By Mary Thurwachter

Construction on Lantana’s library halted early in December after town officials discovered the general contractor, Sierra Construction Management & Remodeling Corp., was operating without a license.
Council member Mark Zeitler discovered the problem when he questioned a change order for additional air-conditioning work at the library. He noticed the absence of a license number for Sierra on the company’s sign in front of the construction site. 
“If they don’t have a license, they can’t have insurance,” said Zeitler, an air-conditioning contractor with 28 years of experience.
Zeitler took his concerns to Town Manager Brian Raducci, who halted construction Dec. 9. 
“Sierra was unable to timely meet all of the state-required contractor technical qualifications,” said Eddie Crockett, Lantana’s director of operations. Crockett said since then, Town Attorney Max Lohman and staff recommended assigning the agreement from Sierra to Multitech Corp., a qualifying contractor employed by Sierra throughout the renovation. 
“Multitech currently meets all state and local contractor requirements and the town, Sierra and Multitech are all amenable to this assignment,” Crockett told the Town Council at its Jan. 10 meeting.
Vice Mayor Pro Tem Karen Lythgoe asked Crockett if Sierra’s license had expired since the initial contract was signed or if the staff just missed it when reviewing the bid.
“We missed it,” Crockett said.
“And we’ve got processes in place now that when we sign a contract with some business that we check licenses now?” Lythgoe asked.
“That is correct,” Crockett responded. 
The Town Council voted 4-1, with Zeitler dissenting, to assign the contract to Multitech. Zeitler questioned whether Multitech had workers compensation insurance.
Reached by phone on Jan. 25, Raducci said the contract with Multitech has been signed.
“We’re just getting all the verification process out of the way to make sure there are no further issues with insurance requirements and making sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed,” he said. “It takes time to verify some of the documents.” 
He said he hoped construction would resume early in February.
Crockett confirmed that a restart date had not been firmed up and he wouldn’t estimate when the library would reopen. It has a temporary home at the town’s Recreation Center.
“Material and equipment delays will also be a concern going forward,” he said. 
Mayor Robert Hagerty thanked Zeitler and Raducci for bringing the issue to light.
In what Lantana officials would not say was a related matter, the town placed Assistant Director of Public Works Joel Cortes on administrative leave in mid-January.
“We are not currently at liberty to discuss active personnel actions,” Human Resources Assistant Director Myila Young wrote in an email to The Coastal Star.
The town awarded the library contract to low-bidder Sierra, of Weston, for $723,200 on July 26. The next-lowest bid came in at $883,932 from West Construction of Lantana.
The library has been at 205 W. Ocean Ave. since the early 1990s after the Carteret Savings & Loan failed. Before that, it was housed since 1947 in the former bridge tender’s house on Ocean Avenue.
Once the renovation is complete, the library will have ADA-compliant restrooms, a centralized circulation desk, special spaces for children and teens and a community center for adult activities.
“We’re very happy with the work that has been done,” Raducci said. “It’s going to be the town jewel when it’s done.”

By Jane Smith

When Delray Beach reorganized its Utilities Department in late January, it abruptly ended the employment of an industrial pretreatment inspector.
“It was done for efficiency and austerity reasons,” City Manager Terrence Moore said on Jan. 28. He approved the reorganization.
The inspector, Christine Ferrigan, was notified on Jan. 26 that her services were no longer needed, effective immediately.
Ferrigan declined to comment.
Hired in June 2017, Ferrigan often sided with barrier island residents and provided information to the Florida Department of Health after it began investigating the city’s reclaimed water program in January 2020.
In late 2018, Ferrigan interviewed people and inspected South Ocean Boulevard locations where residents were reported being sickened after reclaimed water was connected. It apparently mixed with drinking water.
The city issued a boil-water order in that area in December 2018.
In February 2020, Delray Beach shut down its entire reclaimed water system to avoid a citywide boil-water order, triggered by a South Ocean Boulevard resident’s complaint.
That investigation led city commissioners to sign a consent order on Nov. 9 with the Health Department, agreeing to pay $1 million in civil fines for violations in the city’s water program.
Since Dec. 1, Delray Beach has operated under a Health Department consent order that lasts five years.
The next consent order deadline for Delray Beach is Feb. 28, when a quarterly progress report is due, ensuring all reclaimed water customers comply with the rules.

By Tao Woolfe

The Coastal Star scooped up 16 writing awards — for everything from breaking news stories and features to commentary — from the Florida Press Club’s 2021 Excellence in Journalism competition.
The Jan. 22 annual awards celebration — which was held as an online event to shield participants from omicron exposure — honored stories, design, commentary and photographs appearing in publications statewide between June 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021.
Mary Kate Leming, Coastal Star editor, said she was delighted by the awards and gave all the credit to her staff.
“We don’t enter contests to compete with other journalists, we submit entries to recognize the efforts of the excellent journalists who contribute to our publication each month,” Leming said. “They are what make the paper valuable and entertaining to our readers. I’m thrilled they were recognized by this statewide group for their efforts.”
Coastal Star reporter Rich Pollack picked up prizes for writing public safety news (first place), government news (second place), breaking news (third place), and serious features (third place), and was among the Coastal Star staffers who collected more than one award.
Other Coastal Star double winners were Larry Keller, who won writing prizes for environmental news (third place) and minority news (second place); Charles Elmore, who won for writing breaking and business news stories about the coronavirus (second and third places); and Mary Hladky, who shared the breaking news award with Pollack (third place) and won for her pandemic coverage (third place).
Other Coastal Star winners were:
• Ron Hayes, who won first prize in the “That is So Florida” writing category, awarded to weird Sunshine State stories.
• Larry Barszewski, who won for environmental news writing (second place).
• Joyce Reingold, who won for health writing (second place).
• Willie Howard, who won for sports column writing (second place).
• Brian Biggane, who took first prize in the sports features writing category.
• Leming, who won for commentary writing (third place).
• The Coastal Star staff also was awarded a prize for coronavirus pandemic features reporting (third place).
“These awards show the breadth of reporting: from lighthearted stories about legless crabs to in-depth features on local residents and deep dives into municipal shake-ups concerning public safety,” Leming said of the awards’ diversity.
The Coastal Star won most of its awards in the Class C category, which is for smaller daily and non-daily newspapers and websites, but took some overall prizes awarded for general excellence.
For nearly 70 years, the Florida Press Club has been honoring the best in Florida journalism from layout to photography to writing, according to the club’s awards announcement. 
“It was originally called the Florida Women’s Press Club, as no other clubs allowed women to compete when it was started. Honorees have expanded to include men and digital-only publications,” the club said.

Mist rose from the sea as temperatures dipped into the 40s across south Palm Beach County on Jan. 23. The next weekend, an even colder front moved through the area, dropping the mercury to 39 degrees in Boca Raton and 37 in West Palm Beach. Accuweather.com predicted the temperature would bounce back to 80 degrees on Feb. 4. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Jane Smith

People renting beach chairs and umbrellas at the Delray Beach municipal beach will pay 20% more for daily rentals and 17% more annually than they did last season.
City Manager Terrence Moore, who arranged the mid-January deal, also put a 600 cap on the number of setups (two chairs, a table and an umbrella or cabana) that Oceanside Beach Service Inc. can rent during the peak season and during off-season and holiday weekends.
The daily rental rates increased by $10 to $60 for a setup and annual memberships increased by $100 to $700.
Moore’s decision essentially keeps intact the increases OBS imposed last fall without city manager approval, but he also determined the company should contribute $2,500 to the city’s beach fund to settle the matter.
OBS had offered to contribute $1,500 to charity.
Company President Michael Novatka said in a letter to Moore in November that OBS raised rates because its labor costs had increased by 30% and equipment costs by 60% in the past year. But the company did not respond to a question from The Coastal Star about the length of time that OBS raised its rates last fall without city manager approval.
At a City Commission meeting last month, Moore told commissioners that the vendor “has two more years in the contract, making it in everyone’s interest to work together.”
OBS has a five-year contract that started in January 2019 and allowed 350 setups most of the year and as many as needed during the peak months. The peak months were defined as Dec. 15 through April 30, and on the holiday weekends of Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
The setup number had increased 40% from 250 in the previous contract. The cap is intended to prevent overcrowding on the beach.
After Moore shared the new terms, Mayor Shelly Petrolia said she supported his decision to raise the rates and cap the number of setups. She also said the city is not getting any extra money from the agreement.
As to the $2,500 donation, she has said that OBS should refund those customers it overcharged in the fall, when it unilaterally raised rates.
“We should not be relying on residents, such as Mr. MacNamee, to point out problems with our vendors’ performance,” Petrolia said.
Ken MacNamee pointed out the rate increases and lack of posted rate signs in November emails to the City Commission, city manager and city attorney.
“It is clear cabana rental customers were overcharged and should be reimbursed,” he wrote in a Jan. 22 email to The Coastal Star. “Anything less is capitulating to a … contractor and incompetent city staffers’ failure to enforce the contract.”
Under the 2019 agreement, OBS was able to end gradually increasing penalties for violations that might result in the loss of its contract. The deal now says OBS is subject to a flat $1,000 fee per calendar day for violations in the off-season and non-holiday weekends. Violations during the season or holiday weekends are not mentioned, and what constitutes a violation is not defined.
The five-year contract was negotiated by Mark Lauzier, who was fired as city manager in March 2019. It called for OBS to pay the city $405,000 in the first two years and $415,000 in the last three years.
“I see it as our beach going into a different era,” Petrolia said during commission discussion at the Jan. 4 meeting.
“We had a quaint and quiet beach. We pushed back from commercialization. I see that changing. People came down here and were not allowed to set up an umbrella before a line [in front] of the vendor’s chairs.”
Deputy Vice Mayor Adam Frankel, however, praised the vendor. “Your employees are doing a great job,” he said.
Novatka was asked by The Coastal Star in January about whether the city required invoices to back up his statement about higher costs.
Vice President Sylvia Bednarz responded in an email that anyone who thinks costs have not increased “is not so informed with current events that have impacted the majority of businesses in our country.”
Bednarz provided a list showing the new rental rates in Delray were the same as in the five other Palm Beach County municipalities OBS serves, including Boynton Beach and Boca Raton.

Gulf Stream resident Kevin Anderson is among three former champions scheduled to compete in the 30th annual Delray Beach Open by Vitacost, Feb. 11-20 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.
Anderson, who won the event in 2012, was expected as of late January to be joined by former winners Reilly Opelka (2020) and Frances Tiafoe (2018).
“We are thrilled to welcome an incredible field of players for our 30th anniversary event,” tournament director Mark Baron said. “It is exciting to bring back many of our fan favorites in addition to some of the ATP Tour’s rising stars who will be making their debuts in Delray Beach.”
Anderson, who has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the world, is one of three entrants who won an ATP event in 2021. The others are Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who at No. 13 was the highest ranked player to enter the tournament, and Sebastian Korda, the son of Czech tennis legend Petr Korda.
Tickets are available at YellowTennisBall.com and at the on-site box office (561-330-6000, 30 NW First Ave.).

— Brian Biggane

Hurricane Alley’s owner says the money could come partly from the developer or as a stipend or grant. Staff photo

By Larry Barszewski

Hurricane Alley Raw Bar and Restaurant expects to have a new downtown home in the coming years, and its owner says Boynton Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency may need to pick up as much as $300,000 of its relocation costs.
The popular downtown restaurant on Ocean Avenue will be losing its current digs to a planned redevelopment by Affiliated Development, which says it will relocate Hurricane Alley to another part of its project. The restaurant’s new, larger building is to be on the south side of Boynton Beach Boulevard immediately east of the Florida East Coast railway tracks.
The CRA purchased the Hurricane Alley site in December. It plans to include the property as part of a larger redevelopment parcel on the west side of Federal Highway between Ocean Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard. It is now working on an agreement with Fort Lauderdale-based Affiliated Development for that project.
“With our relocation, we’re looking to either secure some type of funding from the CRA to relocate, either if that’s working with the developer or as a stipend, or as in grant money,” Hurricane Alley owner Kim Kelly told city commissioners sitting as the CRA board at the Jan. 10 meeting. “We’re seeking about $300,000. This move will probably cost us over $500,000.”
Commissioners have supported keeping Hurricane Alley downtown. The restaurant played a role in their choosing Affiliated — which Kelly supported — for the redevelopment project. After Kelly spoke, Commissioner Justin Katz wondered if Hurricane Alley’s relocation expenses should be handled by Affiliated.
Affiliated has proposed a $73.1 million mixed-use project called The Pierce, which would include 236 apartments, a public parking garage and retail, office, restaurant and open space.
“I was under the impression that during the pitch by Affiliated for the project, it was repeated over and over again, that any machinations revolving around the move and relocation to the new property that was part of the pitch, that that was all taken care of. Am I confused?” Katz asked.
CRA Executive Director Thuy Shutt said Katz wasn’t confused; that is what had been proposed. The CRA has never given such a large sum of money to a tenant of a building who is not the property owner, she said.
“I believe before we really commit to anything, we should really go through the negotiation with Affiliated to see what he has to offer,” Shutt said. “Once we turn the property over to Affiliated, they have every right to negotiate. They have a side agreement with Ms. Kelly already for the relocation and they can sequence the construction to make sure that it is mutually benefiting to all parties.”
Kelly said she wants to make sure she isn’t put in “debt to where we can’t get out of a bad hole” because of the redevelopment project.
“This is just a move for us that wasn’t anticipated six months ago,” Kelly said. “Now we’re faced with this huge debt, so if it’s in the form of grants or negotiations with the developer, that’s all we’re looking for. It’s not going to be a cheap move.”

In other CRA matters
Hyperion Development Group, whose affiliate purchased the Ocean One Boynton property north of Ocean Avenue on the east side of Federal Highway from developer Davis Camalier for $12 million in December, is seeking either tax increment financing or direct financing from the CRA for its project there. Camalier previously had a tax-financing plan tied to the project he had proposed for the site, but he gave that up last year when he wasn’t able to get his development plans off the ground.
Hyperion CEO Rob Vecsler said in a letter to the city that Hyperion would seek to adjust the boundaries of some streets neighboring its project area to be able to increase the density of the residential portion of the project. The project is proposed to include at least 348 residential units along with commercial and retail space.
Hyperion also has a contract with Camalier to purchase the Boardwalk Italian Ice & Creamery site on the west side of Federal that could become part of the Affiliated project. However, commissioners said they would not allow Hyperion to use the sale of that property to gain leverage so it could secure financing from the CRA for its project across the street. They said they want to keep the two projects separate.
Affiliated is still working out its agreement with the CRA for its Pierce project. One major question is whether the city will agree to buy back the planned parking garage after Affiliated has built it. The second is if Affiliated will agree to keep 50% of the project’s apartments as “workforce housing” in perpetuity instead of for only 15 years as it originally proposed.

The Magnuson House’s historic designation might present a hurdle to the entrepreneur who wants to turn it into a restaurant. Staff photo

By Larry Barszewski

A decade after adding the home of Boynton Beach pioneer Oscar Magnuson to the city’s list of historic resources, the City Commission may strip the home of its protected status.
Commissioners are concerned the home’s historic designation could impede plans by restaurateur Anthony Barber to turn the Ocean Avenue property — currently owned by the Community Redevelopment Agency — into a vibrant downtown eating spot. They worry the designation may require history-related renovations that could prove too costly and dash the redevelopment plans.
At the Jan. 10 CRA meeting, commissioners sitting as the CRA’s governing board voted 4-1 to recommend doing away with the designation. Any formal change would have to be voted on by commissioners at a City Commission meeting.
Only Mayor Steven Grant objected to the recommendation. The CRA plans to sell or transfer the house and property at 211 E. Ocean Ave. to a corporation being formed by Barber.
“If we remove the historical designation, and we sell the property to someone else, that means that they can change their mind and tear it down. Is that a possibility?” Grant asked.
The city’s Historic Resources Preservation Board could still make a recommendation against the house’s demolition even if the designation is gone, but the city would have “even fewer teeth in the process to preserve it,” said Michael Rumpf, who serves as the city’s staff liaison to the preservation board.
Commissioner Justin Katz, who made the motion to recommend removal of the historic designation, does not think the century-old house merits special attention.
“I’ve always been of the belief that while it is an old house, that it is not in my opinion historic,” Katz said.
In an email to The Coastal Star following the meeting, Katz added: “The designation was explicitly put on to qualify the property for potential grants. It was a play at free funding that ultimately never paid off. The building is not historic.”
But Janet DeVries Naughton, past president of the Boynton Beach Historical Society, says the home does have historic value and is probably older than its estimated construction date of 1919.
She said she has found documents indicating the home was built in 1913, which she said would make it the second- or third-oldest in city history.
“I not only would like to see the historic designation retained, but I’d also add that the Boynton Beach CRA has the moral responsibility to keep the few historically designated homes in the downtown area,” DeVries said.
Magnuson himself is a historic figure whose home warrants the designation, she said: He founded the 1916 Boynton Growers and Shippers Association; he started the Bank of Boynton; he was one of the town’s original five firemen; and he had significant real estate holdings and public office positions.
At the CRA meeting, Katz said the designation “would dramatically change the landscape of [the restaurant developers’] expectations and proposals if they had to maintain the historic guidelines in their renovation.”
According to Barber’s proposal presented last year, he plans to keep renovation costs down by bringing several large corrugated steel shipping containers on site and converting them into kitchen, storage and restroom space — rather than try to incorporate those uses into the existing building. Dinner seating would include a new, expansive, outdoor patio deck in addition to any indoor seating.
The real cost of the house restoration would most likely be tied to meeting the building code requirements in changing it from a residential to commercial use, CRA Executive Director Thuy Shutt said when contacted following the meeting.
“Removing the designation doesn’t help him lessen his costs in still converting the building into commercial use,” Shutt said. “It may help him in his flexibility of how he may use the site.”
If the designation is removed, the CRA could still put language in the purchase and development agreement to include protections for the house if those are desired, Shutt said.
Barber, who owns Troy’s Barbeque on South Federal Highway, is teaming up with Rodney Mayo of the Subculture Group — which runs restaurants from Jupiter to South Beach — to turn the Magnuson House into a dining spot. Mayo has said he plans to invest $1 million into the effort, including $450,000 to renovate the house, $240,000 to add the shipping containers, and $310,000 for site work and other costs.
In the purchase agreement, the CRA has proposed including a deed restriction limiting the property to a restaurant use for at least 20 years. Another proposed term would give the CRA the right of first refusal should the new owners decide to sell the property within five years of completing the renovation work. Also, the CRA would not transfer title to the property until the work is completed.
The CRA still needs additional information from Barber and Mayo before an agreement can be finalized.

By Ron Hayes

BOYNTON BEACH — When I go, Eva Takacs often told her daughter and everyone else, I want to go with my swimsuit on, at the beach, in the water, on a lovely day.
On the morning of Dec. 31, her final wish was granted. She was 92.
“The beach was pretty much her life toward the end,” said her daughter, Patricia Takacs. “Go to the beach and come home and sleep, and go to the beach.”
For more than a dozen regulars who frequent the sand in front of Boynton Beach’s Oceanfront Park — the swimmers, the walkers, the lifeguards — Takacs seemed as much a part of that beach as the sand, surf and sky.
Jay and Nadine Magee saw her almost daily.
“I walk five miles on the beach every day,” Nadine Magee said, “and she was always positive, always a big huge smile on her face. I always told her I wanted to grow up and be just like her — and I’m 64.”
Eva Carrie Corrican Takacs was born on April 25, 1929, near Mount Vernon, New York.
A 1950 graduate of SUNY at New Paltz, where she was valedictorian, she went on to earn a master’s degree from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She was an elementary school teacher in Westchester County for 35 years, a wife to her husband, Albert, mother to Patricia, and always a swimmer.
In New York, she swam and took up windsurfing at the New Rochelle Swimming & Rowing Club, and when her parents retired to Boynton Beach more than 60 years ago, she discovered the ocean here.
In 1985, she retired from teaching, moved to Boynton Beach to care for her parents, and made the beach her daily destination for swimming and windsurfing.
In later years, she’d drive her little blue Toyota from Leisureville to Oceanfront Park clad in her swimsuit and Minnetonka moccasins.
“She must have had 30 pairs of those Minnetonka moccasins,” Nadine Magee recalled with a laugh. “I never saw her wear the same ones twice.”
With her smile so big, friends followed. They didn’t always know last names, but they came to know each other because they all knew Eva Takacs.
Tatyana Fishman shared a love of the ocean with Takacs.
“We met in the water,” Fishman said. “She was smart, extremely smart, and compared to her, we were children in our 50s and 60s. I admired her.”
As she aged, and her time in the water was limited to calm waves, Fishman and others helped her in and out of the surf.
“We didn’t know everybody’s last names,” explained George Stampoulos. “Everybody’s last name was Beach, but Eva was one of the crew. I used to help her in and out of the water. She’d say how long she wanted to stay, and I’d get her. She was a sweetheart.”
On her 90th birthday in 2019, the crew brought a cake to the beach, and a year later, she refused to let the coronavirus pandemic spoil her swimming time.
“I’m hanging in,” she told The Coastal Star that December. “I had no problem with the pandemic except when the ocean was closed. Horrible. I survived with the help of my friends.”
On the last day of 2021 and Takacs’s last morning at the beach, Stampoulos helped her into the surf, then continued on his walk.
“When I came back, I couldn’t see her in the water,” he recalled, “so I started to look and saw the lifeguards giving her CPR.”
The Boynton Beach lifeguards knew Takacs well. Every year, she’d bring a large box of Publix Christmas cookies to their tower.
Lifeguard Tom Mahady declined to discuss the guards’ lifesaving efforts, but was happy to speak of Takacs.
“She was a breath of fresh air,” Mahady said. “A great person. Joyful. It’s been pretty traumatic to our staff because everyone loved her and we miss her. She was awesome.” Apart from her daughter, Mrs. Takacs had no survivors, but on Jan. 12, about 15 of her crew from the beach gathered in the Boynton Beach Memorial Park & Mausoleum on Woolbright Road to see their friend, who loved the water, laid to rest in the earth beside her late husband, Albert, who died in 2005.
Jay and Nadine Magee were there, Tatyana Fishman and George Stampoulos, and the ones they knew only by first names, Joe and Kimberly, Chris and Mike and Sue. They knew each other because they knew Eva.
“She was vibrant and caring,” her daughter said. “Inquisitive, strong-willed. Everybody gets exhausted at the end, but for most of her life it was go, go, go. And she died with her swimsuit on.”

By Sallie James

OCEAN RIDGE — Glory B. King, a pioneering psychotherapist who founded the avant-garde Here and Now Institute in Boca Raton in the 1960s, died on Dec. 9 at Willowbrooke Court at St. Andrews of complications related to diabetes. She was 97.
A more than 30-year resident of Ocean Ridge, Ms. King was born on Sept. 30, 1924, in Waukegan, Illinois. She was raised in the Midwest with Midwestern values. Her upbringing set her on a lifetime course of helping others.
She attended college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where she earned a bachelor of arts, then enrolled in graduate school at Smith College in Massachusetts, where she received a degree in psychoanalytic theory and practice.
Ms. King never married or had children. She considered her closest friends as family.
She moved to Florida for the warm weather in the 1960s, settling first in Stuart, then moving to Ocean Ridge. In the late 1960s she founded the HAN Institute in Boca Raton, a progressive center that focused on a wellness model instead of an illness model. The HAN Institute moved to Delray Beach in 1978 after fire ravaged the facility in 1977 and killed her business partner, artist Barbara Romine. The HAN Institute closed in 1995.
“We were dear friends and colleagues,” said Patricia Donaldson, a friend and business partner who met Ms. King 52 years ago when she went to her for marriage counseling. “I was so taken with the whole process of psychotherapy and group therapy and what I was learning that I went ahead and got a master’s in social work myself and worked with her for eight years.”
Donaldson’s marriage did not work out, but her friendship with Ms. King flourished. She eventually became Ms. King’s caretaker and took care of her until she died.
Ms. King, she recalled, was small but mighty.
“She was 5 feet tall, short, pillowy — a little chubby, with a radiant smile and clear eyes,” Donaldson recalled. “She could make eye-to-eye contact with you that actually felt almost a soul connection. And she was a natural redhead.”
Ms. King retained personal friendships that lasted more than 70 years, including a sorority sister from University of Michigan. She was a force to be reckoned with.
Ms. King was a charter member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Academy of Certified Social Workers; and a member of the American Orthopsychiatric Association and the prestigious Menninger Foundation. She taught at the College of Boca Raton, Palm Beach Junior College and University of Michigan.
One of her teachers was Virginia Satir, an author and psychotherapist known as the “mother of family therapy” for her work in family reconstruction therapy. Ms. King’s own work was influenced by the Esalen Institute in California and the Gestalt therapy of Fritz S. Perls.
“She was a trailblazer,” Donaldson said. “She integrated the mind, body, psychological and spiritual influences.
“She was pretty much all about work and she gave everything to her work. Her work focused on Gestalt therapy, transactional analysis, family therapy and sensory awakening. She was also known for groundbreaking sensory awakening therapies such as laughing meditation — and actions to bring out the inner child.”
Ms. King was a pioneer in addiction therapy in West Palm Beach and in hospice and psychiatric social work at Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh. In both instances, she designed and implemented psychotherapy and group therapy programs.
“I think she was one of the first if not the first clinical social worker in the county,” Donaldson added.
Ms. King developed a curriculum for Barry University, taught at Palm Beach Junior College and worked in a clinic before she founded her own private practice. She also worked at the 45th Street Mental Health Center in West Palm Beach.
She never did retire. After a full career in psychotherapy, she had a calling to the priesthood at age 69. She attended the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York and graduated with a master of divinity at age 73.
“Glory King embodied love. She embodied it with her whole person, her whole heart and her whole soul in such a way that it became redemptive and transformational to those of us who had the privilege of being in her therapeutic efforts,” Donaldson said. Her obituary should be titled “Love and Glory,” Donaldson said.
Her survivors include a wide circle of dear friends.
Premier Funeral Services in Lake Worth handled arrangements. A celebration of life and service of burial will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach at a future date.
Contributions may be sent to the Rev. Paul Kane Discretionary Fund at St. Paul’s, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444.

GULF STREAM — Catherine Hohenlohe Jacobus, a voracious reader and creative writer, died in Delray Beach on Dec. 21. She was 79. For the last 40-plus years, she divided her time between Florida and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, usually feeding, tending and celebrating her family members and friends.
Catherine Hohenlohe was born in 1942 in Washington, D.C., to Margaret Boyce Schulze and Alexander Hohenlohe, but grew up in New York City with her mother and stepfather, Morton Downey. She attended Marymount High School and then graduated from Manhattanville College in 1964 with a degree in English.
After college Ms. Hohenlohe worked briefly in journalism for McCall’s magazine. From 1964 until 1973, she sat on the board of Newmont Mining Co. as a principal shareholder.
In 1973, she married George H. “Jake” Jacobus and moved from Greenwich, Connecticut, to Little Rock, Arkansas.
The family moved to Florida in 1976, where she served as a board member and worked closely with the staff of the Achievement Centers for Children and Families to establish the Morton Downey Family Resource Center.
A children’s rights advocate, Mrs. Jacobus also had a passion for the arts and for education and she funded college scholarships privately for numerous young people.
She became a summer resident of Chappaquiddick, Massachusetts, in 1979 and contributed generously to the Martha’s Vineyard community over the years, including to the YMCA, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the Island Grown Initiative, and MV Community Services.
Throughout her life, she was a generous philanthropist, supporting many causes, organizations, institutions and individuals. The Bethesda Hospital Foundation honored her as a “Woman of Grace” in 2004.
Mrs. Jacobus read voraciously for her entire life. A poet herself, she composed many rhyming bawdy verses for loved ones’ special occasions, as well as more serious work, such as the collection of almost 50 poems she was editing at the time of her death. Her creativity went beyond words: She painted pictures and furniture, arranged flowers, made elaborate wedding and birthday cakes, and crafted gorgeous beaded necklaces.
She learned the life story of almost every person with whom she came into contact, usually within minutes. When faced with disappointing news, she typically responded with a burst of profanity, surprising some, delighting others. She also loved dogs and owned many sweet and not-so-sweet canines through the years.
Mr. Jacobus died in 2013, and Mrs. Jacobus is survived by her children: Alexandra Cook and husband John Conforti; Christian H. Jacobus and wife Ashley; stepchildren: Ann Kordahl and husband James; William Jacobus and wife Crystal; Lacy Jacobus; and Todd Jacobus and wife Shana. Also grandchildren: David, Christina, and Dylan Conforti; Catherine Jacobus and Jace Nienberg; James, John, Caroline, and George Kordahl; John Ficklen; Andrew, William, and Nathaniel Jacobus; and three great-grandchildren; her brother Christian Hohenlohe and wife Nora; and her goldendoodle, Colby.
A celebration of life service was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Delray Beach.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Achievement Centers for Children and Families Foundation at www.achievementcentersfl.org/ways-to-give.

— Obituary submitted by the family

By Dan Moffett

BRINY BREEZES — When the Town Council had an open seat in 2016, Allen “Chick” Behringer stepped up and volunteered to fill it.
He said Briny Breezes had been good to him since his first visit in 2002, and now that he had left Long Island and become a full-time resident, he wanted to try to do some good for Briny.
“I want to do something for the community which I happen to love,” he said. “I want to keep it as it is. I want to keep it functional.”
A retired salesman and entrepreneur, he brought a business sensibility to the council’s work. Mr. Behringer’s input helped the council create a town manager position, overhaul aging infrastructure, hire staff, write job descriptions and keep budgets balanced.
Council President Sue Thaler said that, with a successful business career behind him, “he made very thoughtful contributions to Briny.”
“He brought a different level of thinking to the council,” Mayor Gene Adams said. “He didn’t miss a meeting. Chick just did a great job.”
The mayor said that when he and his wife, Alderwoman Christina Adams, moved to Briny, it was Mr. Behringer who reached out to them.
“He was so welcoming,” Adams said. “You could see how much he loved the Briny community.”
On Jan. 11, Alderman Behringer died in his Briny home, among family and with companion Kennedy O’Grady, after a brief battle with melanoma. He was 81.
“He enjoyed his work on the Town Council,” said O’Grady, his partner for most of the last decade. “His hobby was cooking, and he loved to entertain. He always added a laugh and was a wonderful, generous man.”
Alderman Bill Birch said he not only lost a colleague but a close friend.
“Chick was very intelligent, but he was not one of those people who spoke to hear himself speaking,” Birch said. “When he said something, it was worth hearing. His passing so suddenly is very upsetting.”
Mr. Behringer and his wife of 48 years, Mary (McCourt), bought a home on Mallard Drive in 2008 and became year-round residents two years later. She died in 2013.
They raised four children — Michael, Megan, John and Suzanne — with eight grandchildren: Nolan and Chloe Behringer; Connor and Katlyn Kestenbaum; Kerry, Jack, Ryan and Colleen Behringer.
“He felt lucky to live by the sea and among friends,” said his daughter-in-law Megan Abate, Michael’s wife. “Chick was full of life, light and laughter. He lived by the ethos it is not the length of life but the depth of life which is most important.”
Mr. Behringer was drawn to the ocean. He grew up in Oak Beach, New York, fishing with his older brother Neail, and was a member of the South Shore Marlin and Tuna Club. He enjoyed fish stories and those who told them.
A graduate of American University and St. Leo Catholic Academy in Corona, New York, Mr. Behringer started as a salesman for the Burlington Corp. and then ran his own successful company, Mr. Sign, which manufactured signs and displays for businesses throughout the New York area. He attended Our Lady of Mercy Church in Queens and frequented the American Legion Hall there. His favorite charity was the Wounded Warrior Project.
The family plans to hold a memorial gathering for Mr. Behringer in the Briny Breezes clubhouse beginning at 11 a.m. Feb. 5.

GULF STREAM — James Mellon Walton, a corporate and philanthropic leader in his hometown of Pittsburgh and humble volunteer serving Haitian children at Paul’s Place in Delray Beach, died Jan. 2 at his home in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, surrounded by his family. He was 91.
Mr. Walton and his wife, Ellen, funded and volunteered at Paul’s Place, a 20-year-old after-school program at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where 30 Haitian American children are mentored, aided with homework and fed.
“It was nothing for Jim Walton to help kids with their homework and serve meals to them,” said the Right Rev. William H. Stokes, the Episcopal bishop of New Jersey, who led St. Paul’s for 14 years.
“When you are a rector, you come across people occasionally who end up caring for you as much or more as you care for them. He was that person for me,” Stokes told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Mr. Walton, who led one of Pittsburgh’s major foundations and established five new galleries at Carnegie Museums, usually avoided the spotlight.
In October 2020, he retired from the Vira Heinz Endowments board of trustees after 37 years. He oversaw more than 9,000 grants totaling $1.2 billion, the Pittsburgh newspaper reported.
Mr. Walton received a B.A. in English from Yale University and then served in the U.S. Army. Following his service, he attended Harvard Business School and received an MBA, before joining the Gulf Oil Corp., the company founded by his maternal grandfather, William Larimer Mellon.
As an oilman, Mr. Walton traveled extensively, including posts in Philadelphia, Houston, Tokyo and Rome. In 1968, he was asked to return to Pittsburgh to run the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History and Carnegie Library, a position he would hold for 16 years.
“They had no development operation and little endowment,” said Joseph Walton, Mr. Walton’s elder son. “He started an entire development operation and built the endowment.”
Mr. Walton’s true legacy is the way he gave to his communities and his family.
In recognition of his contributions to Pittsburgh, he was awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Allegheny College.  
Recalled his daughter Rachel Mellon Walton, “Whatever we were involved with, he was cheering us on.” That included watching one grandson’s Friday night hockey game and staying in touch with another grandson learning to be a Navy pilot.
After moving to Gulf Stream later in life, he continued to give by getting involved with the Stephen Ministry at St. Paul’s, Paul’s Place and as a regular volunteer at Bethesda Hospital.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ellen, his four children, Joseph (Molly), Rachel, Jimmy (Betsy) and Mary (Allen), seven grandchildren and his dog, Zeus.
A celebration of his life will be held later this year.

— Staff report 

OCEAN RIDGE — Barbara S. Traylor, longtime resident of Boynton Beach and Ocean Ridge, died peacefully at her home in Ocean Ridge on Jan. 21. She was 88.
Mrs. Traylor was an independent woman, a professional who made many contributions to the Boynton Beach community. She was very proud to be the founding partner of the accounting firm of Traylor and Gratton and one of the founders of the Boynton Beach Children’s Museum.
Barbara was married to Philip B. “Flip” Traylor, both native Floridians. Mr. Traylor died in 2016.
In 60-plus years together, they had many adventures while raising their family and taking trips to the Florida Keys and Bahamas. Many tours and cruises taken with friends provided so many great memories. She was a voracious reader and loved her Westies and a good margarita.
Mrs. Traylor is survived by her son, Gregory B. Traylor, daughter, Pamela T. Anwyll (Brad), granddaughter Ashton E. Krauss, great-grandson Landon, niece Vanessa Hurst (Randy), nephews Randy Spinks and Darrell Spinks (Roselyn), and many great-nieces and great-nephews.
The family will be forever grateful for the care provided by Lee Ann Cummins, Joan Watson, Visiting Angels and Trustbridge.
A celebration of Mrs. Traylor’s life will be held at a later date. Donations may be sent in her memory to the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum & Learning Center, 129 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach, FL 33435-4536, or Trustbridge Hospice Foundation, 5300 East Ave., West Palm Beach, FL 33407.

— Obituary submitted by the family

Downtown Delray Beach will be the fashion scene again in late February. ABOVE: A model on the runway at Old School Square during Fashion Week 2020. RIGHT: SuSu Smith models attire from Hy Pa-Hy Ma boutique in Delray Beach. Photos provided

By Christine Davis

Marking its 10th anniversary, Delray Beach Fashion Week will be held Feb. 23-27. The event will begin with a runway show, “Living In Paradise,” from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 23 at Old School Square Park, 50 NE Second Ave.
To take part in the Sunsational Shop & Sip, running throughout downtown Delray Beach from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 25, buy a ticket and check in at Rosewater Rooftop at The Ray Hotel, 233 NE Second Ave. Enjoy a continental breakfast with a complimentary beverage, and receive a goodie bag with specials from participating retailers.
Colors of the Tropics fashion show and luncheon will be on Feb. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Meso Beach House, 900 E. Atlantic Ave. The Sand & Sea Fashion Event will be at 3 p.m. Feb. 26 at The Ray Plaza.
The Downtown Delray Beach Craft Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 26 and Feb. 27 along Northeast Fourth Avenue.
These events, except for the craft festival, require tickets. Proceeds benefit the Delray Beach nonprofit Achievement Centers for Children & Families.
For more information, ticketing and pricing, as well as event details, visit www.DelrayFashionWeek.com, Facebook.com/DelrayFashion, #DelrayFashionWeek, or phone 561-243-1077.

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On the first Saturday of the month through March, the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency will host Crafted on the Ave., a new open-air craft market with a Caribbean flavor. The event will be held 1-4 p.m. at the Ida Elizabeth “Libby” Jackson Wesley Plaza, located at the corner of Southwest Fifth and West Atlantic avenues.
Crafted on the Ave. aims to give small and home-based businesses and local and regional crafters and artists an opportunity to promote and sell their work. There will also be Caribbean music and a do-it-yourself station, along with local food and beverages.
Market dates are Feb. 5 and March 5. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Mosaic Group at 561-651-9565, events@mosaicgroup.co or visit www.delraycra.org/events.

***

To promote and celebrate black cultural awareness, three nonprofits in Delray Beach — the Community Redevelopment Agency, Spady Cultural Heritage Museum and Arts Garage — are presenting Authors Speak Series 2022.
Kicking off the series will be former Palm Beach Post pop culture columnist Leslie Gray Streeter, who will share insights from her memoir, Black Widow, at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10.
Streeter moved back to her hometown, Baltimore, two years ago, and this will be her first time back to Palm Beach County. In her memoir, she looks at widowhood through the prism of race, mixed marriage and aging. This event will be held at the Arts Garage, 94 NE Second Ave.
To RSVP for this free Authors Speak event, contact https://artsgarage.org/event/authors-speak-the-impact-of-race-on-american-society-2/.
Further events in the series are scheduled for April 21 and June 16.

***

Delray Beach welcomed the following new businesses as 2022 arrived: Renata Fine Arts at 502 E. Atlantic Ave., a gallery; Beach Paradise at 533 E. Atlantic Ave., a clothing store; Meso Beach House restaurant at 900 E. Atlantic, and Ardor Boutique at 1128 E. Atlantic.
In the Pineapple Grove Arts District, Sugaring Delray, a health and beauty store, opened at 200 NE Second Ave., No. 105. The Rové Salon opened at 200 NE Second Ave., No. 112, and Lulu’s Café & Cocktails opened at 189 NE Second Ave.

***

The Seagate was included in Vogue’s annual roundup of “The 26 Most Anticipated New Hotel Openings of 2022.” For details, visit www.vogue.com/article/the-26-most-anticipated-new-hotel-openings-of-2022  
Starting in May, The Seagate will undergo a full renovation to the hotel, spa, beach club and country club, led by the hospitality group Long Weekend, the design firm Studio Robert McKinley, and landscape architect Raymond Jungles. The new Seagate will open in phases beginning in November.

***

James Farese, founder and CEO of ReachLink, was selected for the inaugural Forbes Next 1,000 list for 2021. ReachLink is a behavioral telehealth company that offers virtual therapy for mental health and substance abuse disorders.
Clients of ReachLink, which is headquartered in the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, include Aetna, United Healthcare and Humana.
“This honor is a reflection of the hard work of our whole team,” Farese said. “As a Boca Raton native, this is also representative of the fantastic environment that we have here in Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, and the state of Florida that empowers the building of social-impact businesses.” 
The Forbes Next 1,000 list, presented by Square, consists of 1,000 entrepreneurs and small business leaders who are announced in groups of 250 quarterly.
“As we enter another pandemic year, entrepreneurs and small business owners are finding new ways to thrive amidst ever-uncertain circumstances,” said Maneet Ahuja, senior editor at Forbes.
“The fourth and final class of Next 1,000 entrepreneurial heroes is writing the playbook for not only achieving financial recovery but speeding past it. These sole proprietors, self-funded shops and pre-revenue startups are proving that — through resolve, hard work, and solid planning — anything is possible.”

***

In January, Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services announced the appointment of Aliyah Longhurst, BCBA, LMFT, as director of the new Toby and Leon Cooperman Therapy & Family Resource Center.
The center will officially open in the spring at 21100 Ruth and Baron Coleman Blvd., Boca Raton, on the campus of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.
Longhurst will oversee the operations of the new resource center, which will provide children with varying needs and abilities affordable access to treatment and therapies. Most recently, Longhurst held the position of southeast regional director with Behavior Basics Inc., where her role encompassed providing applied behavioral analysis therapy and overseeing those services across Palm Beach County.

***

 The Boca Raton branch of Wells Fargo Advisors announced that Noah Rubin has been named managing director/investments. 
“We are thrilled to add Noah to our burgeoning presence in South Florida, as he brings not only tremendous experience but is young enough for generations of families to trust he will be there to guide them,” said Michael Schwarzberg, branch manager. “He also has an impeccable reputation in the community and industry, even being a trusted FINRA arbitrator.”
Rubin, a certified public accountant, is past president of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Atlantic Chapter. He earned an MBA in global entrepreneurship from Florida Atlantic University and his bachelor’s in international economics from the University of Florida.
Seven years ago, he created the Noah Rubin Charitable Foundation, which provides grants for local charities. Rubin is active with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. 
Wells Fargo Advisors’ Boca Raton office is at 5355 Town Center Road.

***

The global commercial real estate firm Avison Young appointed Randy Buddemeyer as principal and managing director of its Florida region, with offices from Miami to Jacksonville. Buddemeyer joins from Newmark Knight Frank, where he was president of the property management services division.

***

Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate brokerage firm that specializes in investment sales, financing, research and advisory services, announced in December the sales of a grouping of residences that are part of the 196-unit Delray Swan Project.
The project is being developed by Miami-based Rosen Associates. The eight-property portfolio sold for $4.738 million. Brian L. Rosen, first vice president of investments in Marcus & Millichap’s Fort Lauderdale office, closed on the portfolio.
The single-family home portfolio is part of a 14-parcel development totaling over 2.5 acres, two blocks south of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. The project is now in site plan approval.
“There were many challenges in working with eight different owners from large REITs like Tricon homes, which own tens of thousands of units, to individual families that had lived in the homes for decades,” said Rosen. “We were able to offer above-market value even in today’s hot market while providing time for the developer to get their ducks in a row. We structured the deal to give the sellers time to secure new homes and forgo rent during this period.”
The properties are located at 219, 223, 227, 231, 237, 243, 251 and 253 SE First Ave. According to Delray Beach property records, the land use category was amended from medium density to commercial core and rezoned from residential to a central business district.

***

For the 2021 holiday season, agents and staff of Lang Realty decorated their offices with angel trees with names of people in need.
“This year, our agents and staff identified people in our community who would benefit from this program and might get overlooked by larger programs,” said Scott Agran, president of Lang Realty. “We had angels ranging from small children to grandparents, some of whom never received a gift for Christmas. This project is truly inspired by our Lang team members with the hopes of making a difference.”
Each angel included a wish list for the adoptee to fulfill, and the presents were delivered at a holiday event held at Lang’s central Boca Raton sales office, where the attendees also enjoyed holiday treats. 

$75 million listing tops hot month for Manalapan
An ocean-to-lake Manalapan estate, “Villa Oceano Azul,” 1400 S. Ocean Blvd., was listed in January for $74.99 million. The seven-bedroom, 16,609-square-foot house and guesthouse, sited on 1.85 acres with about 200 feet on the ocean and Intracoastal, is offered turnkey, features two swimming pools, a 50-foot dock on the Intracoastal, and garage parking for six cars.
The owners, Francis A. and Dolores Mennella, bought the estate in July 2016 for $25.2 million, according to public records. The house, built by Dale Construction with interiors by Marc-Michaels Interior Design, was completed in 2015 and developed by Manalapan real estate investor and Mayor Pro Tem Stewart A. Satter, who purchased the property for $6.8 million in December 2010. The listing is held by Philip Lyle Smith and Carla Ferreira-Smith, broker-owners of Luxury Resort Portfolio, Delray Beach.

***

The estate at 860 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, owned by Dr. William Joseph Gueck and his wife, Mary Deann, sold for $32.25 million on Jan. 11.
Sited on 1.6 acres, with about 150 feet on both the ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, the main house has 8,443 total square feet and the guesthouse has 1,344 square feet. According to realtor.com, the estate features a home theater, billiards room, artificial turf with putt-putt golf course and tennis court, and an infinity pool.
The new owner is a Florida limited liability company, 18500 Von Karman Ave., #600, Irvine, California. Also shown in public records on Jan. 11, the buyer was issued an $18 million loan on the property by a Delaware company named USC 860 S. Ocean LLC, 233 Broadway Suite 1470, New York — which is the same address as Urban Standard Capital, a real estate lender, development and investment firm in New York City.
Douglas Elliman Real Estate agent Gary Pohrer handled both sides of the sale, according to realtor.com.
The Guecks bought the estate in September 2015 for $13,756,250 from Russian businessman Aleksander Popov. Joseph Gueck is a retired Missouri physician of internal medicine and principal at SurgCenter Development. Deann Gueck is an attorney.
Pohrer listed the estate at $35 million at the beginning of October, according to realtor.com. The house was built by developer Frank McKinney.

***

The ocean-to-lake 1960s-era geodesic-dome compound at 1860 S. Ocean Blvd. in Manalapan, owned by Jeanette Cohen as trustee of an irrevocable trust in the name of her husband, Stephen D. Cohen, has gone pending.
The Cohens’ estate, which they bought in 1978 for $620,000, is currently priced at its land value at $27.5 million. William Raveis South Florida agent Shelly Newman listed it for sale for $29.9 million in late May 2021 but later dropped the price.
She said the closing date was scheduled for July 8 but may be sooner.

***

The late Selma H. Orleans’ estate at 1300 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, sold on Jan. 12 for $26.25 million through trusts held by her children, Jeffrey P. Orleans and Patricia Orleans Siegel, in separate deeds. The one signed by Patricia Siegel recorded at $14,437,500, while the one signed by Jeffrey Orleans recorded at $11,812,500.
Selma, who died in September 2021, and her husband, Marvin Orleans, who died in 1986, built the five-bedroom custom home in 1983 on the 1.35-acre lot with 160 feet of oceanfront and 200 feet on the Intracoastal Waterway.
It was listed last October for $27.95 million, according to realtor.com. Christian Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate represented the seller. Per the deed, the buyer was 1300 South Ocean LLC, a Florida limited liability company, which was represented by Lawrence Moens of Lawrence A. Moens Associates, according to realtor.com.

***

Medical-device entrepreneur Marlin E. Younker sold his Manalapan estate at 1880 S. Ocean Blvd. for $19 million on Jan. 12. He and his wife, Lynda G. Younker, since deceased, bought the estate through trusts in their names in 2011 for $5.1 million.
The 1980s five-bedroom, 10,200-square-foot house sits on 1.8 acres, with 150 feet fronting the ocean and 150 feet on the Intracoastal. Features include a movie theater, elevator, summer kitchen with pizza oven, 60-foot saltwater lap pool and spa, and new dock.
Douglas Elliman Real Estate agents Nick Younker and Nicholas Malinosky represented the seller. Agent Shelly Newman of William Raveis South Florida handled the buyer’s side of the sale.
The buyer is a Delaware-registered limited liability company, RX Colorado LLC, which is co-managed by Dr. Ravi Xavier and his wife, Rosemary. Dr. Xavier is an anesthesiologist and president of Florida Anesthesiology & Pain Clinic.

Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.
 

The Boca Raton Resort & Club, rebranded as The Boca Raton, includes the Cloister hotel in its original 1920s white color after decades in pink. RIGHT: Historic photos line the wall of a hallway near the entrance of The Boca Raton. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Related story: Eau zeros in on restaurants, pools, kids

By Mary Hladky

A breathtaking sight greets visitors to the completely renovated The Boca Raton: The famed Cloister now gleams white against the blue Florida sky.
“It is just gorgeous,” said Mary Csar, executive director of the Boca Raton Historical Society and Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum. “When I first saw it, I had tears in my eyes, it was so beautiful.”
That was just one of the visible changes as the rebranded Boca Raton Resort & Club formally reopened on Jan. 3 after a $200 million renovation that touched every part of the 200-acre property.
The new owners of the 95-year-old resort — MSD Partners and Northview Hotel Group — did not intend to trample its rich history when embarking on the project, Csar said. Architect Jorge Garcia and other members of the team met with historical society staff, which presented copious amounts of information about Cloister architect Addison Mizner and the resort’s history.
“They absorbed it. They understood. They showed us their plans,” Csar said. And while she objected to some of the changes, she realizes most had to be made and is very pleased with the result.

Public spaces at The Boca Raton, like the inside bar, have been updated.

“They are really trying to tell the story of the hotel and to keep that story alive, which is really wonderful,” she said.
That new “coastal white” color of the Cloister is one example. That was the building’s original color before it was painted pink decades ago.
Some of the departures from the past were of necessity. The porte cochere at the Cloister, for instance, had only one lane and was too narrow to accommodate today’s larger vehicles. It now has two expanded lanes.
But the new appearance is only part of the transformation. The owners and Daniel Hostettler, president and CEO of The Boca Raton, aim to have the resort reclaim the five-star status that it lost in 1985 no later than its 100th birthday in 2026.

The MB Supper Club pays homage to the former Monkey Bar, named for Addison Mizner’s monkey, Johnnie Brown.

Hostettler recalls a conversation he had with a man shortly after he was hired to lead The Boca Raton last March.
“He said, ‘Back in the day, when my company finally made money, I used to take my entire sales team to The Boca Raton. It was the epitome of grace and style and elegance,’” Hostettler said. “I really think that is the goal, to bring it back to that feeling in people’s hearts … that they have to visit Boca Raton and stay here.”
The intention, he said, is to create a “new golden era” for the resort.
To achieve that, The Boca Raton now operates as an independent luxury property. It is ditching its reputation as a convention hotel, focusing instead on hosting smaller conferences, attracting leisure guests and providing superior service and hospitality.
Hostettler emphasizes having staff members with great personalities. Previous experience at a resort is not necessary since those skills can be taught, he said. “I am a big believer that we hire for personality and teach for skills.”
The five resort hotels have been repositioned to appeal to different guest markets, and that includes younger, hipper people.

The Boca Raton has repainted the original 1920s Cloister, but will leave the Tower in its trademark pink.

The 27-story Tower will cater to the sophisticated “Four Seasons” market for travelers in their 40s with children. The adults-oriented Yacht Club, with 112 suites, will not allow children under 16. The 294-room Cloister is aimed at conference attendees and history buffs. The 58-suite Bungalows are for guests planning one- or two-month stays. The oceanfront, 212-room Beach Club focuses on guests in their 20s and 30s.
New dining options abound, with a number of restaurants operated in partnership with Major Food Group.
The MB Supper Club is a nod to the 1930s and ’40s gilded age of supper clubs and pays homage to the former Monkey Bar that honored Mizner and his monkey, Johnnie Brown.

The Flamingo Grill is a take on the mid-century American chophouse.

The Flamingo Grill is a take on the mid-century American chophouse, and Sadelle’s is a sibling to the famed New York brunch spot.
Other yet-to-open collaborations with Major Food Group will offer Italian and Japanese cuisine. More restaurants could be added to the roster.
Luxury retail is sprinkled throughout the resort, and more is on its way, including a line of shops that will open off the Cloister’s main lobby.
While the entire resort — including its 50,000-square-foot spa, now renamed as Spa Palmera — has been overhauled, one of the most substantive changes comes from the demolition of the Great Hall, a convention venue. That allowed the resort to take better advantage of its location on Lake Boca Raton, which was barely visible to guests in the past.

Harborside Pool Club has four pools, a lazy river that winds among them, water slides, a kids club and waterfront dining.

It now is the site of the Harborside Pool Club with four pools, a 450-foot lazy river that weaves around the pools, water slides, a kids club and waterfront dining. A promenade runs along the waterfront and the 32-slip marina.
The resort’s lack of lake and ocean views was decidedly “odd,” Hostettler said, and needed to be corrected.
“We are trying to open everything up to the water as much as possible,” he said. “Everything we did was to capture those water views.”
While most of the work is completed, details were being finalized in early January. The activity included workers refinishing doors on the cathedral room, an elegant wedding venue. The lobby of the Cloister was awaiting new furniture.
The Tower will reopen to guests on May 1. The project will be fully completed this summer.

The Sushi Bar at the revamped Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. Photo provided

Related story: Boca hotel remodeled with history, water views up front

By Mary Thurwachter

Luxury hotels can’t rest on their laurels and Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa can’t be accused of doing so. The Manalapan resort next to Lantana’s public beach is wrapping up a multimillion-dollar renovation.
The project’s designers were focused on the hotel’s restaurants and bars, updating the pool experience and reimagining the kids club.
“We’ve prided ourselves in offering guests a Forbes five-star, AAA five-diamond experience and one of our goals with the renovation was to update our social spaces,” said General Manager Tim Nardi. “We want to offer a modernized look and continue to elevate guest experiences.”
Palm Beach County-based Bilkey-Llinas Design was tasked with putting that vision to work.
Eau’s two palm-fringed pools and the landscape around them have been redesigned to create a new focal point. Featuring neutral and organic materials, the new lounge furniture and sitting areas are located beside the sea wall.
Landscaping design firm EDSA did the garden palette, which is made up of lush palms, sea grass, palmetto and tropical floral.
More flexible event space can now be found on a new deck reconfigured near the lawn. And more wedding space, overlooking the ocean, has been added on the north side of the resort.
The adults-only Tranquility Pool on the south side of the hotel has added a seated bar with cold-pressed juices, creative cocktails and an all-day menu. New cabanas and daybeds are ideal hangouts for guests seeking champagne mornings or afternoon swims. Bluetooth headphones with a wide choice of music and podcasts and other VIP poolside services are provided.

The family-oriented splash pad on the north side of the resort has a turtle theme.

On the hotel’s north side, a redesigned family pool features cabanas and a turtle-themed splash pad next to the redone kids club. The area has been fitted with sections for crafting and culinary activities. The club has a beach resort feel with underwater images and a wall mural, an arcade with games and machines and direct access to the splash pad.
An interactive wall with a laser projector and sketch aquarium allows children to design sea creatures and watch them come alive on a giant screen. Other points of interest include a photo station, a cinema with tiered seating shaped like sand dunes and a theater stage.
A team of teachers and caretakers curates a program of activities taking full advantage of the Atlantic Ocean as the playground. The club’s educational component includes a collaboration with the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, a turtle hospital with which Eau already had a partnership.

The kids club has sections for crafting and culinary activities.

Besides the new kids club, Eau has six culinary outlets. Four of them are new — a coffee shop, ice cream parlor, spa café and the Sushi Bar.
Oceana at Eau Palm Beach is the new coffee bar near the entrance to Eau Spa. Coffees from Palm Beach County-based Oceana Coffee, house-made pastries and light bites are on the menu.
The ice cream and frozen yogurt parlor is adjacent to the kids club, taking the place of the previous Sun Shop. Popular ice cream styles and signature house-made selections are served, and the shop, due to open in February, has an outdoor seating area next to the splash pad. 
The Sushi Bar, led by Eau’s head sushi chef, Chris Cantrel, offers a modern take on sushi, sashimi and nigiri. The food is sourced with local ingredients and served at both communal and individual tables.

Polpo, an Italian-inspired seafood restaurant scheduled to open in February, has taken the place of the oceanfront Temple Orange at the revamped Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa.

Polpo, an oceanfront restaurant with an upscale ambiance and an emphasis on Italian seafood, has taken the place of the former Temple Orange bistro and will open early in February. Arched windows, a marine-themed wall mural and a bar are key features of the indoor-outdoor floor plan.
The resort’s famed Eau Spa has its own café, the Spa Terrace, with sunset views, waterfalls and lush gardens. A selection of fine wines and champagne are offered along with tea presentations and spa cuisine. The menu is driven by health-conscious dishes such as locally sourced salads, wraps and fresh-pressed vegetable juices.
Nardi said renovations at the 309-guestroom resort were substantially completed by Dec. 31, with planned celebrations to follow.

La Coquille Club
While there are no new design changes at La Coquille Club, located on the north side at business center level, members who have access to all the resort’s amenities are certain to appreciate the upgrades, says club manager Ian Kirby.
Creative things are happening at La Coquille.
“We are redesigning experiences surrounding dinner service and drink service,” Kirby says. “The goal is every single dining option is an experience in and of its own. So, we have smoked cocktails which come to your table and bring up the smells of campfire memories.
“We have interactive drinks such as one where there’s an orchid in an ice cube. We also have another type of martini where the ice cube is shaped like a diamond and when the drink is poured into the glass it swirls with gold dust. It’s a nice little presentation. A beautiful display of what we can do with culinary talent.”
Kirby says he wants members to bring their friends to the club and be proud of what it offers and how unique and interesting it is. “It is a dining experience I want to be consistent and great,” he says.
“We have tons of special events that started with the opening party on Jan. 14, which was an opening party to remember, especially a year after COVID.”
Other events include a Greek cuisine night on March 5, “That ’70s Night” on April 2, and “Butcher’s Block” with whiskey and wine pairings on April 30. Dates have yet to be determined for the “World Famous La Coquille Seafood Buffet,” intimate cabana date night, family golf night at Drive Shack and “A Night with Sinatra at La Coquille.”
Anyone who owns a home in Manalapan is entitled to a complimentary membership to the private club, but others can apply to join. For details, call 561-540-4909 or visit www.lacoquilleclub.com.
For more information on the resort, which has a 5-diamond rating from AAA and 5 stars from Forbes, call 561-533-6000 or visit www.eaupalmbeach.com.

By Amy Woods

A husband and father of three young children who simultaneously has emerged as a quick-witted comedian out of Chicago will headline this year’s Laugh with the Library.
Pat McGann is a last-minute fill-in for James Austin Johnson, who had a conflict with the event’s rescheduled date of Feb. 25, from Feb. 4.
“Yes, last week we had to change comedians when James Austin Johnson was suddenly not able to make our new scheduled date due to a conflict with the changing SNL schedule,” Kae Jonsons, the Delray Beach Public Library’s director of development and community relations, said of Saturday Night Live’s newest cast member. “James will be performing at the 2023 Laugh with the Library.”
The biggest fundraiser of the year for the nonprofit institution was canceled in 2021 because of the pandemic and was postponed this month for the same reason. The goal is to raise at least $100,000.
“It’s really hard when you don’t have your annual fundraiser,” co-chairwoman Alissa Rabin said. “We would love to see the guests be generous with everything that is going on.”
Proceeds from Laugh with the Library will go toward the purchase of materials. Not only has the pandemic led to an increase in demand, but the cost of books and especially digital literature has more than quadrupled.
“I think it is very important for the community to support the library,” Rabin said. “It offers some amazing services.”
She has patronized the library and been a volunteer for nearly a decade after seeing the difference it made in the eyes of her daughter. Blake, now 10, attends Gulf Stream School.
“It was a great way to get her interested in reading and exploring different books that she might not be offered at school or might not be aware of,” Rabin said. “It’s a great way for children to meet other children and for young families to meet other young families.”
McGann will fit the bill perfectly during the show at the Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa, she said.
“The event has definitely grown in size and really attracted a nice young crowd and a good mix of parents from local schools,” Rabin said. “It’s not your traditional black-tie dinner. You get to be dressed a little more casually, you get to walk around and socialize a little bit, and you get to hear a really funny comedian.
“With the world the way it is right now, everyone needs a good laugh.”

If You Go
What: Laugh with the Library
When: 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Feb. 25
Where: Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa, 10 N. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach
Cost: $400
Information: 561-266-0798 or www.delraylibrary.org.

Lois Pope donated $250,000 to the Palm Beach County Food Bank for a 53-foot vehicle that bears images of the well-known philanthropist with Boys & Girls Club members. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

Twenty-one nonprofits, each with a proposed project in South County, have the opportunity to apply for one of multiple $100,000 grants awarded by Impact 100 Palm Beach County.
The organizations represent the group’s five focus areas — arts, culture and historic preservation; education; environment and animal welfare; family; and health and wellness.
The semifinalists are:
• American Association of Caregiving Youth
• Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts
• Best Foot Forward
• Boca Save our Beaches
• Camelot Community Care
• Florence Fuller Child Development Centers
• Friends of Foster Children
• GBDC Entrepreneurship Institute
• Love Serving Autism
• Marine Education Initiative
• Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League
• Promise Fund of Florida
• Propel (People Reaching Out to Provide Education & Leadership)
• Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services
• Spady Cultural Heritage Museum
• The Lord’s Place
• The Soup Kitchen
• Unicorn Children’s Foundation
• University of Florida Foundation
• Xcel: A Mentoring Network
• Young Singers of the Palm Beaches
“Our mission … is to improve our community by collectively funding impactful $100,000 grants to nonprofits in our area,” Impact 100 President-elect Kelly Fleming said. “The more members we have, the more money we can give to nonprofits in Palm Beach County.”
Finalists will be announced March 31. The final vote is set for April 19 at the Grand Awards.
For more information, call 561-336-4623 or visit www.impact100pbc.org.

Youth of the Year finalists to earn scholarships
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County will celebrate its eighth annual Youth of the Year on Feb. 25, at which seven exceptional youths will compete for the 2022 title.
All finalists will be awarded four-year scholarships, with the winner to also receive room and board. The dinner will take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan.
“This incredible event takes place every year, allowing our teen members to showcase all of their accomplishments,” said Jaene Miranda, president and CEO. “On one of the biggest nights of their lives, they will have the opportunity to share their stories and will receive recognition for all that they have achieved.”
For more information, call 561-676-5472 or visit https://bgcpbc.org.

Food bank has new delivery truck
The Palm Beach County Food Bank recently unveiled an impressive 53-foot refrigerated semitrailer with images of Lois Pope surrounded by children at the Florence De George Boys & Girls Club.
Pope’s $250,000 donation financed the truck, which will increase food deliveries and pickups in 2022 to help hungry families.
“The excitement and joy that came from this reveal was just so contagious,” said Jamie Kendall, the food bank’s CEO. “I know the addition of this truck will elevate our distribution and have a positive impact on reaching our hungry neighbors.”
For more information, call 561-670-2518 or visit www.pbcfoodbank.org.

Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net.

The Rotary Club of Boca Raton had its 24th annual gala to honor Outstanding People and Leaders. Beverly Raphael Altman, Robyn Raphael-Dynan, Arlene Herson, Dr. Nathan and Fran Nachlas, and Gary and Bonnie Hildebrand were honored for making the city a better place to live, work and play. Proceeds from the event fund scholarships for underserved youths.

ABOVE: (l-r) Lindsay Raphael with award winners Robyn Raphael-Dynan and Beverly Raphael Altman.

BELOW: (l-r) Jay and Marilyn Weinberg with Yvonne Boice and Al Zucaro.
Photos provided