Massive apartment will transform downtown Boca

Mizner Boulevard also gets dolled up

Mizner 200 will be one of the largest construction projects in Boca Raton’s downtown, offering three nine-story apartment buildings across 9 acres.

There will be 384 new apartments, and garages with 672 parking spaces. You’ll also see an overhauled stretch of Southeast Mizner Boulevard — lined with new canopy trees, park space and benches along an 8-foot-wide, paver-adorned sidewalk.

It’s too early to say when construction will begin. But Mizner 200, at 200 SE Miz-

ner Blvd., will give the area a much-needed face-lift, some residents say. It’s the latest high-rise project coming to downtown Boca, among the fastest rising in Palm Beach County.

“It’s an amazing project and one that I think Boca can stand behind in a very proud fashion,” said Marisela Catilla, a resident of Royal Palm Place just across the street.

The city, which this week approved the project, said it’s the product of cooperation between Mizner 200’s developer, Coral Springs-based El-ad National Properties, and many neighbors.

The city postponed approving the project last month, saying it was too large and needed to be scaled down. Neighbors and nearby property owners also complained the development was too big.

“If you want to build your dream house as big as you want, you go out to the country,” Michael Liss, a downtown business owner, told the City Council last month. “But the neighbors and the neighborhood have to benefit from the project.”

To allay concerns, the developer also:

Added a public plaza at the complex’s entrance on Mizner Boulevard.

Included benches and canopy trees along the sidewalks.

Pushed back the buildings from the street by 5 feet.

Reduced the height of some sections of the ninestory buildings.

In an animation from the developer, people are seen hanging out along Mizner Boulevard, on shaded sidewalks decorated with plants and benches.

A new crosswalk will connect Mizner 200 to a proposed project just across the street in Royal Palm Plaza. That’s where developer Investments Limited plans to build a 12-story tower with 220 apartments.

At city meetings, representatives from Investments Limited had been among Mizner 200’s most vocal critics.

El-ad National Properties said it worked with Investments Limited to improve designs for Mizner 200.

Currently, Mizner 200’s land is where the 248 townhomes of Mizner On the Green sit. It’s unclear when those will come down.

Jorge Garcia, co-owner of GS4 Studios, the firm that designed Mizner 200, said he was planning to regroup with El-ad to begin preparing additional designs.

Other high-rises have been completed recently in the area. And with Royal Palm Place’s redesign coming up, Garcia said Mizner 200 will help make the redeveloping district more pedestrian-friendly.

Boca council member Andrea O’Rourke said, “I think this collaborative effort is what will bring the best project, and I think we are getting that.”