Bright hues on the way — North Federal Highway is getting more colorful: The first mural to go up along that thoroughfare received approval from the City Commission.
Four sides of the old gas station at 302 NE Sixth Avenue will be enlivened with the Cubist-inspired art of Craig McInnis of West Palm Beach as the station is transformed into the Subculture Coffee shop.
But it didn’t happen before some controversy.
The Downtown Development Authority had nixed the design, while the Public Art Advisory Board had approved it.
Restaurateur Rodney Mayo, who’s opening the coffee shop, said he’s unapologetic about eschewing pineapples and flamingos for this mural.
“I personally hate it when people say they don’t like a piece of art,” Mayo said. “It’s not for you to like — it’s a piece of art.”
Mayor Shelly Petrolia was concerned mainly about how it appeared the painting started before the approvals came in.
The proposal passed 3-2, with Petrolia and Vice Mayor Ryan Boylston voting “no.”
Gauff, city win — The U.S. Open victory of Delray Beach’s homegrown tennis prodigy Coco Gauff means that the city is scoring a $60,000 refurbishment of the Pompey Park tennis courts.
Gauff, 19, who was born in Atlanta but grew up mainly in Delray Beach, picked the park to benefit from a grant that the U.S. Tennis Association distributes to the winner’s choice.
Pompey Park, 1101 NW Second St., is also where the famed Williams sisters trained.
The grant will pay for court resurfacing, new chain link fencing, new awnings and a general sprucing up.
Planning and Zoning Board chairwoman dies — Julen Blankenship’s service to the city was saluted from the dais at the commission’s Jan. 16 meeting. She had served on the
Planning and Zoning Board for five years and been reappointed in November.
“It’s a tremendous loss to our city and our community,” Commissioner Rob Long said, recalling how she always came “super-prepared.”
Commissioner Adam Frankel said that Blankenship, who was in her 50s, had received a cancer diagnosis in December.
“Delray is definitely a better place because of Julen,” he said.
— Anne Geggis
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