but would have to hold an election every time it does so were either ballot question to pass. That would be costly for the city and make it cumbersome to help these groups.

“I am against this nuclear option because it could provide some real damage to some of the people we are really trying to help,” said Council member Marc Wigder. Council member Yvette Drucker agreed.

Mayor Scott Singer listed examples of when an election would now be required. “I see a pathway to a lot of litigation here,” he said.

Save Boca, the residents group that proposed the ordinance and the charter change, prefers amending the charter. That’s because the council could strike down the ordinance in the future. A charter change would require another referendum.

Voters will cast their ballots on Jan. 13, well ahead of the city’s scheduled March 10 election when they will choose a new mayor and three council members.

Save Boca wanted a special election as soon as possible and sees approval of either question as an opportunity to effectively kill the project. A no vote on each referendum would give the council the ability to proceed.

Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link had said she could not schedule a special election for Boca Raton, so council members intended to put the two measures on the March 10 ballot.

That changed on Oct. 24 when Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order calling for a special Jan. 13 primary election for the House District 87 seat that had been held by Mike Caruso, whom DeSantis recently appointed as Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller.

Link then told cities that they also could have special elections on that day. Boca Raton council members quickly agreed to do so.

The council’s actions are victories for Save Boca, which has upended the city’s fast-tracking of the redevelopment by demanding a vote by residents.

But what that project will look like and how much land the city will lease to Terra/Frisbie are far from settled matters.

In May, Terra/Frisbie eliminated a hotel, one office building and one residential building, reducing the number of residential units for the second time to a total of 740.

The amount of retail square footage was cut by nearly one-half to 80,000. At least eight clay tennis courts would have remained on site along with other recreational facilities. All six existing banyan trees would remain standing, and the 17 acres within the site known as Memorial Park would include a monument to veterans.

But when that did not satisfy Save Boca supporters, Terra/Frisbie proposed even bigger changes on Oct. 27.

Latest changes
Instead of leasing all 31 acres, the developers would leave in city control all its land west of Northwest Second Avenue where the City Hall, Community Center and recreational facilities now sit.

They would lease less than 8 acres on the east side of Second Avenue for construction of 769 apartments, 186 condos, a 150,000-square foot office building adjacent to the Brightline station, a 180-room hotel that was added back into the plans, and retail space. 

A police substation would be part of the mix, and a grocery store and post office building could be built.

The rest of the east-side land will remain city-owned to protect the city from any additional development in the future that it does not want.

The west side would include a new City Hall and Community Center. The rest of the land would include recreation facilities including 10 clay tennis courts, a tennis club, a multi-purpose facility that would include basketball courts, and a large children’s playground.

A promenade lined with shade trees would run in the center from the north end to Palmetto Park Road. All the existing banyan trees would be preserved where they are now.

The concept is to preserve the west side largely as the existing Memorial Park, but to add elements that would commemorate veterans.

Uncertainty ahead
Terra/Frisbie is leaving open the door to more changes, although its officials have not said at what point they could no longer do so and would walk away from the project.

So far, the city shows no signs of cutting Terra/Frisbie loose. But under pressure from Save Boca, the City Council on Oct. 14, by a vote of 5-0, pushed back the date of signing a master agreement with the developers.

The council was set to approve the master agreement on Oct. 28, three days before the interim agreement with Terra/Frisbie was set to expire. Under pressure from Save Boca, the council postponed that vote indefinitely.

The Oct. 14 action extended the interim agreement to as late as May 1, but after voters have their say in January.

Save Boca leader Jon Pearlman said he was “sad and surprised” by the extension.

“Don’t extend this agreement. Let it expire,” he said. “Don’t continue with this abominable plan. … This project will be turned down by a landslide when it goes to a vote.”

Save Boca has kept up the heat, urging residents to attend and speak out at every council meeting. They have done so, speaking with passion.

A battle over facts
The city has responded by increasing its communication with residents on the city’s website, in emails and on social media. Officials have provided frequent updates on all new developments.

They also are pushing back against what they deem to be misinformation or distortions by Save Boca. This includes “Facts First” communications that attempt to correct the record. They have tried to do the same at council meetings.

But residents either don’t believe what officials are saying or aren’t listening. On numerous occasions after officials correct an erroneous statement, a resident has come to the microphone to make the same statement.

Save Boca supporters have made numerous claims that city officials have tried to debunk.

Among them is that Pearlman has repeatedly said that the city has $667 million in reserves, and so can easily afford to build a new City Hall and Community Center without entering into a public-private partnership with Terra/Frisbie.

Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Jim Zervis has explained several times that this is incorrect.

The city has reserves in 22 funds that are dedicated to covering various city functions such as providing water and sewer services. The city is legally required to spend the money for those purposes, and cannot divert it to build buildings.

Pearlman also said that Deputy City Manager Andy Lukasik has been paid $267,000 to work on the redevelopment project. City Manager Mark Sohaney responded that no city staff member has been paid extra to do that work.

In an Oct. 26 Facebook post, Pearlman said that on Oct. 28, the council was going to put Memorial Park into the hands of a developer to bulldoze it and put office buildings and high-rise condos on it.

But Rob Frisbie, Frisbie managing partner, had told residents on Oct. 14 that Memorial Park will be preserved largely as a park.

A number of residents have accused Terra/ Frisbie of soliciting only positive comments on the redevelopment plan on its One Boca website.

In fact, residents are able to make any comment they want. If, however, they support the project, they can access a link that allows them to sign a prepared letter about their support.