BOCA RATON, Fla. — Boca Raton voters turned out in large numbers Tuesday and overwhelmingly rejected the One Boca project — a decision that is now raising questions about what it could mean for the city's future development and growth.
Three newly elected city council members have ties to Save Boca, a group that has been vocally opposed to the project — due to the public-private partnership and size of the project.
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"This is a special town, people really care about this community," said city newly elected city council member Michelle Grau. “This whole town came together over this one issue.”
WPTV Reporter Zitlali Solache has been closely following the project. Grau said she wants to take a careful look at what comes next.
"I want smart development. I want our city to move forward. More importantly I think we need to address traffic," said Grau.
But Dr. Brian Strow, economics professor and dean of the Palm Beach Atlantic University Rinker School of Business said the vote sends a cautionary signal to the business community.
"Well this does send an important if not negative signal to potential developers regarding the development path and the future for Boca Raton and what they're open to," Dr. Strow said.
Developers behind One Boca had estimated $4 billion in long-term economic revenue from the project, 5,700 jobs and $253 million in annual economic impact.
"Generally speaking from an economic development perspective it would have been boom for the local economy and the initial investment in jobs, construction jobs," Strow said.
Strow believes developers could now look to other cities instead, like West Palm Beach.
"If one local community closes the doors or is less receptive to economic development, other than municipalities will open those doors," said Dr. Strow.
He also believes Florida's Live Local Act — which allows developers to build workforce housing with fewer local restrictions, may have drawn additional voters to the polls.
"People generally like the idea, a better access, more affordable housing, and then when push comes to shove they're often against it being near them," said Strow.
The city of Boca Raton currently has dozens of developments under review, including seven mixed-use projects such as University Village and the Mizner Plaza Hotel.
Grau said any private development will still benefit the city financially. "Any developer can develop on private land and those revenues will, the taxes that they pay will come into the city and boost our economy," said Grau.
Grau also said she plans to hold a roundtable with experts to discuss the future of the downtown government campus.
When WPTV’s Zitlali Solache asked Strow whether rejecting the project was a smart move from an economic standpoint, he said he did not want to second-guess residents, but was direct about the bottom line.
"I wouldn't want to second guess people's preferences. They're the ones who live here, they're the ones who will work here," said Strow. "Purely from an economic perspective it is a loss not to move forward with this project.”
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