By Tao Woolfe
When it was first proposed in 2021, future neighbors objected to an eight-story apartment complex at the intersection of Federal Highway and Southeast First Avenue.
Now, the Boynton Beach neighbors are looking forward to something — anything — being built there. They are tired of looking at a 2.76-acre denuded parcel of land surrounded by chain link fence. The property’s sole structures are piles of dirt, crabgrass tufts and concrete Jersey barriers.
The project — originally called Legacy and now known as Broadstone — has been stalled since 2021, but remains active, the city says.
“They have destroyed my property and stolen my street,” said Robert Nebb, who owns Ocean Plaza along Ocean Avenue just west of the Ocean Avenue bridge. The plaza backs up to the fallow site along First Avenue.
“Most of the time I am looking at a brick wall and a big pile of mud,” Nebb added. “If something gets built, fine, but if not, give me my street back.”
The city said recently, through a spokeswoman, that the Broadstone was purchased by a new developer in 2022. The new owner is listed with the city and the Palm Beach County property appraiser as Boynton Beach Apartments Venture LLC, with a mailing address of Scottsdale, Arizona.
The developer is listed as Alliance Residential, also of Scottsdale, which specializes in multifamily workforce and rental housing — much of which has Broadstone in the name — according to the company’s website.
Demolition work on the downtown site was completed last year, the spokeswoman said, and the developer has applied for its site work and vertical construction permits. Those permits are making their way through the review processes of various city departments.
Meanwhile, the developer is working on the relocation of a 48-inch storm sewer pipe, which is necessary to obtain a land development permit from the city’s engineering/utility department, the spokeswoman said.
Back when it was called Legacy, the project was envisioned as an eight-story residential and retail project, which was approved by the city in January 2021.
The city commissioners approved the project unanimously despite rejection by the planning board, and objections from neighbors that the complex would close part of a downtown street and worsen congestion.
The plan included 274 apartments, more than 13,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor and 530 parking spaces, mostly in an enclosed garage.
“The project’s materials include simulated weathered wood planks, clear glass at the retail level, black window frames, vertically oriented windows and subtle tan tones that create a warmth to the building while maintaining clean lines,” city staff wrote in describing the original plans.
According to slightly revised plans submitted to the city last year, the colors of the building will change from beiges to steely gray and white with slate accents.
Residents objected to the site two years ago because, they said, the plan would permanently close a portion of Southeast First Avenue, which would terminate the street’s connection to Federal Highway.
The original owner was an affiliate of Beachwood, Ohio-based Goldberg Cos. Inc.
Those in opposition said periodic traffic backups and flooding on East Ocean Avenue would make the loss of alternative routes worse, while also limiting access by ambulances or other emergency vehicles.
The city’s planning and development board voted 4-3 against one component of the plan in September 2021, and 6-1 against two other pieces. Among the concerns expressed was a “rushed” timetable while many seasonal residents were not present to weigh in on traffic and density issues.
The project does not have to come back before the City Commission unless there are major site plan changes, the city spokeswoman said.
No construction start date has been announced.
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