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A developer wanting to build a hotel in Boynton Beach which was approved in 2007, waited until the economy was better. He plans on going ahead with a Holiday Inn Express near Leisureville west of I-95 and east of Congress on Ocean Drive. In 2007, politics allowed him a height variance that would allow him to build to 5 stories. Here in Lake Worth we see variances dished out like candy all of the time and even a commission going around the vote of the people.
The hotel in Boynton Beach will now be built to 4 stories, if the developer gets his wish. It just shows that with perseverance, the people can actually fight corrupt politics and elected officials eventually can listen and act regarding height limitations and a hotel built to 4 stories.
If the Holiday Inn can do it, some other developer can do it.
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15 comments:
The problem is who in their right mind would want to build in Lake Worth. The downtown is nothing more than one big flea market with bars, loud music and dregs. I go to Toojays and Rotelli's where sanity can be mainained.
Some people in this town like the creeps and the kava bar and don't want to go there because of this element as well as panhandlers hanging out. Bikers, tattoos and loud. Clean up the downtown and spiffy up the cultural plaza that looks like a wreck. Maybe the mayor can get cracking on those ideas.
The downtown merchants certainly have new found power when they can apply for a permit to close down one of our alphabet streets to attract business and take away much needed parking spaces. Right now, it seems that politics is favoring businesses but not the resident and certainly not the people who voted in March. Fux them, they said...and they did.
Carol, bars are always loud, do not see the dreg problem you mention. I go to Toojays and do not mind the gaggling old hens that frequent it.
Ah, the ever elusive Loch Ness parking space. If you can't park at the front door of the establishment you wish to visit, there must be a parking problem. The perfect parking space is often talked about but rarely seen.
Stay on your own blog with the wise comments, 11:12. Can't be anyone else. Or how come you're not blaming it on Mulvehill. Let's blame it all on Bush. He f*&ked up our town and the crime, and blight and homeless have taken over. Great place. What a %^&*(.
Lynn, your last sentence has too much logic.
You once said that the problem with the property where Miami Subs was a failure because of parking, look at it now, a thriving cafe. There is plenty of parking around downtown Lake Worth.
Ella who is the daughter of the owner has said that the parking is a little challenging. It has great food and I hope they make it.
I think I would be more concerned, about a Downtown Merchant Claiming they have a Permit for Valet Parking on Lake Avenue, Then a Merchant on a side street, trying to bring NEW People to the Downtown.
Well, I am concerned about both of those things. A business does not have the right to shut down a city street to promote his business and shut down 20-30 parking spaces. That is total BS... and a permit for valet taking up 5 spaces is too.
But back to the issue at hand: Delray has two hotels that are four stories, looks like Boynton will get one, and WPB had a developer present a plan that complied with their (voter enacted but not charter-protected) height limits. Unfortunately, the elected officials in WPB have different ideas and declined the five story proposal. That commission wants TEN TO TWELVE stories in an area limited to five. So they are scheming to defy the voters in WPB. Too bad WPB voters didn't put limits in their charter LIKE WE DID.
PITHY!!
Laurel that is not true at all. The commissioners from WPB I have talked to do not want a ten story or higher hotel. They did not decline the five story proposal instead they reissued the RFP because the value of the property has risen and the developer was offering too little. A better deal for the city.If you listen to the meetings instead of reading the post you might know this. By the way the hotel proposed on the marina site was approved long ago and can build to nine stories by right. That site is right across the street from the old city hall site.
Well, anonymous person who likes to argue with me anonymously, I do not have time to listen to all of Lake Worth's meetings, let alone WPB's. But let's use our brains here . . .
They did not decline? Well, did they accept? No, they did not accept. Therefore, they declined. Was it an acceptable plan? Yes. Were there any zoning issues? No.
When one values land, anonymous, one must first ask "Hey, what is the potential use of this land?". If the use is a five story hotel, then a developer can make up to $XX and will bid appropriately for the land. Common sense tells us that a 10-12 story hotel would return a much higher profit to the developer and so they will pay more for the property.
So. What sort of information do you think was given to the appraiser who has now stated that the property is worth $6MM more than it was last year when they had a proposal that complied with the voter-enacted height limits?
The commissioners you have talked to don't want a 10-12 story hotel? Please. Of course they do. They just know that they will have a very difficult time getting re-elected if they push for it. So it's a crap shoot now for them. The height of the hotel will be based on a voter analysis, believe it. Should get reeeeeal interesting. I don't need to listen to meetings to know what's going on, my friend. What's really going on is rarely discussed publicly in a meeting. That all happens behind closed doors.
I'm pretty familiar with the marina site, are you? The only way a hotel is going to be built there is if they build into the intracoastal. For crying out loud, you can spit from one side of the property to the other. That "project" is a diversion and the commission will use it to their advantage. Oh yeah, real interesting.
Thanks for the "straight from the horse's mouth" update, you know: anonymous poster talks to anonymous commissioner. I can probably get more reliable information by reading my coffee grounds.
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