Delray arts hub revamp planned

Old School Square plans up for review

DELRAY BEACH — The historic Old School Square campus that anchors Delray Beach’s cultural arts has survived for generations, but in the past 30 years it has become a vital economic engine for the city.

Now, a vision for its future is nearly complete. Local architects, residents and city leaders have drafted a plan for the redevelopment of Old School Square. It’s been approved by the City Commission, but is still up for more review.

In broad terms, the plan calls for more shade, seating and lighting on the campus surrounding Old School Square, which includes an arts museum, theater, a creative arts school and ballroom situated on little more than 6 acres of land in the heart of the city.

It also calls for the relocation of the city’s famous 100-foot Christmas tree to the square’s east lawn, a move planned to take effect amid this year’s holiday season.

Among the community’s wishes is Old School Square having a central plaza and redesigned areas for the green market and Christmas tree, as well as a fountain or interactive water feature for children, according to a City Commission presentation from Currie Sowards Aguila, the architectural firm that developed the plan.

The plans also outline an upgrade

for the amphitheater that would include a shade structure and terraced seating for 2,500 to 3,000 people — a move that could help bring in additional revenue through ticketed events, according to the presentation.

The city’s Historic Preservation Board will be the last local board to review the plans, though they are also under review by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, said Bob Currie, an architect who helped to develop the master plan.

The first steps will include developing an appealing green space, improved lighting, additional shade, seating and bollards — short, vertical posts that prevent vehicles from entering park areas, said Rob Steele, president and CEO of Old School Square.

Steele’s hope is that the project can be completed in three to four years, using a mix of public and private funding.

Old School Square, at 51 N. Swinton Ave., began as the town’s education center with an elementary school built in 1913, but has become an anchor for the city’s cultural arts.

Without Old School Square, Delray Beach might still be called “Dull-ray,” according to Currie, who has lived in Delray Beach for nearly 50 years.

The county school board abandoned the campus in the mid-1980s, wrapping it in chain-link fence, according to the presentation. Downtown Delray wasn’t faring much better, Currie said.

“They used to say you could shoot a cannon on the street on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and not hit anyone,” because the streets were so empty, he said.

But that changed when Delray Beach began investing in central downtown with the beautification of the first phase of East Atlantic in 1988, and continued with renovation and construction projects including Old School Square.

More than two decades later, Old School Square has played an indelible role in the renaissance of downtown Delray Beach.

“Economically, that’s the whole reason these restaurants popped,” Currie said. “It’s why the city came back. It’s because of Old School Square. That’s what started it all and it continues to be an important economic generator in this town.”

Still, maintenance and development of Old School Square have remained largely neglected since 2002, according to the presentation from Currie Sowards Aguila.

Over the past couple of years, the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency funded exterior repairs, new roofing and fresh paint for the entire campus, but there remain lingering problems with termites and an air-conditioning system in need of repair or replacement, said Rob Steele, president and CEO of Old School Square.

Delray Beach resident Rita Rana said Old School Square is in need of sprucing up, though she worries it could be too much.

“When I went to every single [public meeting] something everybody asked for was shade, quiet spaces and seating. What we are getting is a little bit more of a circus,” she said, referring to the latest pans outlined in a presentation to the city commission.

“When I went to every single [public meeting] something everybody asked for was shade, quiet spaces and seating. What we are getting is a little bit more of a circus.” Rita Rana, Delray Beach resident