The third time’s the charm?
A proposal to redevelop and rehabiliate a historic swath of Delray Beach into a mixed-used development will go to the city commission for the third time, likely in February.
Hudson Holdings has tweaked its Midtown Delray Beach proposal six times over the last four years to appeal to detractors, who include a vocal group of preservationists concerned with the developer’s plan to demolish and relocate some historic structures there, according to the Palm Beach Post.
The city’s Historic Preservation Board rejected the project in December, but Hudson appealed on Tuesday and expects a hearing in front of the commission next month. The board rejected the proposal because of its size, although supports revitalizing the area. Midtown Delray Beach would include retail, condos and an underground parking lot.
Delray Beach has steadily grown over the last two decades with an influx of mixed-use development. The Midtown Delray Beach project site is located where what Hudson co-founder Steve Michael believes will “become a major retail corridor in Palm Beach County,” and would likely be transformative for an area that many in Delray Beach, including critics of Hudson’s project, say has historically been underserved. [PBP] — Dennis Lynch