By Tao Woolfe
The city has given the developers of a restaurant — to be created partly on the site of the historic Oscar Magnuson house — until November to resubmit their site plan application.
Developer Anthony Barber, who also owns Troy’s Barbeque restaurants in Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach, asked for the extension to work with city staff on the application process.
Barber had submitted two site plan proposals for the property at 211 E. Ocean Ave. to the planning and development department in January, but they were rejected as incomplete.
The City Commission, sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency board, unanimously agreed to the extension in June.
About a year ago, Barber told the commission he wants to redevelop the Magnuson house into a 3,000-square-foot, full-service American-style restaurant consisting of the home and five shipping containers.
The restaurant would be open seven days a week and would be called Pauline’s, Barber said, to honor his grandmother.
He said he plans to renovate the two-story Magnuson house, built in 1919, for inside dining. Before completing that, Barber plans to use shipping containers for the kitchen area, walk-in food storage, restrooms, an artisan bar, and a rotisserie grilling area.
Barber, whose Boynton Beach barbecue restaurant is located on Federal Highway south of Woolbright Road, told commissioners last year he has lived in Boynton Beach for 35 years and wanted to open a restaurant in his home city’s downtown.
The restaurant will employ some 30 people, Barber said, and he will not seek a loan to finance the venture. Barber’s partner, Rodney Mayo of the Subculture Group, has said he is providing $1 million in financial backing. The partners’ development company is known as 306 NE 6th Avenue, LLC.
Comments