Staff and customers flank Hurricane Alley owner Kim Kelly (center). The restaurant is likely to be shut at least until spring as it awaits construction of a new home. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Christine Davis
Hurricane Alley Raw Bar and Restaurant, a favorite for locals on East Ocean Avenue in Boynton Beach, will be closing Sept. 25 — at least until spring — while developers build it a new home just north of its current space.
The finality of the closing of the restaurant’s home for the past 30 years — though long-expected after the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency approved a mixed-use development for the land in 2021 — still hit owner Kim Kelly hard. She posted on social media on Aug. 25 that she received an email from her landlord, Affiliated Development, giving her 30 days to vacate.
An emotional Kelly was taken aback by “the sudden notice,” as she called it. “They never put it in writing that I’d have to close before they broke ground.”
She said, “It was implied that I’d still be open until they broke ground. I knew I had to move, but they haven’t even broken ground.”
Her current building is to be demolished to make way for The Pierce project, 115 N. Federal Highway, which Affiliated is building. It will be on the west side of Federal, from Ocean Avenue to Boynton Beach Boulevard, extending westward to the Florida East Coast Railway tracks.
A September 2024 phasing plan given to the city shows the building’s demolition preceding project construction.
That construction is expected to take 21 months, but Kelly’s restaurant — which developers have agreed to build first near the tracks on Boynton Beach Boulevard — could move into its new space in the spring, on a temporary partial certificate of occupancy through the city.
The city will do what it can so the restaurant reopens with minimal delays, Deputy City Manager Adam Temple said in an email to The Coastal Star.
“We remain committed to continuing to assist and expedite the construction of The Pierce project to ensure that this longstanding business can open as quickly as possible, with minimal interruptions,” Temple wrote.
Jeff Burns, Affiliated’s CEO, said Kelly has been in all the meetings where a possible timeline was discussed. The project is large, with many moving components, Burns said, and a firm timeline for any part of it is elusive.
“She always knew there would be closure. Until we had all the permitting, we couldn’t give her a date,” Burns said. As soon as the company could finalize the timeline for demolition and groundbreaking, it sent the notice, he said.
The lengthy approval process that started in 2021 was delayed most recently by the city’s settling a lawsuit with a third party, Burns said. Once it was settled, the project’s funding had to be renewed.
That happened in July, with Boynton Beach agreeing to fast-track $7 million in tax increment financing, which gave Affiliated the green light to proceed with the project.
The eight-story, $105 million complex will have 300 apartments and 17,000 square feet of retail space, along with a parking garage. Hurricane Alley’s new space is designed as two stories with a central bar and patios on both levels.
It is not possible for it to stay open during construction, Burns said, calling it a “massive safety concern.”
He said his firm is committed to working with Kelly.
“We will do everything in our power to mitigate her move,” he said. “We designed her new restaurant for free. I’ve honored my deal with the rent we negotiated five years ago. She’s getting the deal of the century.”
Kelly was emotional, saying she can’t comment on “a lot of things.” But she denied the verbal agreement of only 30 days’ notice, and said the groundbreaking date “was moved several times. From August to September to October.”
When asked if the move to The Pierce will happen, she said, “That was the plan. Right now I’m just trying to process this sudden notice. We have to do whatever is right for our business, the employees and the community.”
While planning a closing day party, she said mostly she worries for her workers and their livelihood. Since the closing was announced, Kelly said many local restaurateurs have come forward offering potential jobs for workers — and fundraisers are being planned to offer additional support to her crew during the downtime.
“I will survive,” Kelly said. “The community is rallying around me. I will come back stronger.”
— Jan Norris
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The Boynton Beach Historical Society’s book, now available on Amazon, has 40 vignettes from residents covering the city’s history from the 1940s to the 2000s. Cover image provided
The Boynton Beach Historical Society’s new book, The Boynton We Remember: Stories, Photographs, and Memories from Our Community, arrived on Amazon in mid-August, with the society scheduling a book launch for 1 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Boynton Beach City Library.
Lantana resident Janet Naughton, the society’s secretary and former president, said the book was meant to come out in 2018 to celebrate the historical society’s 50th anniversary, “but it was put on a back burner.”
Naughton got it moving again in March.
“We only had a few stories that were passed along to me, and I said, ‘Let’s make it happen,’” she said. “We just asked for personal recollections and photographs through our Facebook group and our entire program list of members and friends.”
As a result, “the book has 40 vignettes, all varied, from the 1940s to the 2000s,” she said. “Many photos come from the local history and archives housed at the Boynton Beach City Library. The Boynton Beach Historical Society and the library have been collecting Boynton history for over 50 years and are thrilled to have published this book of voices.”
The initial reception for the book was rewarding, Naughton added. “I confirmed that 105 books were shipped to individual buyers through Amazon during the first six days after the book’s release. It’s proving to be popular.”
And now, people are asking for a second volume, she said. “All of a sudden everyone has a story.”
The book’s list price is $20. Proceeds will support the historical society.
With 250 members, including 27 Life Members, the society holds monthly meetings from October through April. It will present a Highwaymen art show and sale in January and Naughton will lead history tours of Boynton Beach, local cemeteries and historic sights. For more information, visit boyntonhistory.org/events.
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The sale of 1960 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, previously owned by Stewart Satter, now appears complete, with the second portion of the 4-acre lot recorded on July 30.
Florida Realty LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, with a post office address in Walnut Creek, California, bought the south side of the property for $34.4 million. Florida Realty has the official corporate mailing address for The Larry Ellison Foundation and The Lawrence J. Ellison Revocable Trust. Previously reported, WeatherTech founder and CEO David F. MacNeil purchased the northern half for $32 million in June.
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The Novelly Dynasty Trust II, with the family members of late oil executive Paul Novelly as trustees, sold a 17,020-square-foot home at 200 W. Coconut Palm Road in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club for $22.12 million. The buyers are a trust that belongs to Jeffrey and Christine Hardin, owners and co-CEOs of the construction firm Straticon. First Horizon Bank provided them with an $8.5 million mortgage. The home is sited on 1.04 acres with 298 feet of frontage on a canal that leads to the Intracoastal Waterway.
The property last sold for $10.9 million in 2008. Serhant agent Gary Pohrer held the listing.
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John R. Hargrove and his wife, Mary Cheryl Hargrove, sold their home at 1642 Sabal Palm Drive in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club for $21.5 million.
The buyer was 1642 Sabal Palm Trust, with attorney Jose L. Lorenzo as trustee. The seven-bedroom, 9,370-square-foot home is sited on a 0.37-acre lot along the golf course. The
Hargroves bought the property in February 2025 for $6 million.
David Roberts of Royal Palm Properties represented the sellers in the deal, while Caron Dockerty of Douglas Elliman worked with the buyer.
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VS Boynton LLC, managed through Birmingham, Michigan-based ValStone Advisors, sold The Opal at Boynton Beach, an assisted living facility at 1935 S. Federal Highway, for $15.1 million. The buyer was Boynton Beach Propco LLC, associated with New York-based Cammeby’s International Group, led by Daniel Kunstlinger and Eli Schron.
The 127-unit, 87,683-square-foot facility was built on the 4.34-acre site in 1989. It includes nursing care service, on-site dining and a pool. The property last traded in 2016 for $6.7 million.
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True Floridian Realty’s FurBaby Group is a sponsor of the EJS Project Golf Classic at Westchester Country Club in Boynton Beach, which will take place on Oct. 17. The EJS Project is a nonprofit organization that provides a safe space for Palm Beach County teens, and all proceeds from the tournament will benefit its teen leadership and development initiatives. To register, become a sponsor or learn more about the event, visit ejsproject.org/golf-classic-2026/.
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Florida Atlantic University’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters presents “Created Equal: America’s 250-Year Constitutional Journey,” with Yale law professor Akhil Reed Amar, at 2 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Boca Raton campus. Amar’s talk will be based on insights from his book, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920. To purchase tickets, which are $20, visit fauevents.com.
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The Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce is offering its Leadership Program, which is designed to educate, connect and empower small business leaders. This seven-month experience — one day a month, starting Sept. 23 and ending March 25 — includes behind-the-scenes tours, hands-on projects and direct access to the people and places shaping the region.
Applications are open and spots are limited to 40 people. The price is $350 for members and $400 for nonmembers. To register or for more info, email lantanainfo@lantanachamber.com or visit lantanachamber.com.
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The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will host a free Election Expo from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Palm Beach State College Gymnasium, 4200 S. Congress Ave., Lake Worth Beach. This nonpartisan event is designed to help voters be informed before they cast their ballots this year. The league also plans to host events where voters can meet and hear from candidates running in races for school board and judicial, municipal, state and national offices. For more details, visit LWVPBC.org.
Recently, the league announced it has a new leadership team. Janet Elinoff, now president, is a wealth management adviser and chair of the league’s speakers bureau. The second vice president is Debbie Oistacher, a retired educator and league member since 2022. Mary Sue Donohue is secretary. She is a retired attorney and a league member since 1979. The treasurer is Melissa Gannon, manager of financial planning and partner at Castle Wealth Management.
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AffordableHousing.com and the Delray Beach Housing Authority gave away 650 children’s backpacks with school supplies at their annual Backpack Giveaway in July. “Safe, affordable housing is just one piece of the puzzle for the communities we serve,” said Richard Cupelli, founder and CEO of AffordableHousing.com. “Education plays an equally vital role in creating pathways to opportunity and lasting equity. When we invest in children, we empower families, and in turn, build stronger, more resilient communities.”
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The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous selected 14 middle and high school teachers and Holocaust center personnel from five states to participate in its 2026 European Study Program in Poland. Among them was Julie Gates of Loggers’ Run Middle School, Boca Raton. The program, which includes visits to concentration camps, ghetto sites and Holocaust memorials, is designed to help educators learn about the Holocaust experientially so they can present it in an insightful way to their students and colleagues.
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The Research Park at Florida Atlantic University recently reported $610 million in annual economic impact across Palm Beach and Broward counties for 2025. Companies in the park generated $445 million in direct expenditures, which produced an additional $165 million indirectly. The Research Park is home to more than 49 companies in industries that include aviation, AI, healthcare, medical and life sciences, software and cybersecurity.
Ventures in the park supported 1,505 jobs and produced $174 million in labor earnings, with an average annual salary of $115,768.
“In addition to supporting research and collaboration, the Research Park at Florida Atlantic is a workforce engine that creates high-paying jobs, brings groundbreaking technologies to our community, and prepares the next generation of innovators,” said Andrew S. Duffell, president of the park.
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The Golf Club at The Boca Raton will reopen in late fall following a comprehensive $25 million reimagination of its 18-hole course led by architect Brian Silva. The project also will deliver a new practice facility, 53 rebuilt bunkers, a fully modern irrigation system, and two new places to eat: Greg’s on the Green and Greg’s Grab & Go.
Silva’s design asks more of a golfer, he says, with “greater challenges on some shots than the previous course had. Angles are very important in golf course design. It really opened up the possibility of making a course for all caliber of players and making a course for the contemporary game.”
Play is available to members of the club, their guests and resort guests.
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Basis Industrial, an owner and operator of industrial and self-storage assets headquartered in Delray Beach, recently expanded its executive leadership team. Anthony Scavo is now CEO and managing partner and Nisha Patel is its chief operating officer. Daniel Weinstein now serves as founder, chairman of the advisory board and investment committee member; Jay Massirman and Stephen Garchik serve as co-chairmen of the advisory board and investment committee members; and Aubrey Strul serves as a member of the advisory board.
Send business news to Christine Davis at davis9797 @gmail.com.
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