By Michael Cook
Boynton Beach wants to change the perception that it has three “nothing-to-see-there” exits on Interstate 95 by rebuilding its downtown and waterfront as destinations — places people will exit the highway to visit.
Officials are thinking big, with a range of redevelopment projects intended to put the city in the limelight, similar to efforts in nearby cities such as West Palm Beach, Delray Beach and Boca Raton. They are focusing on the downtown and along the Intracoastal Waterway while seeking $30 million in funding to bring these plans to life in the near future.
“We have a big appetite, and we have a big job to do,” said Christopher Brown, the new executive director of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, who laid out the long-range strategy at a Feb. 10 meeting of city commissioners serving as the CRA board.
Brown, who has street cred from leading successful redevelopment efforts in Delray Beach and Pompano Beach, is now helping sketch out a plan that could give Boynton Beach more buzz to its name.
The CRA is considering securing a $30 million bond to help pay for the purchase of additional properties, which it will also have to clear for construction. Once that’s done, it will open the playing field to developers to implement the city’s vision. While the agency would be bank-financing this grand project, Brown said it will create long-term tax increment funds that will put money back into the city’s pockets.
The plan to rescale Boynton Beach has been in effect since 2016, and officials now plan to update it for the next 10 or more years. The effort is in addition to multiple approved eight-story developments — including Ocean One, The Pierce and Town Square — that will have residential and commercial components but have yet to break ground, as well as other recent land purchases. To avoid delays, Brown said the agency should not buy property for all projects at once, but rather focus on a particular location until the development is up and running.
No plans are set in stone, but officials expect to host workshops to brainstorm proposed projects. Part of the blueprint includes beautifying major streets, adding a downtown parking garage, and building a hotel. At the February meeting, Brown presented multiple potential opportunities for the CRA to purchase properties, including in or near the following prime spots for development:
On the waterfront
Along the Intracoastal, the CRA has taken the first steps to expand Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, primarily known for its boat ramps, at 2010 N. Federal Highway. The agency purchased a 1.24-acre neighboring lot for $6.8 million in February to support the expansion project. The exact plan has not been finalized, but the vision is to add waterfront dining, more docks and parking to create the feel of a waterway city.
“We need to continue to buy as much Intracoastal property that is available that we can,” Brown said, telling commissioners that an investment should be made to capitalize on the waterfront experience — not only to attract visitors but also to create hot spots for residents.
Marina neighborhood
The CRA is also keeping an eye on the Boynton Harbor Marina as part of its effort to bring more people to the waterfront. Officials are looking into a four-story condominium building that sits on the north side of Ocean Avenue, east of Federal Highway. The property is between the site of the delayed Ocean One project, which is planned to offer about 370 residential rental units, and Marina Village, an active condominium complex.
The agency is seeking a condominium developer to purchase the property from the current owners and construct a parking structure with ground-floor restaurants and retail. However, officials are firm in their stance that they want to avoid another multifamily rental development on the site, if possible.
“It’s not a surprise that a lot of people are sick of high-density residential projects,” Commissioner Thomas Turkin said at the meeting, referring to the 2023 Florida Live Local Act aimed at increasing affordable workforce housing. Turkin warned that the CRA board is “losing control” over what housing projects are built because of the state law. He stated that the redevelopment plan is an effort to counter that.
The heart of downtown
Ocean Avenue, home to City Hall and a bridge to Ocean Ridge and other coastal communities, is viewed as downtown’s Main Street. The CRA wants the avenue to live up to that name, developing it into more of a restaurant-and-entertainment district. The vision is to build up the area similar to Delray Beach’s popular Atlantic Avenue with its gold mine of restaurants, shops and cultural attractions.
One goal along Ocean Avenue could be to restore the CRA-owned 1919 Oscar Magnuson House as part of a plan to create a large food hall operation. The street would showcase modern development alongside pieces of the city’s history, including the 1927 high school, now the Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center, and the 1913 elementary school, now the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum.
The Pierce and Town Square, though delayed in construction, are expected to contribute to Ocean Avenue’s vibe. One project under the redevelopment plan is actively underway: The Villages at East Ocean Avenue, set for completion in 2027. The eight-story development, on the north side of the avenue to the west of the Florida East Coast Railway tracks, will include retail and residential space. A smaller second phase is planned across the street, where the 1907 Andrews House is to be restored into a cafe as part of the project’s retail area.
Making a new entryway
The CRA purchased the former Inn at Boynton Beach hotel property on Boynton Beach Boulevard, near I-95, for $8.1 million in October. The aging hotel, once considered an eyesore and crime hot spot, was demolished in December. The land has since been cleared, and the game plan is to have the property be the centerpiece of a redeveloped boulevard extending eastward to Seacrest Boulevard — creating a true gateway into downtown.
At the Feb. 10 CRA meeting, the agency approved two deals totaling $7.824 million to buy 14 additional properties next to the site where the hotel once stood, providing more land for development. Commissioners are now seeking input to determine what residents want to see happen on the Inn property, as it is one of the first landmarks visible from I-95 — a make-or-break effort to get nonresidents to take the exit and visit the city.
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