The proposed Mizner Plaza has two stories of retail and restaurants below a 219-room hotel. The staircase between towers aligns with Mizner Park. Rendering provided
By Mary Hladky
Boca Raton’s Community Redevelopment Agency has approved a 12-story hotel and retail project directly south of Mizner Park.
The project received the go-ahead on March 23 with a 4-1 vote of agency commissioners, who also are City Council members.
Only then-CRA Chair Marc Wigder, who was defeated in his bid for reelection in the March 10 election, voted against the project.
Acknowledging the election results that swept three Save Boca members into office, Wigder unsuccessfully proposed a vote postponement until after new council members took office on March 31.
James and Marta Batmasian, the largest commercial property owners in the downtown, first proposed Mizner Plaza in 2023, but did not move forward with it at the time.
They revived it last year after making minor revisions and abandoning a request to buy a very small city-owned lot that is now used for parking.
Like all downtown development efforts, the project is controversial. Condo owners in Tower 155, located immediately south of the project site, were the strongest opponents.
The new Mizner Plaza would have two towers with retail and restaurants on the first two stories and a 219-room hotel above them. A 56-foot-wide and 20-foot-tall staircase would separate the towers and would align with the plaza in Mizner Park. Parking would be on two levels underground.
The staircase is intended to be a key feature that would be a gathering spot. But elevators and a pedestrian ramp also would be available.
A 10-foot alley on the south side of the project site would be expanded to 20 feet to accommodate two-way traffic.
To make way for the project, two one-story buildings — at 132 and 170 NE Second St. — and the downtown post office would be demolished.
Tower 155 residents derided the buildings as too big and too close to their building, creating a cramped effect. But Tower 155 also had strong detractors at the time it was proposed, largely because of its size and its tight fit on its lot.
Project attorney Ele Zachariades pushed back against criticism that Mizner Plaza and Tower 155 would be too close together, saying the building setback from Tower 155 had been expanded to 54 feet even though the city said no setback is needed.
The alley between the two buildings drew much criticism, with Tower 155 residents saying that it would be too narrow even after it is expanded to 20 feet to accommodate two-way traffic. They also feared it would be clogged during the day by service vehicles and delivery trucks.
“Just because a developer wants a big hotel doesn’t mean he should get one,” said Jeanette Oren, adding that the proximity of the two buildings would create “concrete canyons.”
But the project also drew supporters. They liked the fact that the staircase would be lined up with Mizner Park, which would encourage pedestrians to walk to restaurants and shops at both locations.
The addition of restaurants and shops also makes the area more of a true downtown, they said.
“I think it is a beautiful looking building,” said Stephen Newman. “I think it will add a lot to the downtown area.”
“This project is instrumental to the future of the city. It will change everything,” said Scott Kerner.
Marta Batmasian also defended the project. “It is incredibly beautiful,” she said.
Speaking for herself and her husband, she said, “We are doing this for my grandchildren and you have to respect that.”
A council majority agreed the building’s architectural design is beautiful.
“It is a forward-looking design,” said then-Mayor Scott Singer.
Council member Yvette Drucker, who was not up for reelection this year, and then-Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas liked the project’s connection to Mizner Park and said it would add life to the downtown.
Then-Council member and now-Mayor Andy Thomson said property owners can’t legally be denied the right to build just because some think a building is too big — as long as the owners adhere to city ordinances.
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