City: Boynton Beach
State/Province: Florida
Country: United States

Michael Simon, Executive Director, Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency :
The CRA’s acquisition and redevelopment of these three key marina properties has provided this area with a major infusion of public investment where prior to that, there literally was none. All of this waterfront space, buildings, properties, slips, everything was privately owned. Over time and without any significant investment by their owners, these parcels began to look deteriorated and neglected. Although unique and somewhat historic, there was no sense of community pride or engagement created by these properties. The Boynton Harbor Marina Master Redevelopment Project has restored the public pride in the waterfront.

By the CRA initiating an investment for acquisition followed by the hiring of professional staff along with highly qualified design and construction firms, the public sector entity led the way to a renewed spirit around the waterfront. The commercial marine businesses occupying the slips didn’t have adequate dock facilities, equal rent format or even fish cleaning stations. The CRA made this investment to save these marine businesses, provide lasting public access to the waterfront and to enhance the overall mixed-use waterfront environment. Creating a destination, a place people would enjoy has resulted in increased sales numbers for our commercial marine tenants and local retailers/restaurants and property values.