Visitors to a previous Delray Affair look at a Delray Beach Historical Society exhibit celebrating the Delray Affair’s start as the Gladioli Festival. Photo provided
By Christine Davis
Coinciding with the 63rd Delray Affair, the Delray Beach Historical Society, at 3 NE First St., is giving out gladiolus flowers and has an exhibition centered on gladioli to celebrate the event’s beginnings as the town’s “Gladioli Festival.”
“We’re excited to bring back these nostalgic and beautiful flowers for the community again,” said the historical society’s president, Mike Cruz, as the Delray Affair is underway April 4-6.
Here’s the backstory: Florida’s gladioli business began in 1939, and by 1950, Delray producers were shipping out 2 million gladiolus bundles, paying $500,000 in annual wages.
According to a 1948 Delray News article, the South Florida Gladioli Festival and Fair Association’s original purpose for the festival was to promote agricultural and horticultural resources.
The fair highlighted gladioli on Atlantic Avenue and featured special exhibits, celebrity guests, farm animals, and miniature homes to highlight new developments. A parade featured gladioli-covered floats and crowned a gladiolus queen.
The event ran from 1948 to 1953. As the area shifted into vegetable farming, the fair morphed into a small agriculture expo.
In 1962, it was expanded to include arts and crafts and was scheduled to run later in the year, aiming to extend the tourist season past Easter.
***
Coco Gauff’s grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom wears a pair of New Balance shoes made in tribute to the young tennis star. Photo provided
Delray Beach tennis star Coco Gauff is backing a stylish New Balance tennis shoe. Unveiled recently, the shoe showcases connection, community and the love of the game.
Coco Delray is designed for the everyday player for all levels of competition.
Coco Delray’s campaign video, which features Gauff and her grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom, tells the story of Gauff growing up in Delray Beach, playing on the public courts at Pompey Park, and of the support she received from family and friends.
“I’m incredibly proud to launch the new Coco Delray because it’s more than just a tennis shoe — it represents an opportunity to broaden access to those interested in playing the game and will have a positive cultural impact for generations to come,” Gauff says.
“Delray Beach helped spark my tennis journey, so it’s special to me to tell the story of this community that influenced exactly why I love this sport.”
The Coco Delray is available at newbalance.com/tennis and at select retailers with a suggested retail price of $110.
***
Record home prices in the Delray Beach area are typically found along its coast, not to the west.
The highest recorded sales prices for homes in the city were for two properties on the ocean that each sold for $34 million: the 33,571-square-foot estate at 921 S. Ocean Blvd. in February 2016 and the 23,369-square-foot home at 855 S. Ocean Blvd. in October 2021.
But recently, a home west of Delray Beach topped those oceanfront estates.
The 21,725-square-foot “Casa Maranello,” on a 2.5-acre lakefront lot at 16171 Quiet Vista Circle in the Stone Creek Ranch community, sold for $41.5 million, according to public records dated Feb. 3. The home is west of Florida’s Turnpike.
The actual price appears to be even higher than that listed in public records. The Multiple Listing Service published a closing price as $50.5 million, with Senada Adzem, the Douglas Elliman agent who brokered both sides of the deal, saying that with furnishings, the sales price came to $55 million.
The property features a putting green, basketball court, tennis court, soccer field, and a resort-style, 95-foot pool with a bar. The six-bedroom residence has a 12-car garage, a 20-person Brazilian onyx dining table, a bar, office, theater room, spa with an indoor pool, steam room, sauna, and a gym.
WMCF Realty LLC, an Ohio limited liability company and trustee for the trust that bought the home, is affiliated with the Cafaro family. William A. and Anthony M. Cafaro Jr.’s business has developed more than 30 million square feet of real estate and has built many Kroger grocery stores.
The seller was Stone Creek Ranch Homes, an LLC led by Fort Lauderdale developer Aldo Stark, who owns Prestige Design Homes.
***
Emme Development LLC, a Delaware company, sold the 12,099-square-foot home at 1199 Spanish River Road, Boca Raton, to developer Mitchell Robbins and his wife, Alison, for $16.2 million in February.
In the Estates Section, with 100 feet on the Intracoastal Waterway, the residence was designed in 2006 by architect Thomas Kirchhoff and Mark Timothy Luxury Homes, and then
in 2024, it was renovated by Quinn Miklos Architects and Albanese Home Builders Inc. It previously traded in January 2023 for $9 million.
Both sides of the deal were represented by Premier Estate Properties’ D’Angelo Liguori Team.
***
Aventura-based Turnberry, the real estate development firm behind The Seagate resort in Delray Beach, has appointed Mary Rogers as executive vice president of hospitality operations overseeing projects in Florida and Tennessee.
Before joining Turnberry, Rogers was managing director and area general manager for Montage Laguna Beach, Montage Healdsburg, Pendry West Hollywood and Pendry San Diego. She has also served as vice president and general manager of Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
***
The Boca Raton Chamber’s Spring Business Expo networking and business showcase event is scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 22 at the Wyndham Hotel, 1950 Glades Road, Boca Raton.
“This event is a fantastic opportunity for businesses of all sizes to gain exposure, connect with potential clients and partners, and strengthen their presence in our vibrant business community,” said Kaley Jones, the chamber’s event coordinator. Admission is free for chamber members and $60 for non-members. For more information, visit bocachamber.com or call Jones at 561-395-4433, ext. 226.
***
Delray Beach resident Hilary Sullivan is Baptist Health Foundation’s new council member, representing Bethesda Hospital. Sullivan, an educational consultant and founder of Affirm Educational Planning LLC, has been a supporter of the hospital since 2005.
***
Shirley Erazo, president and CEO of the Delray Beach Housing Authority, has graduated from the 2025 Class of the Executive Director Education Program, a course offered by the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
“This program represents a major professional development opportunity for housing authority executive directors throughout the country,” Erazo said. “It takes a comprehensive look at those critical functions which serve to define the executive director’s position and provides a structured environment in which mid-career professionals can hone their management skills and enhance their knowledge.”
In other news from the Delray Beach Housing Authority: It recently completed the Section 8 Management Assessment Program certification from the Department of Housing and Urban Development with a final score of 103%.
“To earn the rank of High Performer from HUD, our agency demonstrated compliance with HUD regulations and proved efficient use of funding and resources while serving the greatest number of needy residents,” Erazo said.
***
Florida Atlantic University now holds the designation of “R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, sharing this status with less than 5% of the approximately 4,000 universities in the U.S.
To qualify, institutions must meet criteria that include the number of research doctorates awarded and total research expenditures.
In the last fiscal period, FAU spent about $109 million in research and received 408 awards, including a $10 million grant awarded to the university’s College of Education and College of Engineering and Computer Science from the U.S. Department of Education to train people with disabilities for high-tech jobs.
***
The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County was one of three local chapters honored by the League of Women Voters of Florida. The award for “creating an innovative way for candidates and government officials to meet citizens” was announced March 11 at the group’s annual Lobby Days Gala in Tallahassee.
Palm Beach County’s league was recognized for its networking event Election Expo 2024, which took place in Lake Worth Beach in September.
The expo was co-hosted by the local League, Leadership Palm Beach County and Palm Beach State College. Sponsors of last year’s expo included Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, PA, the Palm Beach Post, and Smith Ball Baez & Prather Florida Injury Lawyers.
***
Kolter Hospitality, based in Delray Beach, working with the Boca Raton-based Steckroth Hospitality Group Inc. as the project designer, has redesigned Hyatt Place Delray Beach, 104 NE Second Ave. Upgrades were applied to the 134 rooms and suites, a boardroom was added, and fitness room equipment was upgraded.
***
Nails & Co., 510 E. Ocean Ave., Unit 104, Boynton Beach, just celebrated its grand opening. To make an appointment, visit https://nails-company.co or call 954-397-6850.
***
As part of Old School Square’s “A Legacy Through Local Art” initiative, the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority and the City of Delray Beach are inviting artists to create watercolor illustrations that represent Old School Square and will be used to design a new logo for the Old School Square campus.
Submissions will be accepted through noon on April 9. Finalists will be announced April 16, followed by a public voting period. The winner will be announced May 12, with the new logo unveiled in the summer.
“As some of these buildings turn 100 this year, I can’t think of a better way to create a new look for our historic cultural arts campus than to engage local artists and have the public choose the new logo for our Old School Square,” said Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney.
The winning artist will receive $5,000; a feature at Cornell Art Museum’s Spotlight Gallery; branding exposure; and recognition at the summer 2025 unveiling event.
For submission guidelines, visit www.eventeny.com/events/call-to-artists-old-school-square-logo-18720/.
***
To mark its 40th anniversary in February, Yafa opened the vault at its flagship boutique at 234 Worth Ave. in Palm Beach for Significant Signed Jewels, a special exhibition showcasing iconic workmanship by special designers. On display were Van Cleef & Arpels pieces, Bvlgari, Cartier and Harry Winston masterpieces.
Send business news to Christine Davis, cdavis9797@gmail.com.
Comments