BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is tearing down a hotel today as part of a significant transformation of Boynton Beach Boulevard.
WATCH BELOW: 'Something fresh and now to bring new life to this area,' Commissioner Thomas Turkin tells WPTV
Demolition is underway at The Inn at Boynton Beach, a 2.11-acre property at 480 W. Boynton Beach Boulevard. The city said it is a "major step" to revitalize the area.
"We've had a lot of activity before it closed down—sex trafficking, overdoses, domestic violence, heavy crime," Mayor Rebecca Shelton said. "So, this is the time we can say this is going to be a new Boynton.”
Shelton said the crime has plagued the city for years.
"It’s out, and we’re never going to tolerate this behavior again in this city," she said.
The CRA paid $75,000 with funds from the county's Solid Waste Authority’s Blighted and Distressed Property Clean-Up Grant Program to offset demolition costs and accelerate progress at the site.
WPTV reported on the sale of the property in August and how long-term occupants were given two weeks to find a new place to stay.
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On Oct. 1, the property was acquired by the city for over $8 million to encourage "catalytic redevelopment along Boynton Beach’s main east–west corridor," according to a statement from the CRA.
The CRA also said in the statement the importance of this demolition for the city's Master Plan.
"...Its redevelopment will play a significant role in creating a more welcoming, accessible, and vibrant corridor that reflects both the CRA’s vision and the City of Boynton Beach’s Master Plan, which prioritizes strategic investments in key corridors, enhanced mobility, and high-quality urban design."
Commissioner Thomas Turkin said they’re looking into acquiring neighborhood properties so The Inn location is just one piece of a bigger vision for Boynton Beach.
“It's not just about what goes here, it's about capitalizing on the opportunity to create a unique robust gateway entry future for our highway corridor here.”
He said they do want feedback from the community on future plans for the area.
“Something fresh and now to bring new life to this area,” he said.
The city plans to send out a survey to get input on what they create on the site site of the former inn.
Staff tell WPTV’s Joel Lopez that the demolition process should take a couple of weeks but it will be a few months until the site is ready take on the next project.
