PLAN FOR RESTAURANT BOGS DOWN IN BOYNTON
BOYNTON BEACH — A restaurant won’t be opening at the historic Oscar Magnuson home anytime soon.
Boynton Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency sold the home to Shovel Ready Projects about two years ago and the company still has not received its building permit, according to an email from CRA Director Mike Simon.
City officials have gone back and forth with the developer on the property, at 211 E. Ocean Ave., and have previously threatened to call off the deal.
Simon told the CRA board, which also is the City Commission, last week in an email that the company failed to meet the May 14 extended deadline to complete the permit process, pay permit fees and get a building permit.
The CRA board may decide how to proceed at the next public meeting, June 12. The board could give owner Steve Labov an extension or they could take the property back and refund Shovel Ready Projects the $255,000 it paid for the site, which is what Commissioner Joe Casello wants to do.
“They’ve had plenty of opportunities,” Casello said Tuesday. “I think they’re a bad fit for that property. I think they had no real intention to develop that property.”
The May 14 deadline came out of the March CRA board meeting. At that meeting, owner Labov said he expects everyone to be pleased once the restaurant is open and announced he teamed up with Timothy Gaglio, the owner of the Osteria Salina restaurant in Delray Beach. Labov declined to comment when reached Tuesday by The Palm Beach Post.
The Oscar Magnuson home is one of two historic sites the CRA sold to be developed as restaurants. The process hasn’t been quick for the other property either. The restaurant at 480 E. Ocean Ave., the historic Ruth Jones Cottage, already has its certificate of occupancy but the owner is still working on the menu and finalizing grants with the CRA.
Richard Lucibella, the former vice mayor of Ocean Ridge, and Barbara Ceuleers bought the property, which previously operated as The Little House tavern and cafe. Lisa Mercado, who owns The Living Room restaurant in Boynton, is expected to run the cottage restaurant.
The CRA board chose the current owners for the properties after master pizza chef Sal Campanile, the board’s first pick, backed out from both sites.