LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — The lights went out 15 years ago for the Gulfstream Hotel across from Bryant Park in Lake Worth Beach. But a Missouri company is making an effort to bring the hotel back to life.
Restoration St. Louis has received approval from the city's historic preservation board and next month will look to pave the way to break ground.
"On June 7, we're going to vote on an ordinance that will change the zoning, which will allow a mixed-use project like that," Mayor Betty Resch said.
Resch said there's a second reading at the next meeting.
"In the meantime, city, staff will be reviewing that, and they'll be working on the final touches and getting permits issued," she said.
As it stands right now, the restoration of the hotel includes 90 rooms and a restaurant/bar. The project includes an addition.
The added components will include 50 rooms, 85 apartments, a 273-space parking garage, a rooftop restaurant and a pool.
"I think that it's a beautiful idea," Jessica Gersley said.
But Gersley said she's not sold on the project. She said there are other areas that need attention.
"The areas like this park can get cleaned up," she said. "There are a lot of homeless people in the area, and there's a lot of drug dealing in the area."
Resch said the city continues to work with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on Bryant Park.
When it comes to the hotel project, she said, the city has hired a lawyer to iron out a fair deal for the developer and the city.
"To work with the developer to make sure the developer gets what they need to forward," Resch said. "But to protect the city's interest at the same time."
Resch said the developer is looking to begin work in October. She said plans are moving forward on the beachfront project, and she's also looking into building a new City Hall.