Stet NewsHello, hello! For you today, Lake Park at odds with developers, again; the case for a $280 million county parks bond; the downtown master plan is on today’s agenda in West Palm Beach; a nonprofit is building affordable housing for seniors; and, in case you missed it, the evolution of restaurateur Rodney Mayo.
🚫 Resistance to development in Lake Park
Residents often criticize elected officials for allowing too much development.
In tiny Lake Park just north of Riviera Beach, it’s the developers pointing fingers.
Catch up quick: Frustrated by years of staff review for the proposed 16-story Kelsey on Park apartment building, a New York developer has had enough. Danny Goldstein, of Alder at Lake Park, sued the town last month in federal court, saying the town’s protracted review amounts to an unfair taking.
- Goldstein’s efforts have been backed by Riviera Beach City Council Member Glen Spiritis, who has represented the developer in meetings with town officials.
Why it matters: Kelsey on Park is one of two giant apartment buildings proposed for the low-key downtown. Both have been under review for years but have not yet gotten a hearing before the Town Commission.
Zoom in: The lawsuit accuses Town Attorney Tom Baird of trying to bring in a preferred developer, blocking the project until he gets his way and siccing code enforcement on the developer’s vacant buildings that would be demolished to make way for the project.
- Baird, of Jones Foster, denied the allegations “because they’re just not true,” he told Stet News.
Of note: The town also is defending a lawsuit filed by Forest Development over missed deadlines in Forest’s lease to run the town marina and build a waterfront hotel and restaurant. The town wants to void the lease.
- Forest is the developer behind the other proposed downtown development, The Residences at 10th and Park.
The town’s downtown rules allow an average of 48 units per acre but give developers the option of exceeding that amount as long as they stay within a total cap.
- The Residences at 10th and Park is seeking 595 units, which amounts to 203 units per acre.
- Kelsey on Park is seeking 426 units, or 219 units per acre.
- Together, that’s 1,021 units, all but 319 of the available units in the 32-acre downtown.
What’s next: The town must respond to the suit, which seeks “full and just compensation for the properties taken.”
Read more about the developer’s criticism of the town’s review of its proposed development at StetNews.org.
— Joel Engelhardt
🗳️ On your ballot: $280 million for parks
Reopening the storied John F. Kennedy Bunker, developing an interpretive center at Loxahatchee River Battlefield Park and creating a more beautiful Mounts Botanical Garden are on the list of dozens of projects that would launch if Palm Beach County voters approve a $280 million parks bond.
Big-ticket items:
- A $24.8 million multisport indoor arena and fieldhouse at Okeeheelee Park that could host basketball, soccer, pickleball and other sports tournaments. The parks bond would contribute $12.5 million to the center.
- A $25.4 million off-highway-vehicle sports complex near 20-Mile Bend that would have events for dirt bikes, ATVs and more. Bond money would pay for half of the cost.
- Early planning for an outdoor multipurpose complex to host large tournaments. The project is slotted to receive $12.5 million.
Driving the news: Parks Director Jennifer Cirillo is meeting with residents in town halls about the proposed bond on the Nov. 3 ballot. If more than 50% of voters approve, property owners would pay 5 cents per $1,000 of taxable value to repay the debt over 20 years.
- Cirillo is joined by county library system Director Doug Crane, who is discussing the proposed $175 million library bond on the same ballot.
Caveat: These are projects the county is touting, but the list could change.
Friction point: The bonds, which would increase property taxes, appear on the same ballot as Amendment 3, which is designed to cut property taxes for homesteaded properties.
Keep reading to find out all of the projects on the parks wish list and see the schedule of town hall meetings at StetNews.org.
— Janis Fontaine
🪧 West Palm residents: We’re not done
Resident furor was enough to kill the specter of 25-story buildings rising along West Palm Beach’s downtown waterfront, but a wider war over the city’s continued downtown growth is just beginning.
That was the message from residents as an updated plan for downtown West Palm Beach earned a recommendation from the Downtown Action Committee last week at a meeting that at times threatened to deteriorate into chaos.
The plan no longer allowed building height up to 25 stories along the waterfront.
The Downtown Master Plan will advance to the city Planning Board today.
Why it matters: The plan will shape a downtown that is growing exponentially for decades to come.
- The plan could expand potential development by 45%.
Catch up quick: The plan is being updated for the first time in nearly 20 years as residents have organized to fight rapid growth.
- As opposition raged, Mayor Keith James paused the plan in July.
- He appointed a committee of residents to study the plan and added that there was “no rush.”
- Early in September, however, the residents were surprised to learn that the plan was back up before city officials for approval.
What they’re saying: “We intend to press forward with our resident outreach to help people understand the important changes being proposed in the Downtown Master Plan update and how those changes may affect them,” said Jessica Swift, chair of the West Palm Beach Residents Coalition and who has been meeting with the mayor.
- “Whether our timeline ultimately aligns with the city’s remains to be seen, but from our perspective, this work is far from finished.”
Read more about how city residents reacted to the renewed effort to pass a downtown master plan at StetNews.org.
— Anne Geggis
🛋️ Housing for lowest-income seniors
A developer is planning a 140-unit affordable apartment building for seniors and disabled people in Riviera Beach.
Why it matters: Great Blue Residences, envisioned near West Blue Heron Boulevard, would expand the supply of affordable housing for seniors meeting some of the lowest income levels in the rapidly growing city.
Driving the news: Sun Foundation and Riviera Beach-based Rich Global are the lead developers. The partners are also building senior housing in Mangonia Park.
The latest: Planning and Zoning board members approved the project on 2 acres of vacant property north of West Blue Heron Boulevard. The site is on Avenue S across the street from John F. Kennedy Middle School.
The 140 one-bedroom apartments would be financed in part with $11.5 million in Palm Beach County housing bonds. The Palm Beach County Housing Authority would manage the property.
- 56 units would go to households at 30% or lower of the area median income, about $27,000. The developer expects the rent to be about $770 a month including utilities.
- 84 units would go to households at 80% or lower of the area median income, about $72,000. Rent is anticipated to be about $1,650 a month including utilities.
The big picture: It’s unusual for affordable housing projects to be built for residents at 30% of AMI. Recent projects in Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach start at 60% or 80% of AMI. Many subsidized projects go as high as 120% of AMI.
What’s next: If the project wins City Council approval, developers expect to begin construction immediately. Great Blue Residences could open as soon as 2028.
Who wrote this story: This story was reported by Community Voices writer Kelvin Verhovlyak.
What is CV: Community Voices is a partnership between Stet News and Inlet Grove High School that trains and pays teens to cover the news. The Pew Family Fund and the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties generously support Community Voices.
Stet’s Liz Capozzi and Carolyn DiPaolo contributed to this story
🍊 The Juice
🚨 Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw pledged to stop the practice of rehiring retired employees after big pension payouts. Many of the 38 recent rehires came back at newly created positions. In one case, a major retired from a $220,000-a-year job, collected a $1.7 million pension then returned to the same position six months later earning $283,000 a year. (The Palm Beach Post $$$)
🔎 The Hope Florida grand jury report reveals little follow-through by prosecutors. No emails, text messages or phone logs are listed as exhibits. Key witnesses don’t appear to have been interviewed. No clear evidence is offered of cross-examination about conflicting testimonies. And no indication that the grand jury sought records to prove witness testimony. (Miami Herald $$$)
📻 WLRN Public Media gave interim CEO Tom Hudson the permanent job last week after a nationwide search. Hudson, host of “The Florida Roundup,” will lead WLRN’s television, radio, digital, journalism and community engagement operations. (WLRN)
💽 Related Ross has bought the Boca Raton Innovation Campus, a 124-acre office park that once housed IBM operations. The West Palm Beach-based developer secured about $300 million in financing for the deal. (Sun-Sentinel $$$)
🧠 Leaders of Andreessen Horowitz, one of Silicon Valley’s largest venture capital firms, will establish a regional headquarters in West Palm Beach’s CityPlace Tower for a billion-dollar fund focused on defense investments. (South Florida Business Journal $$$, press release)
🩻 Tampa General Hospital and Mass General Brigham have opened their radiation oncology center in a former Pier I imports store at Legacy Place in Palm Beach Gardens. Mass General is the teaching hospital system for Harvard Medical School. Tampa General is the teaching hospital for the University of South Florida. (The Palm Beach Post $$$)
📁 One of four finalists for the Lake Worth Beach city manager job had two recent domestic incidents, including an arrest in which charges were dropped, raising the question of whether those incidents should play a role in the city’s decision on a top executive. (Lake Worth Beach Independent)
🚧 The wrecking ball is coming for Colonial Assisted Living center at 534 Datura St. in downtown West Palm Beach. Rybak Development of New York and Gold Standard of Care of Fort Lauderdale are proposing a 25-story apartment building with 261 units through the state’s Live Local Act. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
🗞️ McClatchy, the newspaper chain that owns the Miami Herald and 29 other newspapers, made deep job cuts last week to newsrooms across the country. At the Herald, more than 30 roles were cut, more than a third of the editorial staff. The company blamed business performance. (The New York Times, gift link, email required)
🕯️ Nick Rojo, a South Florida native and co-founder and president of Fort Lauderdale-based Affiliated Development, died Sept. 7 at age 44. The company built The Grand just north of Banyan Boulevard in downtown West Palm Beach, The Spruce in West Palm’s Northwood Village and The Mid on North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
- Stet fondly remembers that Rojo generously shared his time by offering a walking tour of The Grand in 2023, including a stop at its hidden-door speakeasy.
🌀 An assessment of the 2026 hurricane season, which passed its peak last week, includes a stunning stat: No hurricane has made landfall in the United States in nearly two years. (The New York Times, gift link, email required)
📝 South Florida journalist Dan Christensen is still chasing unanswered questions about Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the 9/11 attacks. (WLRN)
🛍️ World Market set a Sept. 25 grand opening for its store in Palm Beach Gardens. The imported goods retailer is moving into the former Office Depot in Prosperity Centre at PGA Boulevard and Prosperity Farms Road. The celebration starts at 8:45 am.
🎧 “Top of Mind Florida,” the podcast by Michael Williams and Brian Crowley, explores Democratic Socialist Angie Nixon’s upset Senate primary win and what it means for the governor’s race. Also, they turn to Amendment 3 — the property tax vote both call one of the most consequential ballot questions Floridians will face. (Listen now; watch after 4 pm today.)
561NSIDER: 🌳 Rodney Mayo’s unique perch
Like this tree, Rodney Mayo has come a long way.
The mastermind behind the eclectic Subculture Group restaurant and coffee shop empire is evolving.
Yes, but: He’s not quitting.
Why it matters: Mayo is a homegrown individualist who has changed the county with iconic places such as Dada in Delray, Howley’s in West Palm and Respectable Street on Clematis Street, a nightclub that predated Clematis’ mid-1990s renaissance and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
- When he expressed a desire to spend less time on the nuts and bolts of his businesses and more time rescuing dogs, it didn’t mean a general selloff, as he explained to Stet News.
Zoom in: Mayo’s soon-to-open Hacienda food hall on Clematis will feature a dozen food stations, outdoor seating, food trucks, live music and a rooftop bar.
- He just opened the Man Ray restaurant in Lake Worth Beach. His El Segundo Mexican brand restaurant will expand soon to Palm Beach Gardens and his long-planned Shaker and Pie Italian bistro is expected to open this year in Boca Raton’s Mizner Park.
While he’s juggling restaurant openings, a multimillion-dollar foreclosure and the need to raise some cash to advance his dream, Mayo remains his whimsical self.
When asked for a picture beside a food truck behind The Hacienda, Mayo instead began climbing a tree. He had planted it in the early 1980s, even before he opened Respectable Street.
- He said the tree means more to him than the food truck — a testament to the empire he is not ready to leave behind.
Read more about The Hacienda, Mayo’s foreclosure and his plans for a dog rescue at StetNews.org.
— Joel Engelhardt
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