This rendering of the proposed downtown government campus highlights the landscape in front of the new City Hall (upper right). The developer has reduced the project’s density and boosted recreational and green space. Rendering provided
By Mary Hladky
The joint venture of Terra and Frisbie Group that will redevelop Boca Raton’s downtown government campus has reduced the project’s density and increased the amount of recreational and green space as it responds to residents’ objections to its original proposal.
Terra/Frisbie’s winning plan was the least dense of four presented to the city in January, but residents wanted even less.
“We have worked very hard to incorporate the vast majority of the feedback we have received,” Frisbie Group co-managing partner Rob Frisbie told the City Council on May 27.
The developers have removed 217 residential units, reducing the total to 912 by eliminating one apartment building and several townhomes.
Instead, they have added a second office building that will be located adjacent to the Brightline station, bringing to 350,000 the project’s total office square footage.
They also have boosted the recreational space by 23% which will be spread over nearly nine acres of the 30-acre campus.
Bicycle lanes will be buffered to make riding safer, and roads will be designed to keep traffic speeds slow.
Terra/Frisbie also has taken pains to ease tensions over the city’s desire to relocate sports and recreation facilities on the government campus.
It has proposed three options that would include building as many as eight tennis courts, indoor pickleball and basketball courts, fitness room and locker rooms and shower.
But this remains a work in progress, with no firm plan agreed to yet.
Tennis enthusiasts are anxious to preserve the 10 clay courts now on the downtown campus, but they are unlikely to get their wish.
Council members are leaning toward having four clay courts on the downtown campus, and adding six clay courts to the existing two hard courts at Meadows Park, which is about one mile away from the campus.
Terra/Frisbie submitted its new interim master plan on May 12, and City Council members were asked to provide city staff and Terra/Frisbie direction on what passed muster and what should be changed.
Council members indicated they liked the plans, but did not give clear input on what should be altered. They are scheduled to approve the interim master plan on June 10.
Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas was the only one advocating to keep 10 tennis courts on the downtown campus.
Council member Andy Thomson renewed his previous objection that the project is too dense and is being pushed ahead too quickly.
He also said fundamental issues have not been addressed, such as whether a public-private partnership with Terra/Frisbie is in the best interests of the city.
“I am not sure we have enough information to approve a plan like this,” he said.
No other council member expressed agreement with Thomson’s concerns.
Instead, they focused on details, agreeing that the new community center, which will replace the current outdated one, does not need an indoor pickleball court, showers and locker rooms or a fitness center.
“We are continuing to evolve,” said Mayor Scott Singer. “We will continue to congeal and form.”
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