’96 vote likely killed 25-story tower
Council votes 3-2 against zoning change needed for Related Cos. to build on the waterfront lot.
WEST PALM BEACH — After more than a year of public outreach, political wrangling and contentious debate, it came down to a 3-2 vote by the City Commission, killing a proposal by West Palm’s most prominent development team for a 25-story signature office tower on a waterfront lot zoned for five stories.
City Commissioners Cory Neering, Shanon Materio and Sylvia Moffett voted against the Related Cos. project late Monday, in a packed City Hall auditorium as divided as the commission itself.
Proponents included the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, Business Development Board, Downtown Development Authority, former Mayor Joel Daves, former state Rep. Mary Brandenburg and other supporters of the project by the company that built CityPlace, the CityPlace Tower offices and the convention center Hilton. They heaped praise on the One Flagler proposal for the high-quality office space and jobs it would bring, world-class architecture and preservation of a 1920s church designed by an African-American architect, the latter a source of pride and inspiration for residents whose support Related hoped to win.
But opponents lambasted the project as an example of spot zoning that would block views, add traffic and trounce a 1996 voter referendum meant to limit the downtown waterfront to lowrise buildings.
The nail-biter of a decision, after more than six hours of public outpouring and commission debate, ended when the three commissioners made clear they liked the project but felt it violated a compact with voters and that it didn’t belong on the waterfront.
West Palm mayor disappointed with result
Technically, the vote was on whether to approve an Okeechobee Business District, a zone designed to encourage creation of high-end office space along Okeechobee Boulevard but admittedly spurred by Related’s Keep up with The Post’s complete coverage of West Palm Beach on its Facebook page dedicated to the town. On Facebook, search for West Palm Beach News.
desire to build on the site next to the First Church of Christ Scientist, near the corner of Okeechobee Boulevard and the Flagler Drive waterfront.
The city has virtually no vacant top-tier office space to attract the many companies that show
Harbor Marina is one of a handful of restaurants in the underdeveloped downtown that, by itself, has become a destination spot but needed a renovation.
The others:
■ Across Federal Highway also on Ocean Avenue, Hurricane Alley recently underwent a renovation that included a new bar double the size of the old one, owner Kim Kelly said.
■ And an update is in store for Prime Catch, at Federal Highway and Woolbright Road, also owned by the Therien family.
anana Boat, which opened in November 1978, closed Sept. 5 and is expected
Bto reopen Oct. 5.
The improvements include new bathrooms, a dock with space for eight boats instead of three, a new patio bar, hurricane-proof windows that can open on those cool win- ter nights and a new color scheme of white and a Caribbean blue instead of the old beige.
Hurricane Alley closed in June for renovations. The restaurant, which opened more than two decades ago, had three sections, but the middle wall has been torn down to make an open room. The bar used to be about 12 feet and is now 25, which means more seating.
“It’s just more of an open and airy feeling,” Kelly said. Kelly said the renovation was prompted by staff need- ing more space and to keep up with the growing area. Across the street, a residential and retail complex called 500 Ocean is under construction.
The restaurant also will be getting a new awning, because of damage from Hurricane Irma.
The Therien family opened Prime Catch in Riverwalk Plaza in June 2004. It’s also on the Intracoastal. A renovation will start when construction begins on the WinnDixie in the plaza, which will become a 10-story residential building with 326 apartments.
“After 14, 15 years there’s a lot of wear and tear,” Therien said. “Prime Catch has been upscale and we will continue on that theme.”