BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Hurricane Alley restaurant has been serving residents for decades at its location on Federal Highway and Ocean Avenue in Boynton Beach.
Owner Kim Kelly said they have stayed out through tough times.
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"We have survived a lot of obstacles throughout the 25 years, road closures, buildings, COVID. You name it, we have pretty much survived it," Kelly said.
Kelly said she has seen the city grow but wasn't expecting her landlords to sell the property.
"You gotta be silly if you don't think that somebody's going to be affected and unfortunately it will probably be us," Kelly said.
The owners of a stretch of buildings along Ocean Avenue are selling to the Community Redevelopment Agency for $3.6 million.
The move was made because it ties into a redevelopment project located behind Hurricane Alley.
"With it being the corner piece here in the downtown. It makes more sense for it to face Ocean [Avenue] as well," said Boynton Beach Commissioner Christina Romelus.
Romelus said the CRA is currently looking for a developer for the project.
Kelly made a plea to the CRA on Tuesday to keep her business a part of the future plans.
"We are going to go with the growth," Kelly said.
Romelus said the CRA wants to keep local businesses in Boynton Beach and will work with the renters who are already here.
"We want to keep them here, and Miss Kim Kelly, of course, falls right into that purview, and we will do everything in our power to support her," Romelus said.
"[I] got some reassurance that Hurricane Alley is downtown, and we are here to stay," Kelly said.
Kelly said she now hopes the city can find the perfect project for this section of downtown.
CRA staff said they will continue to work with the property owner to come to a sale agreement. Once that is complete, it will be brought back to the CRA board.