Rendering of Related’s project
The Related Cos. can move forward with its proposal to build a 25-story luxury office tower in West Palm Beach after a city board approved creating a business district.
The city’s planning board voted 3-2 to approve the Okeechobee Business District, which would support the development of luxury office buildings in a waterfront zone at Flagler Drive and Okeechobee Boulevard. Opponents criticized the business district, arguing it was “spot zoning” and would add to the already congested traffic in the area, according to the Palm Beach Post.
The board also OK’d Related Group and Rybovich’s plan to build two 24-story apartment towers on North Flagler Drive, and voted to allow for medical marijuana dispensaries to open in parts of West Palm Beach.
The city commission, which voted to kill the business district last year, has the final vote on the planning board’s approvals. Since the Okeechobee plan was voted down in September, two new commissioners were elected.
[Palm Beach Post] – Katherine Kallergis