..

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3381/3506311436_a6c697513c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3659/3505498031_5e6d5f26ef_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3506303316_20587f52ce_b.jpg

I walked over to the new docks this evening. They are very nicely done and will be a great asset to the city's waterfront area. While I was on the second dock I saw Mayor Frankel out for a stroll with her bodyguard.

I posted more pictures here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=36239638&postcount=64) if you're interested.

Nice Dude!

I was walking around downtown today and noticed that they are tearing down the old library at clematis. I saw that they are still going along with their plans for the public space/park.

I don't know about any of you, but I think a Ferris/observation wheel placed where the old library once stood would make a nice/better addition to clematis street than (or in addition to) the park. Imagine standing on clematis at night looking east towards a Ferris wheel with nothing but white lights lining the spokes, and the great views of the intracoastal and palm beach it would give.

Does anyone else think this would be a good idea?

Does anyone else think this would be a good idea?

Count me in! Ferris Wheels are cool, and they tend to draw a lot of foot traffic to urban places. When I was in Bangkok, Thailand a couple years ago, I remember driving by this giant ferris wheel amongst all of these tall buildings and thought "Hey, that's awesome! There's a Ferris Wheel in the middle of the city!" I even took a subway to where the ferris wheel is on my last night, and was amused to see a number of street vendors and lots of park space surrounding the structure.

An attraction like that could be a boon for revitalization of Clematis.

..

I'd rather have a nice building in that spot than a ferris wheel. I'm fine with it as a park for now, hopefully it will create a better flow from the downtown area to the waterfront.

Does anyone have any info on what's going on with Lakeview Centre (AKA Opera Place) and The Modern???

1515 is being slowly demolished. Last I heard the developers and the city want it gone by July. I don't remember when they said construction would start on The Modern though.

I know right!I tried looking up any rendition photos of the Modern but nada.They have or had?a sign up in front of the place on how the Modern will look like but I didn't see it.Anyone have any photos of the Modern or the status of it?

^^
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b226/BJV5/Picture1-15.png

Thanks for the info on the Modern!....What about the Lakeview Centre???

I can't remember but where is this on like what intersection, The Modern?Do you have link to site, I can't find it.

The modern is going right here unless you meant the website...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=west+palm+beach+florida&sll=45.524119,-122.675099&sspn=0.016958,0.031886&ie=UTF8&ll=26.699735,-80.050796&spn=0.000676,0.000996&t=h&z=20


website: http://www.1515themodern.com/plan.html

Pretty cool now to show that PBIA is really becoming a bigger airport or "taller" as you say.
http://http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/photos/graphics_for_web/PBIAtower.html
http://http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2009/07/17/0717pbiatower.html

Pretty cool now to show that PBIA is really becoming a bigger airport or "taller" as you say.
http://http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/photos/graphics_for_web/PBIAtower.html
http://http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2009/07/17/0717pbiatower.html

I actually noticed this a few days ago driving along Southern, glad to see PBIA is finally getting their new tower! :banana:

Anyone notice there are now 3D models in Google Earth of about half the buildings in downtown West Palm Beach?

..

^^ Is there a schedule of GE Sat Imagery updates?

For anyone interested, we started hanging steel on Roxy's Rooftop Bar today.
Should be hanging steel for the next couple of weeks or so.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd29/yrades/2droxys-v12d0008.jpg
rendering

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd29/yrades/2droxys-v12d0010.jpg
rendering

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd29/yrades/Roxys_rev2-7-16-2009_Page_01.jpg
steel schematic

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd29/yrades/steel1.jpg
southwest cluster column

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd29/yrades/steel2.jpg
south truss

Wow, it's been a while since anyone has posted on this thread. I just read some excellent news--check it out:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-development-boundary-palm-20091119,0,6999762.story?page=1
Palm Beach County considers shrinking area for suburban development

Picking a fight with developers and the Florida Legislature, Palm Beach County commissioners Thursday agreed to consider moving the boundary line created to rein in suburban development.

The "urban services boundary" that zigzags through western Palm Beach County is meant to define where suburban development stops and rural areas begin. The line is intended to keep big new neighborhoods and shopping centers closer to fire stations, schools, major roads and other public facilities and community services.

Moving the line east would be an attempt to limit the amount of traffic-producing, new development in areas where state legislators are considering exempting developers from costly road improvements, normally required to lessen the effects of growth on existing neighborhoods.

Portions of the boundary follow State Road 7 and Florida's Turnpike, also stretching west to include Wellington and Royal Palm Beach.

Commissioner Karen Marcus on Thursday proposed moving the urban services boundary to the east, potentially shifting the line in some parts of the county as far east as Military Trail.

Moving the boundary line would be a pre-emptive strike against potential changes to state growth management laws that the Legislature is expected to take up again this spring.

Legislators have pushed to ease costly road-improvement requirements for developers inside the urban services boundary. State officials contend that could jumpstart construction and help the struggling economy.

Palm Beach County and other local governments object, saying the move to provide exemptions to traffic standards would have damaging long-term effects on communities worried about overdevelopment.

One way to avoid that would be to shrink the area that the county allows more intensive development, Marcus said.

"We need to move our boundary," Marcus said. "It just makes sense to do it. … Be proactive."

The county can expect a fight from developers, said Skeet Jernigan, president of the Community and Economic Development Council, which represents South Florida builders.

Even if the county moves the line, plenty of properties in the affected area already have the zoning and other county approvals needed to be developed, Jernigan said.

"Many of the properties there … are already vested," Jernigan said. "I don't know what the county would be hoping to achieve."

Commissioners agreed to discuss moving the boundary line in January, but Chairman Burt Aaronson raised concerns that it might be seen as trying to "skirt the law."

"How do we go ahead and take back what's already been given?" Aaronson asked.

Also on Thursday, commissioners endorsed new building standards and incentives intended to create an "urban redevelopment area" around the Congress Avenue and Military Trail corridors.

The plan, years in the making, is to encourage new businesses to move into vacant shopping plazas and to lure residential development that would require shorter commutes and give residents access to bus lines and Tri-Rail.

"This is where we want stuff to happen," Commissioner Jeff Koons said.

Joanne Davis, of the development watchdog group 1,000 Friends of Florida, said it was "too bad" the county didn't act sooner to shrink the urban services area and take more steps to encourage redevelopment.

"The mentality of some of the developers is everything is fair game," Davis said.

Andy Reid can be reached at abreid@SunSentinel.com or 561-228-5504.

Hopefully this will work in forcing them to redevelop certain areas in the city. I'm all for more density. The more people you can get into a small geographical area the easier it will be to provide them services and transportation options in the future. Besides, we dont need any more boring gated communities out in the middle of no where.

It's about time we focus on filling in our vacant buildings all over Boca. Perhaps they will try and support the Reserve at Blue Lake get back on track?

I'm all for more density. The more people you can get into a small geographical area the easier it will be to provide them services and transportation options in the future.

But is it not also true that the more we build out rather than up, the more wetlands we pave over and destroy that serve as natural freshwater reservoirs for a growing human population, that provide habitat for a variety of animal species, and the fewer green plants we have to help replenish the earth's oxygen supply? Humans destroying less of the natural environment is my argument for building skyscrapers.

Wow some old article I found that a 1,500 ft building was proposed for West Palm. What ever happened to this?!
http://http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/jun/14/proposals-could-give-west-palm-beach-skyline/

Palm Beach County drops development fight
> Posted by Andy Reid on January 7, 2010 06:50 PM
Palm Beach County commissioners Thursday officially backed down from a proposal to tangle with developers by moving the boundary line intended to keep suburban development from moving into rural areas.

County commissioners in November agreed to consider moving the urban services boundary, which is supposed to keep new neighborhoods and shopping centers close to fire stations, water lines, parks, schools and other public facilities needed for a growing population.

Moving the line east could have limited future development on western land eyed by builders.

The idea was intended as a pre-emptive strike as the Florida Legislature considers exempting developers from costly road improvement requirements. Local governments use those transportation requirements to try to keep traffic drawn to new development from overwhelming existing roads and neighborhoods.

Local developers objected to moving the boundary. County officials last month recommended commissioners scuttle the idea after learning that the state legislation would apply to boundaries set as of July 1.

While moving the line could still rein in development, it would not counteract the possible state legislation as once intended.

“It think it’s an exercise in futility,” Commission Chairman Burt Aaronson said Thursday. Aaronson and the rest of the commission agreed not to proceed with the possible boundary change.

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/palm/blog/2010/01/palm_beach_county_drops_development_fight.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+palmbeachpolitics+%28Palm+Beach+Politics+%7C+Sun-Sentinel+Blogs%29

I guess we will keep pushing west with development unfortunately. At least there is talk of eastern train service though.

http://www.wpb.org/newsroom/2009/12/17/a-call-to-action/

Also, the Palm Beach Zoo is the first in the country to be LEED certified. http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/westpalmbeat/2010/01/palm-beach-zoo-first-in-the-nation-to-be-leed-certified/

Now if only they would knock down 1515 already...

Went to West Palm Beach today and was an awful day to take pics but took some anyway. Blurry though. And what is being planned on okeechobee road south quadrille blvd. It was a rendition photo of two tall twin buildings called Lakeview...I can't remember but this 1st photo is of the site...barely.
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/2876/1010640.jpg (http://img338.imageshack.us/i/1010640.jpg/)
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5488/1010610.jpg (http://img143.imageshack.us/i/1010610.jpg/)
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7021/1010615.jpg (http://img254.imageshack.us/i/1010615.jpg/)
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6928/1010616.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/i/1010616.jpg/)
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2386/1010617.jpg (http://img139.imageshack.us/i/1010617.jpg/)
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1131/1010620.jpg (http://img267.imageshack.us/i/1010620.jpg/)
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/6739/1010624.jpg (http://img267.imageshack.us/i/1010624.jpg/)
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/981/1010638.jpg (http://img143.imageshack.us/i/1010638.jpg/)

I guess we will keep pushing west with development unfortunately. At least there is talk of eastern train service though.

http://www.wpb.org/newsroom/2009/12/17/a-call-to-action/

Is anyone going to these events? And does anyone know exactly what they are reviewing? Transit Options? Route Location? Station Design?

Is anyone going to these events? And does anyone know exactly what they are reviewing? Transit Options? Route Location? Station Design?


I just got back from the design studio at Cityplace. It's very interesting and ambitious. Eight stations in the city and a transfer point to the existing tri-rail track on the north side of the city either at 15th street or near 25th St. by the 1928 hurricane mass grave site. Other proposed stations include Forrest Hill, Belvedere, Southern, Okeechobee/Cityplace, Banyan, and 45th street.

They are running computer models of the effect of these station locations on the surrounding area. Some of the architectural drawings were really beautiful. From what I could tell, they seem to be trying to make the stations fit into existing architecture of the areas surrounding them.

Wow I am surprised they haven't mentioned making anymore train stations other than West Palm Beach. And isn't 8 a little too much? Where we really need is another train station in Boca Raton, just in the heart of Boca Center and walking distance to Town Center, the mall, and a whole lot other business centers across Boca Center.It is also closer to FAU, the airport, movies,Boca Raton high school/middle school and would encourage a little more pedestrian traffic, not in a bad sense. I know some kids who go from cities up north down to Boca Raton high school by train and then by bus but it would be better if they made a new train station here for it would cut less time for transportation instead of coming off the train station by Yamato beating the traffic to Boca High. I am sure there are plenty of other reasons why people would need another train station here. There is a valuable piece of land on the intersection of NW 19TH street and South Military trail that has been razed and is just sitting there.Trust me there is potential. Next time go to the meeting and ask them that please. Thanks!

Wow I am surprised they haven't mentioned making anymore train stations other than West Palm Beach. And isn't 8 a little too much? Where we really need is another train station in Boca Raton, just in the heart of Boca Center and walking distance to Town Center, the mall, and a whole lot other business centers across Boca Center.It is also closer to FAU, the airport, movies,Boca Raton high school/middle school and would encourage a little more pedestrian traffic, not in a bad sense. I know some kids who go from cities up north down to Boca Raton high school by train and then by bus but it would be better if they made a new train station here for it would cut less time for transportation instead of coming off the train station by Yamato beating the traffic to Boca High. I am sure there are plenty of other reasons why people would need another train station here. There is a valuable piece of land on the intersection of NW 19TH street and South Military trail that has been razed and is just sitting there.Trust me there is potential. Next time go to the meeting and ask them that please. Thanks!


This charrette was for the West Palm portion of the overall plan only.
There were 84 proposed station locations originally from Jupiter to Miami. There were originally six stations proposed for Boca, but two were eliminated as not being able to support a station type and one more was not recommended. The ones that passed were NW 51st St, NW 20th/Glades, and Palmetto Park Rd. This study is using the existing FEC tracks that run through downtowns all the way through South Florida so nowhere as far west as Military.

Do you have some credibility or info on this?

Do you have some credibility or info on this?

Credibility? I'm not sure what you're getting at...
Most of the events are/have been open to the public.
Here is the website for the overall study.

http://www.sfeccstudy.com/index.html

This sounds really exciting! Unfortunately I have been under the weather for the past few days, but I think I will be able to catch the last day of it tomorrow. :banana:

Well, they finally imploded tower 1515 this morning. Here is a link to the video at the PBP site. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/special/topics/1515_demolition/ I took some pics of the rubble as well as the new waterfront park that's almost finished. I will post later.

It's from 4 to 11pm.

What time is it tomorrow?

Took a panoramic of the West Palm Skyline from the public piers last friday:

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/5906/downtownpanoramic2.jpg

wow, great picture andy!

wow, great picture andy!

Wow is right! That is a great picture!:):cheers:

2 more days then we will find out if West Palm Beach wins the google model your town competition!Ahh!

Barranco, Lima, Peru wins, even if West Palm Beach had the MOST buildings, the BEST buildings, and was the ONLY American city in the competition.

Too bad. The kid got robbed. West Palm may not be the best city of the finalists, but it was the best model.

I know this is a Miami forum, but how does everyone feel about the future of Downtown West Palm?

As a new urbanism nerd, I think City Place in WPB is the consummate successful new urbanist project. I'd like to see it grow outwards with more residential and office space. I also think West Palm will definitely climb past 100,000 in the 2010 census, which is a major milestone.

All that new development over the past several years was great and all, but now it seems to have completely stopped. I know the housing market is in shambles, but do you think we will see renewed construction in the downtown West Palm area? I think it has the potential to become a thriving, walkable, medium sized city with a legitimate "livable downtown", compared to the current downtown that becomes a ghost town after the workday.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=79514&page=53

I don't agree that downtown becomes a ghost town at night. I live here and there are plenty of people out even on weeknights. It's way more lively here that it was just a few years ago. I think it will become even more so after more of the empty condo units fill up. This isn't really a big city so it certainly doesn't rival big cities as far as foot traffic goes, but it is very visibly becoming a livable downtown right now. I walk or ride my bike to the grocery store, movies, drinks, etc right now. There is still work to be done, but isn't there always? I would love to see some low rise infill development to connect clematis to cityplace. It's so close already. Just a couple of empty spots on Rosemary.

this should have been finished by now ...any update for Roxy

Took a panoramic of the West Palm Skyline from the public piers last friday:

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/5906/downtownpanoramic2.jpg

great pic love it

this should have been finished by now ...any update for Roxy

Roxy's and the rooftop bar has been finished for quite a while now.

Public Hearings for the FEC rail study are coming up soon. Anyone interested should really go if they can. The west palm hearing will be:

Tuesday, September 14
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
Parking Garage, 3rd Level First Floor, Salons A & B 701
Okeechobee Blvd.
3:30 – 5:30 p.m. OR 6 – 8 p.m.

double post

Anyone going to this? I will probably be going to this, we should have a 561 SSC Meetup! :banana:

Anyone going to this? I will probably be going to this, we should have a 561 SSC Meetup! :banana:

I will definitly be there. I went to the charrette earlier this year and am curious to see the progress.

Also, please let this happen.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/major-animation-school-and-studio-proposal-lauded-by-888143.html

I will definitly be there. I went to the charrette earlier this year and am curious to see the progress.

What time do you plan to be there?

What time do you plan to be there?

I'm going to the evening session as I will have to work that day. You?

I'm going to the evening session as I will have to work that day. You?

I'm probably going to hit the afternoon session, since I have to be in downtown earlier that day, but I might stick around or go for the night session

Also, please let this happen.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/major-animation-school-and-studio-proposal-lauded-by-888143.html

Yes! Build it!
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/2349/fsuu.jpg

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/2085/fsustructure.jpg

That's WAY too interesting to happen in Florida.

Picture is really look good and the city looks amazing. Nice shots man.

------------
roulette reaper (http://roulette-reaper-review.weebly.com/)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/fsu-studio-expand-plans-for-digital-animation-college-1408390.html

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/fsu-studio-expand-plans-for-digital-animation-college-1408390.html

:shocked:

Deal on Opera Place height said close

Pat Beall
Thursday, July 29, 2004



WEST PALM BEACH -- Developers of the ultra-high-rise Opera Place, city planners and Mayor Lois Frankel appear to have found middle ground on building height.

"We had a very good meeting," said Willy Bermello, president and CEO of BAP Development Inc., developer of the proposed 31-story project. "I think we will have a compromise this month that everyone will be happy with."

But he stopped short of offering details of the deal.

The property is bounded by Okeechobee Boulevard to the south, Quadrille Boulevard to the west, Dixie Highway to the east and Iris Street to the north.

Bermello is so pleased with the progress of the talks that his firm is considering buying the adjacent city-owned property -- dubbed the tent site -- once it comes to market.

The properties have been described as "premier locations" by Frankel, who first broached the idea of piercing the widely accepted 20-story height limit in that area.

A loophole exempts both sites from a 10-year-old master plan clamping a lid on building height. Still, the city's planning department rejected a 31-story design, as did the planning board.

Plans for the soaring building drew raves for artistry, but its height was more than twice that of surrounding structures.

"It was a very, very good-looking project and innovative as well," said attorney Ken Spillias, chairman of the city's planning board.

A 20-story version generated less enthusiasm. "It was clearly not as attractive," Spillias said.

Bermello said plans continue to include a stage and related space for Florida Stage, the Manalapan-based theater troupe. In one design the building rises to 25 stories, with another building on the north side rising to eight stories, sources close to the project say.

Even going back to the drawing board a third time, Bermello said, the project remains on track for timely completion. That news should be welcomed by early fans of the yet-to-be-designed condominium tower: Sixty condos have been sold already.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/auto/epaper/editions/thursday/local_news_1480769445bde19b00d8.html

These are beautiful plans. THis is going to look great.

A new tallest then ?

That's from 2004.

Whatever happened with Frankl's plans to build an 'iconic structure' ? Did she screw that up ?

Related planning 500-unit condo towers in West Palm Beach
.South Florida Business Journal
Date: Tuesday, September 6, 2011, 2:51pm EDT
.
.Related:Residential Real Estate, Economic Snapshot .....View photo gallery (2 photos) Jorge Perez's Related Group is looking to build 500 condos in West Palm Beach

.. ..The new Related projects would be north of the Rybovich Marina.

.In 2006, The Related Group had been working on the 150-unit luxury waterfront condo at 4308 N. Flagler Drive with Donald Trump called ICON Palm Beach. That plan dissolved as the real estate boom faltered.

Related now proposes two towers, at 4308 N. Flagler and 4416 N. Flagler, one of them 22 stories tall, the other, 23, according to the Palm Beach Post. Whether the new project just north of the Rybovich .Rybovich Latest from The Business Journals Palm Beach job growth for Olympusat, RybovichRybovich unveils M mega yacht hubContentious Riviera Beach marina mega yacht facility back on table Follow this company .Marina still has the ICON name is unclear.

The project would have 506 units, priced from the low $200,000s to just under $1 million, as well as a 713-car garage and seven townhomes.

Jorge Perez’s Related Group has announced a few new condo projects, including My Brickell in Miami, despite a market where mortgage-financed is not common. He has bought distressed property, the Business Journal reported.

He has also created an alliance with residential broker International Sales Group to advance his development strategy as he deals with the weight of past projects that were negatively impacted by the economic meltdown. Related Group has turned over CityPlace South Tower in West Palm Beach, two towers of Icon Brickell in Miami and Trump Hollywood to lenders

So much for the recent Herald article which projected no new projects in Palm Beach county for several years.

So the fate of the Palm Beach Mall has been determined:

Fashion outlets on their way to neglected Palm Beach Mall, developers say

By EMILY ROACH
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

WEST PALM BEACH — The Palm Beach Mall will be redeveloped as the Palm Beach Fashion outlets, bringing construction and ultimately hundreds of jobs to the mostly shuttered retail center.

Once revamped, it will offer an open-air outlet center beside a shopping center, according to a news release from New England Development, Eastern Real Estate and Lubert-Adler, all of which partnered to buy the 80-acre property.

Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th and other luxury retail outlets have shown early interest in the location, New England Development Chairman Stephen Karp told The Post earlier this year. Marketing materials released at a retail conference showed premium outlets, including Nordstrom Rack, Bloomingdale's Outlet Store and Neiman Marcus' Last Call.

That scope of project could become a shopping destination for people from outside the county, said Kelly Smallridge, president and CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County.

"If it's anything like what we've seen in other parts of our state, it really is an attraction for people to come and visit," she said. Those shoppers tend to spend an overnight or weekend, and money could trickle into West Palm Beach's CityPlace and Clematis Street corridor, she said.

Mayor Jeri Muoio said the developers have worked with the city as they explored concepts. She was unsure how soon construction would begin. "I think they're trying to decide to rehab it or start from scratch," she said.

The fashion outlet center is expected to open in 2013.

Palm Beach Mall was the first regional mall in Palm Beach County and has some of the best interstate access in South Florida, as it is easily seen off the Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard exit of Interstate 95.

The deal - which includes purchase of the majority of the mall from ORIX Capital Markets and parcels owned separately by Macy's and Dillard's department stores - was initially reported in a news release as worth $40 million. The representative who released the information, however, later backed off of that figure. Neither Karp nor representatives from Eastern Real Estate and ORIX returned messages today to provide more information.

Multiple owners had been considered an obstacle to pulling the main property out of foreclosure, filed in April 2009 on $55 million in loans.

The court-appointed receiver, Madison Marquette's Chuck Taylor, was traveling today and unavailable to comment, but his assistant said the property was still under contract and had not closed. Wells Fargo Bank financed the acquisition, according to the news release.

Dan Lynch, managing partner of Atlantic Retail Properties' Jupiter office who brokered the deal, said J.C. Penney Co. would be "part of the future of the project." The retailer, as well as George's Music, stuck it out at the mall, even posting a sign earlier this year that says: "Here to Stay."

Once construction starts, whether it's demolition of the million square feet of space opened in 1967 or renovation of the existing buildings, Muoio said city leaders and neighbors will be relieved to see the "dead space" revitalized.

Palm Beach Lakes South association President Bernard Macon said a new mall will bring back jobs for young people in his neighborhood, which lies just to the west of I-95. And it will give people, young and old, a place to go again.

He and his wife used to walk at the mall, Macon said.

"There's nothing exciting in there," Macon said of the mall now. "You want to see things to make the walk interesting."

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Alexandra Clough contributed to this story.

West Palm Beach officials have a suggestion for Palm Beach mall developers: add West to the name

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/west-palm-beach-officials-have-a-suggestion-for-2237998.html?005

WEST PALM BEACH — City leaders are urging developers of the Palm Beach Fashion Outlets to consider a name tweak to acknowledge the proposed retail complex's real home.

"I think the naming of the mall, West Palm Beach Fashion Mall, is a real important issue," City Commissioner Sylvia Moffett said, and she's pushing for the change.

It's just a suggestion, city Planning Manager Rick Greene told the development's designers, architects and lawyers assembled Wednesday for a meeting. But he told them to expect to hear it again.

Project planner Ken Tuma of Urban Design Kilday Studios and developer's representative Tom Carabine of Carabine and Associates - clearly the head guys at the meeting table - both said that kind of decision would be made up the ladder. New England Development CEO Stephen Karp didn't respond to requests for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Replacing the aging and mostly vacant Palm Beach Mall with a completely rebuilt center is a big score for the city. New England Development, a Massachusetts-based real estate firm, partnered with Eastern Real Estate and Lubert-Adler to buy the 80-acre mall in October for $35.5 million and the rebuild could add $150 million to the price.

Mayor Jeri Muoio said she's not concerned about the shopping center's name, because it will make a huge financial impact and bring back jobs. "I'm just happy they're here," she said.

In addition to keeping JCPenney, the lone retail chain holdout, and George's Music, developers are expected to bring in other major retailers, possible big-box chains and outlet versions of major retailers. What tips the excitement level is the luxury outlet lines expected to join the complex, such as Nordstrom Rack, Bloomingdale's Outlet Store and Last Call by Neiman Marcus. No outlet stores have been announced.

Wednesday was the first public airing of the fashion outlet plans, a review by a committee of city staff of the master plan and design guidelines and replatting of the property.

Some of the issues raised were broad ones, like the name. But a more urgent issue with city officials seemed to be the placement of the buildings.

Greene said the city would like the mall to "engage" Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard more than the preliminary site plan shows.

"We don't want to see a sea of parking," Greene said.

Tuma said after the meeting that he had just heard the suggestion for the first time, so he had no comment. Different layouts have different advantages, he said.

As tentatively proposed, a row of stores would capitalize on the interstate frontage for the view of motorists.

Most of the issues raised Wednesday were nuts-and-bolts needs, like making sure city police have access to the construction site and that it is well-lighted and secure.

Carabine said he hopes to start removing lead paint and asbestos in April so demolition can start soon . The plan is to build around existing businesses and move them later in phases.

Developers want to start construction in the fall and open a year later, Tuma said.

"We need to get everyone excited about this," he said.

Saw this in the above article that I hadn't seen before...
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/multimedia/dynamic/01392/PalmBeachFashionOu_1392792e.jpg