Delray’s pineapple mural destined to be carved up
Building’s owner plans to put windows in wall sporting the artwork.
DELRAY BEACH — The colorful “Dancing Pineapples” mural has for nearly a decade been the backdrop to countless photos that capture downtown, particularly the hip Pineapple Grove Arts District.
But the mural was painted on the wall of a privately owned building soon to see renovations that threaten the beloved public artwork.
“It’s a shame,” said Dan Bellante, who chairs the city’s Public Art Advisory Board. “Because you can’t start out making something iconic. It just becomes iconic.”
The century-old building at the northwest corner of Atlantic Avenue and Northeast Second Avenue — which houses clothing boutique Love Shack, Tommy Bahama and marketing consultants Woo Creative — has water damage and needs window replacements, said Ryan Boylston, founder and CEO of Woo Creative and chairman of the Downtown Development Authority.
“If the building wasn’t going through all of these changes that are necessary, the mural wouldn’t Chairman, Delray Beach Public Art Advisory Board
be affected,” Boylston said.
The building’s owner, Babak Edrahimzadeh, plans to add windows to the muraled wall to benefit the businesses, Boylston said. Edrahimzadeh did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Edrahimzadeh is willing to allow another mural to be painted on the walls after the renovation, Boylston said.
But the idea of losing an “iconic landmark” isn’t sitting well with some residents, said Anita Lovitt, the Delray Beach artist who painted the mural in 2008.
“I’ve gotten hundreds of dismayed (comments) from people,” Lovitt said. “I feel sad for the town more than I feel sad for myself.”
The mural was painted as an inviting gateway to the Pineapple Grove Arts District, the four blocks north of Atlantic Avenue centered around Northeast Second Avenue.
It preceded a complete revitalization of the arts district, which once was made up of largely empty lots and avoided by downtown patrons. It’s now a bustling neighborhood with a mix of residences, restaurants, shops and more.
The pineapples symbolize hospitality, and the various shades highlight the city’s diversity, Lovitt said.
It was Lovitt’s first mural. “It’s very gratifying for me that it’s become so beloved,” she said.
The mural was painted with a 10-year agreement with the owner, which expires in less than a year.
“He understands this is a very popular mural,” Boylston said of the owner. “And he is willing to allow another mural to be painted in its place.”
The “Dancing Pineapples” mural is one of the most photographed public art pieces in the city, said Bellante, Lovitt and Cecilia Boone, who sits on the city’s Pineapple Grove Main Street board.
“Everybody gets their picture taken there,” Boone said. “They love it.”
There’s no way to know if the