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Downtown Lake Worth to get public parking garage but lawsuit looms
(This story was updated because an earlier version contained an inaccuracy.)
One of Palm Beach County's last cities with no fully public parking garage took a big step toward building one downtown on June 30, overcoming concerns over its financing and the end of free parking.
Lake Worth Beach city commissioners voted 4-1 to allow construction of the garage south of Lake Avenue, on the northwest corner of South K Street and First Avenue South. Commissioner Chris McVoy, long opposed to the project, cast the opposing vote.
The vote changed the city's zoning in the area to allow the parking garage. The K street garage will be part of the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts campus.
The planned 95,000-square-foot, four-story garage will have 260 spaces, but once city-owned parking lots replaced by the project are taken into account, the growth in new spaces effectively shrinks to 133, according to Chen Moore and Associates, an engineering consultancy hired by the city.
Developer Anthony Wiener is contributing $1 million to the $8.5 million garage, with the city contributing the rest.
"So the museum plan is around half the cost of a new pool at the beach—the beach being something that overwhelmingly, the voters of Lake Worth wanted…..
But this museum and garage would be money wasted on something only those with extreme pretensions of being artistic would embrace, and it could never be aligned with what most voters believe is central to what Lake Worth should be.
This museum will be a ten-million-dollar hole in the downtown of Lake Worth;It will swallow up our free parking near the retailers we shop at and at the restaurants we used to enjoy visiting.
Without the Museum —— Lake worth had a Zen the way we could pull up to where we were going.
In this dystopian future that Betty Resch is serving up for our downtown —Lake Worth’s Downtown will be no more than a nasty dollar store version of downtown West Palm Beach.
I and many others will no longer go into downtown Lake Worth to dine—this is a solemn promise from me, and one I would ask thousands of other residents to make.
We will not eat at downtown Lake Worth restaurants, or shop at local merchants if this museum and parking garage is built.
I have avoided dining or shopping in downtown West Palm Beach because I WILL NOT PARK IN A PARKING GARAGE. This is a sickness of urban cesspools in most major cities.
We came to Lake Worth because it was not an Urban Cesspool, but here is Betty Resch, trying to make it a sewer. An artsy sewer.
There are still other places we can go, and this is a war that needs to be fought—it is a line in the sand that a misguided, if not corrupt mayor has forced us to draw in the sand…
While I may miss the downtown, I need to see this Museum plan bankrupt the city — and force a new governance to sweep away the trash that is causing this carnage. Let the retailers and restaurants chase her from the town and disparage her memory."
Opinion: Lake Worth Residents Deserve Answers Before Another Dollar is Spent on WMODA
By: Former commissioner, Kimberly Stokes
As Lake Worth Beach approaches another critical vote on the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts (WMODA) project, residents are being asked to trust that city leaders have everything under control. Yet after years of approvals, subsidies, and public investments, many basic questions remain unanswered.
On June 30, the City Commission is expected to approve the second reading of the project’s K Street Parking Garage, a vote that would move the development significantly closer to reality. Supporters portray this as the final piece of the puzzle. For many residents, however, this is precisely the moment when the public should demand greater transparency and accountability.
The city has already committed substantial public resources to support the project. In addition to millions in land donations, infrastructure incentives, utility improvements, and affordable housing subsidies, the city is now moving forward with a public parking garage that could cost between $10 and 14 million.
The garage is widely viewed as essential to making the WMODA development work, yet residents still have not been provided with a clear financial plan explaining the total cost, how ongoing operations and maintenance will be funded, who the garage is intended to serve, whether taxpayers will ultimately bear the cost for the garage, or if it will be paid parking, which the downtown merchants vehemently oppose.
Lake Worth Beach is not a wealthy city. Every dollar invested in one project is a dollar unavailable for roads, utilities, parks, public safety, or affordable housing. Before committing what could ultimately approach $20 million in public resources, residents deserve complete transparency.
Palm Beach County’s last city with a traditional downtown that lacks a fully public parking garage is a step closer to building one. The plan’s opponents and even one key supporter say they expect it to bring an end to free street parking.
The Lake Worth Beach City Commission on June 8 gave initial approval to the construction of a long-discussed parking garage south of Lake Avenue, on the northwest corner of South K Street and First Avenue South. Commissioner Chris McVoy cast the lone dissenting vote.
The final public hearing and commission vote on the zoning changes needed to pave the way for construction is scheduled for June 30.
The planned 95,000-square-foot, four-story garage will have 260 spaces but after used for the museum and the apartments, it is wittled down to around 47 spaces.
The K street garage will be part of the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts and arts campus, which will include an art museum and 110 apartments two blocks east of the garage. The developer, Anthony Wiener, is contributing $1 million to the $8.5 million garage, with the city contributing the rest.
Read about it...As you read this article, the details get worse.
Lake Worth For All sued the city on Feb. 3 to stop construction of WMODA, claiming it illegally spent Palm Beach County sales tax money to get the project built.
The lawsuit argues the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, in charge of improving blighted areas, broke state law by buying land downtown with more than $1.6 million in sales-tax revenue meant for public parking, then selling the site to Wiener for $10 to build WMODA. The case is before Circuit Judge Scott Kerner.
And all commissioners other than McVoy, have no problem screwing the residents by eventually charging for downtown parking that has always been free.
Back in August 2010 we were going through this. Suzanne Mulvehill was the only commissioner who stated, "It is our job to support business." She also wanted to check with the downtown businesses before anything.
To bring it up again in 2026--does our present commission not believe that it might hurt our downtown businesses? Perhaps people will go dine and shop somewhere else? Perhaps shoppers don't like meters or pay-stations or the hassle of it all? Perhaps the amount of revenue derived is just not worth the risk?
Lake Worth has always been a draw because of free parking. But it was the same old philosophy of charging more to the people here because of a revenue need. Charge the shoppers and let those who don't want to pay, walk from 3 blocks away...not consumer friendly.
The downtown is hurting. We should be doing all that we can do build up our downtown, not put obstacles in its pathway to success. We should stop screwing the residents and shop owners of this city.
Lake Worth Beach takes next step toward new downtown parking garage
The nearly $10 million proposal would transform an existing surface parking lot near K Street and First Avenue South
A controversial proposal to build a new downtown parking garage in Lake Worth Beach is moving forward after a commission vote during a quasi-judicial hearing Monday night.
The vote does not give final approval for construction. Instead, city leaders say it allows the project team to move forward with completing the garage's design and obtaining a guaranteed maximum price before construction can begin. [WPTV]
IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDER MEETING FOR THE PROPOSED K ST. GARAGE
WHERE--COMPASS COMMUNITY CENTER, 201 NORTH DIXIE HWY
WHEN--APRIL 13 (MONDAY) 6 - 8 PM
In the weeks leading up to the March 10 referendum election, city leaders told us that we couldn’t afford to take care of our existing failing infrastructure like the city hall annex and roads, and we needed to trust them to approve development that would generate the revenue to do that.
The voters said NO, that we wanted to be involved in approving development with long-term leases on public land.Not only did the voters defeat these 2 amendments, it was a wipeout.
Yet now, only one month after this overwhelming defeat, they are moving forward with plans to build a $9 million, 4 ½ level public parking garage on So. K St. with no clear plan for financing the construction, operation and maintenance.
Some city leaders openly support paid street parking to help pay for the garage, and the commission has approved a contract to develop a plan for it. There have been no business outreach and no stakeholder meetings about this.
We feel this is the wrong direction for our city and is a premature move without a solid plan to pay for it. We also believe there are enough other parking options within a short distance of the city center to satisfy parking needs for the foreseeable future.
After nearly two years of meetings, the city will finally hold a public stakeholder meeting: MONDAY, APRIL 13, 6-8 PM, AT COMPASS COMMUNITY CENTER, 201 NORTH DIXIE HWY. We encourage everyone to attend and make your voice heard.
Lake Worth Beach commission approves $8.5 million parking garage
The parking garage was approved in a 3-2 vote by the Lake Worth Beach city commission with Commissioners McVoy and Diaz voting against.
As I watched the meeting, it seemed that the majority of the residents were against.
The goal is to improve parking and generate revenue for the city. The project will be funded through a public-private partnership that includes city funds, loans, and private investment.
LWB's $8.5M Downtown Parking Garage: Perception vs. Reality
Harper Horizon Feb 27, 2025
Lake Worth Beach is poised to further solidify its partnership with WMODA (Wmoda - Wiener Museum Of Decorative Arts) as it finalizes the long-term parking agreement for the proposed public parking garage on K Street.
While the promise of a 268-space parking garage is appealing to some businesses and residents, the number of new parking spots available for downtown visitors will likely be far lower than expected.
Omari Hardy continued to show his intellect and understanding on the issues last night. Resident Tammy Pansa was spot on in her comments.
Commissioner Maxwell was over-bearing as usual and when Hardy was questioning William Waters about the Transfer of Development Rights, Maxwell said he was "tired of the discussion" and for Hardy to give his "political disclaimer." NASTY stuff.
Andy Amoroso said Hardy was not attempting transparency but rather using "attack" tactics towards William Waters and was tired of people attacking staff. That was not Hardy's intent at all...not even in his mind. He gives thought-provoking debate and the dais and CM can't handle that. The only commissioners playing politics or using it as an excuse up there were those who challenged Hardy.
A motion was made on the Public Hearing Ordinance 2019-01 and it ended in a 2/2 vote. Amoroso insisted that the subject could not be brought back--Robinson disagreed and the city attorney agreed with Robinson. The TDR's will be brought back at the next meeting.
The next item of interest was a Consent Agenda item that was moved to New Business. City Manager Bornstein is the one who pursued the transfer of $547,140 to the CRA to acquire properties that have historic houses on them to eventually build a parking garage. One citizen actually told us that she polled businesses downtown, even Publix, and they all were in agreement of building a garage. Well, of course they were.
The city manager totally makes the decisions to spend taxpayer money and commissioners follow his lead, always. He said that we were a community of neighborhoods but he sees no problem in demolishing historic homes (in our neighborhoods) for asphalt or a parking garage. He does not like controversial questions especially from Hardy and indicated that he will pursue what he feels is best for our city even if a city board opposes.
