⛔️ Detour ahead
Welcome back. For you today: Tamarind still closed, 'remarkable' money for Vandy, billionaire on ice, waterfront future and the Miracle League.
‘It would never happen in El Cid:’ Tamarind closed another year
By Jane Musgrave
Three years after barricades went up on Tamarind Avenue, West Palm Beach officials quietly disclosed that residents of the long-ignored, historically Black neighborhood will be cut off from their main road for at least another year.
The $22 million project, set to be finished in May, is only 40% complete and won’t be wrapped up until June 2025, city officials said.
Leaders at the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, the downtown taxing agency that is bankrolling the “Tamarind Avenue Streetscape,” didn’t respond to emails for comment about the 14-month delay and yearslong shutdown.
A city spokesperson, who responded to an email Stet sent to district Commissioner Christy Fox, attributed the setback to a water line break that occurred in February 2021 — a month before construction began.
Those who live or own businesses in the neighborhood that for years has been plagued by shootings, drug deals and decay welcomed the long overdue improvements, which include redesigning and repaving the road, burying utility lines and replacing a 100-year-old water line.
But, they said, the delay is emblematic of the city’s treatment of the mostly Black neighborhood.
“I am concerned because it’s holding the neighborhood hostage,” said Darren Studstill, a former NFL safety who owns Cityside Suites Smart Office and Business Cafe on Rosemary Avenue. “One year is one thing, but you’re talking about possibly five years.”
“It would never happen in El Cid,” said the Riviera Beach native, referring to the upscale, largely white neighborhood along the Intracoastal Waterway south of downtown.
Studstill and his longtime friend, lawyer Bryan Boysaw, have given a lot of thought to the future of the neighborhood. But, they said they aren’t sure others see what’s coming.
During the ground-breaking for the project, Mayor Keith James said it showed the city’s “commitment to the revitalization of the historic Northwest neighborhood.”
CRA Director Christopher Roog agreed. “This is a really intentional step toward the mayor’s vision and the CRA’s vision of creating a community of opportunity for all,” he said.
But, Boyway and Studstill said, they worry the improvements aren’t being done for the folks who live there. They are being done for those who will replace them.
“It’s prospective,” said Boysaw, who has his law office in the neighborhood.
“It’s sad that the people who live here are not going to benefit,” Studstill agreed.
They pointed across the street from their businesses at Rosemary Avenue and Fourth Street where work is beginning on the 325-unit Soleste Palm Station. Its Miami developer calls it a “luxury multifamily apartment community, located in the highly affluent and trendy West Palm Beach.”
It will join two other recently completed eight-story apartment complexes, The Grand and Flagler Station. Add to that the city’s $20 million renovation of the Sunset Lounge, an attempt to restore the supper club and concert venue to its former grandeur when Duke Ellington, James Brown and other Black artists performed.
Elisa Miller, who grew up in West Palm Beach and now lives in New Jersey, is following development in the Tamarind Avenue neighborhood. When the CRA posted a rendering of what Tamarind Avenue will look like when the streetscape is complete, she wrote: “It looks beautiful but this is definitely gentrification,” ending with a crying emoji.
Vanderbilt’s $300 million play
The push to bring a graduate school campus of Vanderbilt University downtown surged as supporters converged April 1 at the Palm Beach home of billionaire real estate titan Stephen Ross and committed $100 million, Bloomberg first reported last week.
Also attending: The Nashville-based university’s chancellor, Daniel Diermeier, and likely, according to The Palm Beach Post, Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Diermeier met with several Palm Beach County commissioners earlier that day. Donations of 7 acres downtown — 5 owned by the county and 2 by the city of West Palm Beach — are key to the deal.
Supporters aim to raise $300 million, Bloomberg and The Post reported.
“It’s remarkable how much money they need to build a university here,” County Mayor Maria Sachs quipped.
She said her meeting did not touch on specifics and the county has not appointed a point person to oversee the deal.
“I’m very proud that they’re looking at us because it shows that we have some fine students here that would compete for a fine institution like Vanderbilt,” Sachs said.
District Commissioner Gregg Weiss said he believes Diermeier and lobbyist Harvey Oyer also have reached out to West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James, who is interested in hearing more.
James and the County Commission courted the University of Florida for the same property in 2021, a deal snagged by efforts to also include a neighboring 5 acres owned by billionaire Jeff Greene.
Ross, the largest owner of downtown office space, had pledged $50 million to bring UF, The Post reported.
Diermeier is expected to return to meet with more officials.
“We are assessing the potential for expanding our business education and computing programs to West Palm Beach,” he said in a statement. “We are at an early stage of discussions with local leaders.”
Stet broke the story of Vanderbilt’s interest in West Palm Beach on March 19. You can read the story here.
Billionaire loves hockey
A recently transplanted billionaire has thrown his support behind the nonprofit working to build an ice-rink complex in Palm Beach Gardens.
That’s important because the Palm Beach North Athletic Foundation’s first effort fell short of meeting fundraising goals.
Hedge fund manager Larry Robbins has committed “a substantial leadership gift,” the foundation said in a news release. The foundation has been working to bring an ice rink to the city since 2017.
A little background: Robbins, of Glenview Capital Management, is a former owner of the Chicago Steel, a junior hockey team. He grew up playing hockey in the Chicago suburbs. He is a former player and captain at the University of Pennsylvania and an 18-year youth coach at the North Jersey Avalanche.
Recent move: He paid $13.9 million for a 12,000-square-foot house in Gardens’ Old Palm Golf Club community northwest of PGA and Central boulevards in February.
Forbes lists him as the 1,545th-richest person in the world, with $2.2 billion in assets.
PBNAF, a nonprofit headed by financial adviser Mike Winter, also is backed by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, who plans to bring his Gretzky Hockey School there.
The effort reached a milestone Thursday when the Palm Beach Gardens City Council voted 4-0 with Marcie Tinsley recusing herself to approve a 40-year lease of Plant Drive Park to PBNAF.
The park, dedicated in 1968, is east of Military Trail and south of Burns Road behind Palm Beach Gardens High School.
The lease requires the demolition of a softball field dedicated to slain high school player Amanda Buckley and a skatepark. City officials said they would work with the community to find a new location for the softball field but didn’t reference the skatepark.
Yes, but: The lease can be canceled if PBNAF fails to raise $6.5 million in six months and all of the money for the $40 million project in 15 months.
What they’re saying: “My wife Sarahmay and I are thrilled to relocate our family to Palm Beach Gardens, an active, hardworking, and optimistic community whose only shortcoming is a current lack of ice skating facilities to serve the growing base of passionate hockey players and figure skaters,” Robbins said in a PBNAF news release.
Stet tipped you off to the council’s upcoming vote last week. You can read that story here.
🌴 WPB waterfront’s future is on the table
West Palm Beach’s review of its downtown waterfront gears up this month with three public meetings starting Thursday.
Why it’s important: Decisions in this city-driven process will affect West Palm Beach’s signature public asset for generations.
Flashback: Mayor Keith James launched the review last year after city commissioners bowed to public pressure and terminated negotiations for a downtown marina.
Yes, but: The Downtown Neighborhood Association has expressed eagerness to participate in discussions to enhance and beautify the waterfront.
But it rejects any proposal its leaders believe would impede the parklike atmosphere of the waterfront, including a marina.
“The waterfront linear park along Flagler Drive is the single most important public amenity for downtown residents and visitors alike. … It’s the ‘Central Park’ of downtown West Palm Beach, adding value to all of the private property throughout downtown because the amenity is accessible and enjoyable for everybody.”
Rick Rose, Downtown Neighborhood Association board member
Of note: Rose pointed out that since 1994 the city has looked at ways to improve the waterfront at least four times.
“As best I can tell, all of the initiatives which sought public input had the same result, which was that the public overwhelmingly supports retaining the parklike character of the downtown waterfront,” Rose said.
Meeting schedule:
Thursday 6-8 pm at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches.
Next Tuesday 6-8pm at the South Olive Tennis Center.
Saturday, April 20, 10am-noon, at the Mandel Public Library
Participate now via this community survey.
Disclosure: Rick Rose is a member of the Stet News’ advisory board.
🌄 The juice
Michael Singer, renowned sculptor and “environmental artist," died March 14 at age 78 in his Delray Beach home. He designed the West Palm Beach waterfront gardens, event spaces and floating docks. (The New York Times, gift link)
🏠 Basketball legend Michael Jordan paid $16.5 million for a second home in Jupiter’s Bear’s Club northeast of Donald Ross Road and Alternate A1A. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
⛑️ Sarah Stuebe, a Lake Worth Beach mom who saved her son after a baseball hit him during a Little League game, goes on the “Today” show to promote CPR training. (Today)
🌊 Florida Atlantic University reports a record number of admission applications. (WPBF)
561 Insider: Baseball’s Miracle field of dreams
Joel here with one of the lesser-known gems of Palm Beach County.
It was opening day Thursday for the Miracle League of Palm Beach County’s baseball season in Palm Beach Gardens, one of its two locations.
What is the Miracle League? It’s where kids ages 5 and up with physical and mental disabilities can achieve the dream of playing baseball.
Why’s that important? “They get to play and interact with frends and be part of a team,” said Jeff Kadel, who founded the league in 2007 in Delray Beach with his wife, Julia. “You see the smiles. These kids rarely get opportunities. It’s about making them feel special.”
It also brings up volunteer opportunities for high school athletes, as well as adults. Every player is assigned a buddy, who helps them swing the bat or run the bases.
“We’ve had buddies so inspired, they change their focus in college to special ed,” Kadel said.
Four teams of about 15 each ran through a gauntlet of buddies, parents and fans to take the field in Gardens on opening day, welcomed by the entire City Council and 14-year-old player Anelisse Lastre’s solo rendition of the National Anthem.
Palm Beach Gardens paid about $550,000 to provide the two synthetic-turf fields off of Burns Road near City Hall in 2020. Nova Riverside, which operates a local self-storage complex, contributed $350,000 of the sum.
Anelisse, who has autism, has been playing for about three years.
“The first time we went, I was in tears,” said her mother, Silvia Lastre. “Because growing up, baseball was my thing that I shared with my dad.
“It was very emotional for me when I saw her play for the first time.”
Kadel recalled another moving moment.
He was playing catch with a young boy when the boy’s father came up and took over the underhanded game of toss.
Suddenly, the father dropped the ball and walked off.
Kadel found him later, sobbing, in the corner of the dugout.
The father excused himself for leaving abruptly.
“I never thought I'd ever be able to play catch with my son,” he said.
“That’s when it really hit me,” Kadel said, “that you’re changing what people think on every level.”
To volunteer or join: Check out the league’s website here or email Kadel at jeff@mlpbc.com.
The story about the ice-rink complex in Palm Beach Gardens was corrected after publication to note that Larry Robbins is the former owner of the Chicago Steel hockey team. He sold it in 2023.
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