The Boca Raton Government Campus Redevelopment Project is facing another hurdle as a Boca Raton resident asks a district judge to stop the project from moving forward.
WATCH BELOW: 'We should really put all the time and take local opinions into consideration,' Joli Thompson tells WPTV
According to the lawsuit filed by resident Lorraine Blank, she argues that the city failed to comply with state laws and did not conduct an independent cost-effectiveness analysis for the project.
The lawsuit also raises concerns that the redevelopment could lead to “the privatization of historically public property” and the “reallocation of civic infrastructure toward commercial uses.” It claims the city has discussed selling some residential units, which could permanently deny other residents access to certain areas.
In the filing, Blank said the “absence of a proper cost-effectiveness analysis is particularly concerning given the project’s scale and the disparity in developed square footage dedicated to private interests,” suggesting the proposal primarily benefits private developers rather than serving a public purpose as required under Florida’s public-private partnership laws.
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It’s the latest pushback against the proposed Boca redevelopment campus — and the second lawsuit filed against the city.
The project by Miami-based Terra Frisbie Group would transform 30 acres of publicly owned land into a mixed-use development. The plan includes a new government campus, community center, and residential units. Despite several revisions from developers and public meetings, the proposal has been met with widespread criticism and petitions from the Save Boca group.
Boca Raton resident Joli Thompson also questions why the city continues to move forward with the project.
“I think if we’re gonna put this much time and money and resources into something this vast and large, we should really put all the time and take local opinions into consideration before doing something like this,” Thompson said. “I’ve lived here my whole life, and I don’t think we need anything crazy or any changes."
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In October, the city filed a motion to have the lawsuit dismissed, but the case continues. In a statement, city officials said the claims are inaccurate and that a cost-effectiveness analysis is being conducted. The city said it engaged PFM Group Consulting to perform the analysis and plans to complete it before entering a final binding contract.
The city said the analysis remains in draft form, because developers Terra Frisbie with the One Boca project paused it in response to feedback that eliminated private development within Memorial Park.
The case is scheduled to be heard in December, and a ballot measure over the city’s sale and lease of public land is scheduled for March.
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