Deerfield road and buildings to get upgrade

Deerfield Beach City Hall, the city’s senior services facility, a community recreational center and 306,000 square feet of road will be resurfaced, renovated or completely rebuilt, according to a plan that won unanimous approval from the City Commission Tuesday night.

Outside of the pier renovation and Sullivan Park, it’s the first set of major capital improvements Deerfield has undertaken since it underwent a growth spurt that increased the number of citizens from 25,000 in 1999 to 77,000 in 2003.

City Hall hasn’t been renovated since 1991 and $3.5 million in improvements this time around will improve the roof, the lobby and the commission chambers.

It will also make the building strong enough to withstand storms and blend in the architectural theme planned for its downtown “Pioneer Grove.”

“This will be something we can all be proud of,” said Vice Mayor Joe Miller, who noted that the city’s improved finances makes it eligible for lower-costing loans. “This is cheap money. We should take advantage of cheap money while it’s still cheap.”

The cost of these projects, plus nearly $5 million in refinancing for existing debt, will be rolled into a 30-year loan to the city that won’t be more than $39 million. The costs are estimates and subject to bidding and could come in lower, Mayor Bill Ganz said.

The city’s Northeast Focal Point is set for a $9.5 million improvement that will mean an entirely new building. It currently serves hundreds of the city’s retirees in five buildings with day care, fitness opportunities, Alzheimer’s care and evening classes and plans to change its name to “Center for Active Aging.”

The Johnny Tigner Recreational Center will also be upgraded at a maximum cost of $7.2 million. The home of youth and adult programs will also have a meeting room for government functions without basketball backboards.

The City Commission also gave its initial approval to a tax rate that will remain at the same level as last year, but raising about $2.7 million due to the increase in the city’s taxable value. It means the owner of a home assessed at $250,000, with the standard $50,000 exemption, will pay about $1,300 in taxes. Homeowners will be paying more than last year if the value of their home went up.