The Sundy House originally was home to Delray Beach’s first mayor.
The house and surrounding properties sold for $21 million.
Photo provided
By Christine Davis
Hudson Holdings has purchased Delray Beach’s historic hotel property, the Sundy House, and surrounding properties for a combined $21 million.
The assemblage is made up of more than 7 acres with approximately 265 feet of frontage on West Atlantic Avenue. Redevelopment plans include hotel, retail and office space anchored by the Sundy House, which will act as an event venue, bar, five-star restaurant and cottages. Other properties purchased in the portfolio include the Cathcart House, built in 1903, and the Rectory, built in 1912.
The founding of the first bank and Baptist church took place in the Sundy home, as well as the incorporation of Delray in 1911, according to historic county archives.
“I have owned many of the homes on these properties and I like the fact that we are going to do lots of new things there and do think it is important for us to keep in mind the history.” says Virgina Atrip Snyder, long-time resident, Delray Beach historian and muse for the well-known show Murder She Wrote.
Hudson Holdings recently purchased the historic Gulfstream Hotel in Lake Worth.
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To be clear, it’s the 7,200-square-foot commercial building on 1.37 acres — not the business — that’s for sale at 1353 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. Priced at $3.7 million, the property is offered through Bryan S. Cohen of Cohen Commercial Realty Inc.
The business, Kraeer Funeral Home, is moving just down the street and combining with Babione Funeral Home, 1100 N. Federal Highway. Both are owned by the same company, Service Corporation International, a provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services.
“We don’t sell our funeral businesses. We sell real estate,” emphasized Melissa Pitalo, the company’s market director of operations. SCI acquired Kraeer Funeral Homes in 2006, and Babione was acquired by an SCI affiliate in 1994. “The families are still very active in day-to-day operations,” Pitalo said. “Mrs. (Helen) Babione resides behind the east Boca funeral home, and Mr. (R. Jay) Kraeer’s nephew, Bob Russell, is still involved, too.
Both the Kraeers and the Babiones opened their first funeral homes in the early 1950s, she said. “The industry is made up of caring and compassionate people and there’s a true legacy of how they bonded with their communities.”
Families who currently hold pre-need funeral policies have been told of the merger, she said. “It just made more sense to combine the two funeral homes, rather than operating them separately across the street from each other.”
Members of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches prepared a patriotic-themed picnic
for families at Quantum House in West Palm Beach.
Photo provided
On July 10, as part of a Florida Realtors initiative to help fight homelessness, members of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches toured The Lord’s Place to discuss how Realtors can assist in breaking the cycle of homelessness. “The facilities at The Lord’s Place are impressive and they provide amazing services to the less fortunate and, as a result, are changing many lives,” said Sherri Meadows, 2014 president of Florida Realtors. “The conversations we had will help the leadership team and I draft the necessary regulations and legislation to create an even bigger impact on our communities than what we are doing right now.”
On June 28, members of the Realtors Association prepared a patriotic-themed picnic for the families at the Quantum House. Among the 14 Realtor- and affiliate-volunteer chefs were Matthew Halperin, the association’s president-elect, and Pamela Banks, chairwoman of its Community Outreach Committee.
The Quantum House is a hospital hospitality house that serves families between Orlando and Fort Lauderdale with children who have a serious illness and are being treated in a medical facility in Palm Beach County.
BELOW (from left): Flowers, Gubana, Martin; (inset below) Van Vechten
Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing recently announced the addition of four new members to its advisory board.
Jesse Flowers II, vice president and commercial lender with 1st United Bank in Boca Raton, has more than 15 years of experience in the banking industry. A resident of Lake Worth, he is actively involved in several community organizations, including as a board member of the Downtown Rotary Club.
Carrol B. Gubana has more than 40 years’ diversified experience in the banking, retail and travel industries. She is a past member representative of both the Boca Raton and Delray Beach chambers of commerce, as well as a member of Wells Fargo’s Reading to Children program.
Joseph Martin is vice president and owner of Allegiance Home Health and Rehab Inc. He was instrumental in developing the Sapphire Parkinson’s Care program, a caregiver certification program. A member of the Boca Raton community for 20 years, Martin is involved in a number of community organizations, and serves as a trustee for the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.
Jay H. Van Vechten is the executive director of the annual Boating & Beach Bash for People with Disabilities. Also, he is immediate past chair of the city of Boca Raton Advisory Board for People with Disabilities.
In addition to The Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce’s Festival Days events listed last month, add these to your calendar:
On Aug. 4, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and Plum Productions Video will host “Boca’s Got Talent” at the Dubliner in Mizner Park. “We’re currently looking for acts to showcase like singers, jugglers, magicians, comedians, or anyone else who has a unique talent,” said Jennifer Jager, president of Plum Productions Video. “It’s a great opportunity for businesspeople in our community to reveal a different side of themselves, have fun and support a truly worthy cause: the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.” Admission for spectators is $20. To participate, call Jennifer Jager at (561) 800-2105, Ext. 3, or email talent@plumproductionsmedia.com
From 6 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 15, the Junior League of Boca Raton will hold “The Taste of Royal Palm Place.” Guests will enjoy food and drinks from an assortment of restaurants in Royal Palm Place, 101 Plaza Real South, Boca Raton, with proceeds going to the Junior League of Boca Raton. Sponsors include Bell Rock Capital, Investments Limited and Royal Palm Place. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at jlbr.org.
At 8 p.m. Aug. 15, DocMiami International Film Festival, in partnership with The Shops at Boca Center and the Palm Beach Outdoor Cinema, will present a special screening of filmmaker Rich Gold’s In The Footsteps of Willie Sutton. The documentary chronicles Sutton’s long criminal career as a bank robber and his three masterful prison escapes. Gold will be available for a question-and-answer session after the film.
The screening will take place at The Shops at Boca Center, 5250 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton. VIP tickets for reserved seating cost $7 and are available at docmiami.org. Additional complimentary self-seating will be available at the event in the Courtyard.
From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22, The Wyndham Boca Raton, 1950 Glades Road, will host “Battle of the Bartenders,” a Chamber celebrity bartending event benefiting the Best Foot Forward Foundation. Celebrity bartenders include Troy McLellan, president and CEO of the Boca Raton Chamber; Randy Nobles, 2014 chair of the Boca Raton Chamber; professional auctioneer Neil Saffer; Leslie Glickman of Yoga Journey and returning champions J.C. Perrin and Ingrid Fulmer. Tickets are $25 until Aug. 21 and $30 at the door. To make reservations, visit www.bestfoot.org or call 470-8300.
The Golden Bell Education Foundation will partner with Image360 for “Boca Meets Broadway — Gold, White & Black,” from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Wick Theater, 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. Proceeds will go to the Golden Bell Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation created by the Boca Chamber’s board of directors to support Boca Raton public schools. Tickets are $75 per person, or $130 per couple.
INSET BELOW: Garcia, Nunez
In June, Currie Sowards Aguila Architects announced the addition of two architects to its firm, Oscar Garcia and Fernando Nunez.
Garcia will lead the firm’s hospitality design studio. A graduate of Ball State’s College of Architecture and Planning, Garcia’s credits include 50 hospitality projects throughout Florida and the Caribbean, including the Atlantic Hotel in Miami Beach, Trump International Hotel in Fort Lauderdale and the Inn on Fifth in Naples.
Nunez joined the firm as a project architect and project manager. A registered architect with 13 years of related experience in the commercial and public-sector markets, Nunez will be an integral member of the firm’s commercial design studio. He holds a master of architecture degree from the University of Florida. Nunez is currently managing the Rocco’s Tacos project and will be a key member of the West Atlantic Avenue mixed-use project.
At its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 14, the Boca Real Estate Investment Club will feature local consumer credit experts and club members Stephen Leifer and Joseph Zappoli, presenting on, “All About Business and Personal Credit.” They will focus on credit repair, credit building, identity theft and how to obtain business funding. The meeting will be held at Gold Coast School of Real Estate, 7035 Beracasa Way, No. 206, Boca Raton. The cost is $20. For information, call 391-7325.
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Through Sept. 30, area residents can make Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa their private playground. “Locals looking for an appetizer-sized taste of the good life can experience a day of access to the resort’s amenities for the price of a $250 spa treatment,” said John Bradway, the resort’s director of marketing. “For those who want more than just a taste, locals can also treat Eau’s world-class and award-winning facilities like their own, for an all-summer price of $5,000.” To purchase treatments in Eau Spa, call 540-4960. For summer access, call 540-4830. For year-round membership at La Coquille Club, call 540-4830.
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At the Spa Care Center’s opening celebration on June 23, guests enjoyed vegan refreshments, received gift bags with samples of chemical-free De La Terre Skincare and learned about the center’s services. Boca Raton’s first oncology spa, the facility is dedicated to uplifting the spirits of cancer patients, through specialized treatments aimed toward making them feel and look their best. Spa Care Center is at 124 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. For information, call 465-5070.
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The Downtown Development Authority, Delray Beach Magazine and 16 downtown Delray Beach restaurants raised $3,331 as a donation toward the city’s beach pavilion project. The fundraising was part of a collaborative effort tied to the sixth annual Savor the Avenue strolling international food event to be held Aug. 7 and 8. The check was presented by David Cook, the owner of Hands Stationers on Atlantic Avenue. Contact Tastemasters of Delray for more information: 243-1077.
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At 11 a.m. Aug. 9 — almost in line with National Lighthouse Day — the Lighthouse Point Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will dedicate a national historic marker for the 108-year-old Hillsboro Inlet Light Station (also known as The Big Blue Diamond).
The public is invited to attend and visit the museum, at Hillsboro Inlet Park, 2700 N. Ocean Blvd., Pompano Beach. Adults, and children with adults, can climb the lighthouse and take a boat tour (if they wear close-toed shoes and join the Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Foundation).
Grace and Giovanni Marquez of Fashion Shoppes Boutique in downtown Boynton Beach.
Photo provided
Of course, guys are enthusiastically welcomed at Fashion Shoppes Boutique, FSB, a 44-year-old men’s store at 515 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach, but they can visit online, if they prefer. With a Web presence for 15 years, and style conscious at its very heart, FSB recently relaunched www.fashionmenswear.com, making its shopping experience even better. FSB customers can now browse the latest in men’s fashions by brand, category and occasion.
On FSB’s landing page, they will find owner Giovanni Marquez’s clothing recommendations, guaranteed to make the wearer “a trendsetter,” creating “lasting impressions.” On its blog, sports and fashion sensibilities are intermingled.
Take this post for example: “How are you celebrating Germany’s (World Cup soccer) win? We suggest that if you are an FSB Man and customer of FashionMenswear, that you dress like the players in Europe and the Americas. …” To do that, FSB’s fashionistas suggest that their shoppers put their best foot forward, and click-through to see FSB’s new arrival of Giovanni Marquez shoes.
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Palm Beach State College’s Public Safety Training Center on the Lake Worth campus has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices; gold is the second highest certification.
The college’s training center, completed in April 2013, earned certification for its successful use of methods to conserve energy, water and resources.
These included super-insulated walls, roofs and windows; energy-efficient lighting; low-flow water fixtures; materials with low VOCs (volatile organic compounds); and use of regional and recycled materials.
A new central energy plant, built concurrently with the Public Safety Training Center — designed by Stephen Boruff, AIA, Architects + Planners Inc. and built by Balfour Beatty Construction — was designed to power the center and three other complexes on the Lake Worth campus.
“We added 140,000 square feet of new construction and our energy consumption went down by over 1.1 million kilowatt-hours,” said John Wasukanis, facilities director.
“It just runs so efficiently that we actually reduced our overall electrical consumption by almost 21 percent, saving the college approximately $132,000 in the first year of operation.”
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In late June, Glades Brewery Partners and Palm Beach Brewery Associates, owners of Brewzzi restaurants with locations at 2222 Glades Road in Boca Raton, and CityPlace in West Palm Beach, filed jointly for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure their debts. Palm Beach Brewery Associates listed debt that includes $1.7 million owed to Florida Community Bank and $650,000 in unsecured debt for unpaid operating costs and services. The company’s assets are estimated at $2.5 million. Glades Brewery listed $3 million in debt, with $2 million owed to Florida Community Bank and $900,000 in unsecured claims. The company’s assets are estimated at $2.13 million. Brewzzi CityPlace closed after a judge ruled in favor of the landlord to evict the restaurant, and is appealing the decision. Brewzzi Boca Raton is operating as normal.
Christine Davis is a freelance writer. Send business news to her at cdavis9797@comcast.net.
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