BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Two major redevelopment projects are reshaping downtown Boynton Beach, bringing hundreds of apartments, retail space, and workforce housing — but at least one small business owner in the area says a key piece of the city’s landscape is being left behind in the process.
The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency is behind both projects: The Villages, which construction for is already underway, and The Pierce, a proposed development that would replace several existing properties along the downtown corridor. According to the CRA website, The Pierce is in the permitting process.
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The Pierce would bring 300 apartments, 17,000 square feet of restaurant, retail, and office space, and 150 public parking spaces, according to CRA plans. Half of the units will be set aside as workforce housing for at least 15 years, with a portion remaining affordable long-term.
Standing in the path of that development is Hurricane Alley, a downtown restaurant that Kim Kelly has owned and operated for three decades.
"I built this place 30 years ago. I've managed it, operated it, cooked in it, cleaned in it. Done everything," Kelly said.
Kelly said she understands the need for redevelopment but wants city leaders to consider what businesses like hers stand to lose.
"I understand redevelopment but I also understand taking care of us. We've been here. Why should we lose our business and lose our jobs because they want to redevelop?" Kelly said.
Kelly says she employs dozens of people and the timeline for any closure remains unclear.
"I got 50 employees. Their future on the line, so you know, how long we're gonna be closed. That's, you know, to be told," Kelly said.
Just a block away, The Villages, another CRA project, is taking shape. The project will bring 300 apartments, 8,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, more than 600 parking spots, and a park, according to CRA plans.
Philip Maxwell, a longtime Boynton Beach resident who frequents East Ocean Cafe across from The Villages site, said he has watched the project take shape.
"I've watched it from the ground up," Maxwell said.
Maxwell said he welcomes the development's potential boost to small businesses, though he has concerns about what comes with it.
"It's going to bring a lot of people in here and we already have a lot of people," Maxwell said. "I'm OK with it. I'm just worried about traffic and people. Small businesses, it's gonna help."
He acknowledged the tradeoffs ahead for the neighborhood.
"It's gonna get crowded. It's gonna get crowded, so everybody's gotta put their patience on in the morning," Maxwell said.
The CRA has not responded to questions about what options are available for small businesses like Hurricane Alley to remain part of the city's redevelopment plans.
If downtown development is affecting your business or your neighborhood, we want to hear from you.
