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Debate over high-rise buildings in West Palm Beach intensifies

Posted at 7:35 PM, Jul 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-21 04:54:27-04

The debate over One Flagler, the 25-story tall office building proposed for West Palm Beach, is heating up.

City Commissioner Paula Ryan said her office is getting overwhelmed with responses from both sides. She said so far she has received over 2,000.

Both sides are pushing ads, surveys and flyers.

"I got a flyer yesterday,” said Aaron Wormus, better known as “A Guy on Clematis” on social media.

The flyer was sent by the Coalition for Reasonable Development and asked: “Do you want West Palm Beach to look like Miami?”

Wormus wanted to learn more about the group.

“I typed the link from the flyer into my browser but it lead to nothing,” Wormus said.

NewsChannel 5 found a phone number based off the address provided on the flyer. Nobody with the coalition answered our calls.

Abe Bernstein, President with the Trump Plaza Condominium Association said neighbors are concerned what One Flagler might do to traffic in the area.

“That translates into the quality of life,” Bernstein said. “We live here because we love living here. Don’t give us Miami traffic jams."

Supporters argue it’s going to help preserve the First Church of Christ Scientist.

“The biggest reason I particularly am in favor for it is because we really get something from the developer besides jobs and taxes,” former City Commissioner David Smith said. “We get to add to preservation and this city could use a lot more.”

Wormus, who works in technology, couldn’t let the link to nowhere sit empty.

“So I registered it,” Wormus said.

Now, when you type in www.preservewpb.com it leads you to the comment section of Engage West Palm on Facebook.

Wormus said it only made sense to him.

“Instead of getting one side or the other side, it’s really a public forum where people can discuss the issue,” Wormus said.

The commission meets to discuss the issue again on Monday.