Luxury $700,000 waterfront units proposed for Jupiter
Residential venture in Inlet Village is part of development wave.
More waterfront development — this time 33 townhouses within walking distance to DuBois Park — has been proposed in Jupiter.
“The townhouses are close to restaurants, the beach and recreational amenities. The buildings have front porches. We’re building a nice, quaint, walkable community,” said Troy Holloway, a planner for the project to be called Inlet Waters.
The 2,000-square-foot units are expected to start at less than $700,000. The developer is Larry Wright, who built the Ocean Breeze townhouse development on U.S. 1 in Juno Beach.
The plan for Inlet Waters calls for seven two-story buildings along with a private marina with five docks. Two buildings would be on the Jupiter River and two fronting A1A. A pool and the other three buildings would be in the center of the property. Entry/ exit would be from A1A and the property would be rezoned from commercial to residential use.
Inlet Waters would be on 4 acres of vacant land on the west side of A1A in the town’s Inlet Village. Known as the Rathke property after the family that has owned it for years, it is just north of the Jupiter River Estates mobile home park.
Taking down shutters on his mobile home on a recent afternoon, five-year Jupiter River Estates resident Mike Sedgwick said he welcomes the development.
“I don’t want retail. We don’t need another restaurant. Or another bar. This is a nice, upscale development. And 33 units won’t bring much more traffic,” he said.
Residential development will boost business in the Inlet Village, said Chad Van Boven, owner of Guanabanas restaurant just to the north of the proposed development.
The Inlet Village is a three-quarter-mile stretch of A1A from Beach Road north to U.S. 1 dotted with restaurants, offices, kayak rentals and a public dock. Three years ago the town spent about $8 million sprucing up the roadway with new lighting, on-street parking, speed bumps and landscaping. New developments are coming to Love Street and the former Suni Sands Mobile Home Park.
“(Inlet Waters) will bring more permanent residents and seasonal visitors. That means more customers for everybody,” Van Boven said.
But the manager of Jupiter Scooters, an outdoor boat storage business on the north side of the property, says Inlet Waters will bring unwelcome traffic and regulations.
“We were here first. This area is already too crowded,” Mike Tomalo said.
The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a 5-1 vote on Oct. 10. No one from the public spoke at the meeting on Inlet Waters.
Planning commissioner Brett Leone praised the project for bringing full-time residents to the Inlet Village.
“(The project brings) heads and beds and feet to the street. It gives the area a 24-hour vibe,” Leone said.
The town council is scheduled to hear the rezoning proposal on Nov. 21. A final vote on Inlet Waters is Dec. 19. The town council is not bound by the planning commission’s recommendation for approval.
Other recent proposals and approvals for waterfront development in Jupiter:
■ Love Street: Developer Charles Modica has approval to build a $30 million outdoor marketplace on the Jupiter Inlet.
■ Suni Sands: Also on the Jupiter Inlet and owned by Modica, a hotel is being considered. Plans have not been submitted.
■ Rustic Inn: The former restaurant on the Jupiter Inlet is slated to be remodeled and turned into an upscale rental venue for weddings and other functions. The Great River, N.Y.-based Lessing Hospitality Group plans to operate the business.
■ Fisherman’s Wharf: Developers submitted plans for three six-story residential buildings on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway just north of the Indiantown Road bridge. The town planning staff recommended denial. Developers are drawing up a new plan.
■ 1000 North: A restaurant on the Loxahatchee River partly owned by former NBA star Michael Jordan is under construction. There is a public dock, outdoor seating and a private club on the second floor. The opening is planned for this winter.