A few vendors were still serving lunch and drinks as of Jan. 20. BELOW RIGHT: The Delray Beach Market opened in April 2021. BELOW LEFT: A window sign promises improvements. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star
Remodeling to make room for two nightspots as select vendors return
By Christine Davis
The Delray Beach Market closed Jan. 30 and is looking to reopen this summer, with the space to undergo a redesign for the Bounce Sporting Club nightspot and Lefkes Estiatorio, a Greek restaurant and nightclub.
“Delray Beach has always been such a celebrated home for destination dining and entertainment,” said Craig Menin, CEO of Menin Development, the company that developed and operates the 150,000-square-foot food hall at 33 SE Third Ave. “We are so thankful for our vendors and community as they brought Delray Beach Market to life.
“However, as we’ve had to look at where we started from and where we are today, we’re making decisions that aren’t easy in one respect. But in the other, we hope to create a unique and exciting experience for our guests, while continuing the opportunity we’ve been given for community growth and gathering.”
The re-imagination of the space is connected to several challenges faced since the onset of the pandemic, said Jordana Jarjura, Menin Development’s president and general counsel.
“Though we’ve accomplished so much despite the pandemic, it was the F&B industry — most significantly small businesses and fast-casual restaurants — that could not sustain the increased food and labor costs, following the brutal global shutdown,” she said. “We have had to pivot from our original goal of being a mom-and-pop food incubator to finding a delicate balance between small businesses and seasoned restaurateurs.”
The market opened in April 2021 with 29 vendors. The current vendors were informed in writing about the closing this past December, although conversations with vendors Menin wanted to stay began in early summer and are ongoing.
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Choice Mortgage Group celebrated the opening of its new corporate headquarters at 2424 N. Federal Highway, Suite 100, Boca Raton. The ribbon-cutting event was attended by members of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce; Broward, the Palm Beaches and St. Lucie Realtors association; Florida Atlantic University cheer and dance team and mascot Owsley, plus staff and guests.
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With the recent $6 million purchase of the 2.47-acre Truist Bank property at 315 S. Federal Highway, Jim O’Neill owns almost an entire block of Boynton Beach. His land fronts on South Federal Highway and backs Southeast Fourth Street between Southeast Second Avenue and Southeast Fifth Avenue.
O’Neill, the previous owner of Acura/Hyundai dealerships on Federal Highway in Delray Beach, was represented in the sale by broker Merv McDonald, president and CEO of the Lancore Group. The deal was recorded on Jan. 4.
This was the last deal in a series of four on that block; it was supposed to be the deal that got the ball rolling four years ago.
“We thought we had bought the bank property, but then SunTrust and BBT merged and became Truist, and we got shut down,” McDonald said. “Then COVID hit. You have to have a lot of patience because some projects take years to put together.”
In January 2022, O’Neill acquired the .38-acre parcel at 515 S. Federal Highway for $5.9 million. The previous owner was Boynton Beach Group LLC and Boynton Beach Group 2 LLC, entities connected to Moshe Abramson.
Then in February 2022, O’Neill bought 412 and 420 SE Fourth St. The cost for 412 SE Fourth St. was $820,000. The .49-acre parcel was previously owned by Ocean Hudson LLC, managed by Michael DuBose.
The purchase price of the .66-acre parcel at 420 SE Fourth St. was $1.78 million. The previous owner was Exsorro One Inc., with DuBose signing as president.
That adds up to a recorded $14.5 million for 4 acres zoned mixed-use-2 (50 units to the acre, with a bonus provision of 25% of the 50 for affordable housing), but the cash value was in excess of $15 million including some commissions, closing costs, taxes and carrying costs.
The only other parcel remaining on the block is Flamingo Plaza at 407 S. Federal, which is owned by Behn and Rita Wilson.
“We are in discussions with Behn and no decisions have been made by either party,” McDonald said.
O’Neill says that after he sold his dealerships and properties on Federal Highway in Delray Beach, he was looking to buy commercial properties. “I tried being retired for about a week and didn’t like it at all. I like being busy. After only a week since I bought the Truist property, we’ve already been approached by a dozen major players,” he said. “I’m weighing all my options and working with the city of Boynton Beach. We want the city’s blessing.”
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An ocean-to-lake turnkey compound in Manalapan called Villa Oceano Azul recently sold to Rama Raju Mantena and Padmaja Mantena for $48.37 million. The property at 1400 S. Ocean Blvd. has a 16,000- square-foot main house and a 1,200-square-foot guest house. Previous owners were Francis and Dolores Mennella.
The seven-bedroom estate was built on speculation by Manalapan Mayor Stewart Satter’s Carnegie Hill Development Corp. The listing was held by Philip Lyle Smith and Carla Ferreira-Smith, broker-owners of Luxury Resort Portfolio of Delray Beach. The Mantenas were represented by agent Mark Griffin of Bear’s Club Sotheby’s International Realty.
The property has gone through a number of price changes. In January 2022 it was listed for $74.99 million and it was reduced in October 2022 to $62.988 million. The Mennellas paid $25.2 million for the estate in 2016.
Then in 2018, they bought a 2-acre lot at 1940 S. Ocean Blvd., from a company controlled by Billy Joel, and built a new home.
“We were honored to represent the Mennellas on the purchase and sale of 1400 S. Ocean Blvd. and the purchase of the land at 1940 S. Ocean Blvd.,” Philip Lyle Smith said. “What made 1400 S. Ocean unique is that it has two pools and it’s on almost 2 acres with 200 feet on the ocean and Intracoastal. Most of the other parcels are 1.5 acres with 150 feet fronting the ocean and Intracoastal” along that strip.
“There are only a handful of properties in South Florida that have ocean and Intracoastal frontage, and Manalapan is one of them. Also it was a Marc-Michaels interior designed property.”
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Edmund Schlacher, owner/publisher of City Publications South Florida, received the January Recognition Award from the Boynton Beach Professionals leads group in acknow-ledgement of his work for the group and community.
“I am very grateful for this reward, which is an excellent morale-booster that will encourage me to continue doing my best work,” Schlacher said.
“I am also very appreciative of those who recommended me and for the effort put into this monthly award process.”
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Eloise Kubli won an American Society of Interior Designers award for turning a Boca Raton warehouse into a residence for a classic-vehicles collector. Photo provided by Horton Photo
Eloise Kubli, interior designer and president of the Plantation-based Collective Construction & Design Inc., won the ASID Florida South Chapter’s “Inclusion by Design” 2022 Design Excellence Award in the wild card category for her Man Cave project. She took on the project, located east of Federal Highway in Boca Raton, with her husband, general contractor Art Kubli.
They were tasked with transforming a vacant warehouse without utilities into a dream retreat for a classic car and motorcycle collector. Besides room to house and display the collection, the warehouse has a lounge, bar and full apartment.
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The welcoming of 2023 marks one year of operation for the marketing company Fifth & Cor, founded by Robin Dimond. Over that time, the company, which aims to make marketing an immersive experience, has developed strategies for 46 businesses, nurtured 28 strategic partnerships and published 16 case studies.
“This is not a one-person job and our success comes from our team working together to create results for our clients,” Dimond said.
Within South Florida, Fifth & Cor is a service provider for Nova Southeastern University’s Alan B. Levan Broward Center of Innovation. It also engages in philanthropic endeavors that include veteran-focused organizations.
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At the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County’s Hot Topics luncheon, Joe Ann Fletcher, executive director of Dress For Success Palm Beaches, will make a presentation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 15. Her topic will be “Dress for Success: The Road to Resilience.”
Attendees are encouraged to donate to Fletcher’s organization by bringing new mascara, purses (especially black or brown), shoes (pumps or flats, especially size 10 or larger), costume jewelry, toiletries, and/or shopping bags from Marshalls or TJ Maxx.
Registrations, lunch choice and payments must be made in advance online at lwvpbc.org/event/hot-topic-dress-for-success-the-road-to-resilience/
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The Executive Women of the Palm Beaches Foundation will hold its 39th annual Women in Leadership Award on April 19 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Women will be honored for their accomplishments and an “Emerging Leader” will be recognized.
Guest speaker will be Sylvie Légère, an internationally recognized social entrepreneur, philanthropist and investor committed to civic engagement. The honorary chair is Marti LaTour, and chair is Vicki Pugh. Nominations for the WILA awards are open through 5 p.m. March 3.
Visit www.ewpb.org/nominations to download a nomination form. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Pugh at Vpugh@advancementexperts.com or Tara Laxer at info@ewpb.org.
Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.
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