Downtown Phenomenology

THE DOWNTOWN PHENOMENOLOGY

BY

CAMILO LOPEZ + ALEXANDER BIRAY

PALMETTO

AND

FEDERAL

DOWNTOWN BOCA RATON REDEVELOPMENT

FOR

PLANNING PROJECT URP 4979

AT

FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY

URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING

Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................ 1 Chapter 2: Good Urbanism ..................................................... 10 Chapter 3: Planning Context ................................................... 18 Figure 3-1 ............................................................................... 21 Figure 3-2 ............................................................................... 26 Figure 3-3 ............................................................................... 29 Figure 3-4 ............................................................................... 31 Figure 3-5 ............................................................................... 32 Chapter 4: Problem Statement and Research Methodology . 33 Chapter 5: Analysis and Findings ............................................ 40 Chapter 6: The Plan ................................................................. 44 Conclusion ................................................................................ 51 References................................................................................ 52

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Chapter 1: Introduction The

United

Nations

Human

Settlements

Programme

(UN-HABITAT)

expects that sixty percent of the world's population will live in cities by 2030 (UN-HABITAT 2004). While many predictions from said body are controversial and sometimes dubious, rapid urbanized area growth is indeed coherent with the prediction, because over half of the world was reported to live in urbanized areas as early as 2008 (UN-HABITAT 2008). As a result of mass urbanization, proper urban planning is necessary to solve many of the generalized problems which the world presently faces.

Like looking at the core of all said problems, looking at the core of urban planning problems reveals the principle issues.

Traditionally, downtowns are

the core of cities. The term “city� is coined as the development of organized societies based on commercial elements, in contrast to rural isolated towns which revolve around agriculture and simple living. During the development of cities, or anything in a state of transformation and growth, it is certain most of the times this evolution begins from one nucleus, also called an origin point.

Explained as an atomic model, this fundamental starting point is the force which everything is derived from while also holding everything together. The city revolves and sprawls from that point, always being constrained to its origins.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Concerning what exactly this “nucleus” is, what is it composed of, and why or how is it able hold a city’s structure, social structure comes to question.

It is not difficult to comprehend that humanity is part of a "civilized" group that revolves around an economic system. Economic systems have ultimately brought order society. Since ancient civilization, the concept of trading goods and working the land were adopted by humanity in the pursuit of survival and well-being. To this day, the origin point of society works around a system of trading goods and services through commercial activity. As nucleus of cities is often the downtown area, also referred to as the central business district (CBD), contains most of the financial stability (commerce), and ruling forces (governmental). Even today, with the prevalence of urban sprawl, downtown serves as a magnet point that holds everything together.

Within

downtown

districts,

buzzwords

such

as

“revitalization,”

“renaissance,” and most importantly, “redevelopment,” have become common words in the urban planning field. In pursuit of the betterment of the core of cities, which have experienced new challenges in the past fifty years, redevelopment generally refers to the idea of new construction or considerable renovation of an existing tangible structure on a site previously used for something else. Consequently, downtown redevelopment has become a major force and/or component of urban planning within the context of improving society.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Within the United States, Federal and individual State statutes give city governments the authority to establish community redevelopment agencies (CRA) to create long-term plans to achieve said goals of “redevelopment.� As also required by law, these plans must be drafted with community involvement.

However, plans are not always executed correctly, and counterintuitive diversions tend to occur. As CRA plans are important to facilitate downtown redevelopment in a desired direction, they are imperative to the well-being of urbanized areas.

In this composition, the current practices of redevelopment within downtown areas will be examined, specifically using a private development proposal from Downtown Boca Raton, Florida. As an integral city of the South Florida Metropolitan Area, this redevelopment project is frankly not consistent with downtown redevelopment plans as alluded to, and a counter-proposal will be suggested.

This counter-proposal, which not only is consistent with ideal

redevelopment patterns of the city, also implements the best solutions of the latest, while also neo-traditionalist, urban planning practices. These practices are also important in the context of addressing issues which the CRA plan has been unable to actually do so itself, and are ideal changes and amendments to the plan. The development pattern of Downtown Boca Raton is scattered and the pieces are isolated, and while a plethora of uses exist, it is not feasible for business to operate, residents to live, work, leisure, and serve as an attraction to visitors.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Location and Vision The site location is on the southeast corner of Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway within the Boca Raton Downtown Development Regional Impact (DDRI) zone, which makes up the majority of the central business district area. The site encompasses an entire block, bounded by said streets to the north and east respectively, and East Royal Palm Road to the south and Southeast 1 s t Avenue west.

To the immediate north and south are low-rise

shops and restaurants, west is a stand-alone bank, and east is the 120 East Palmetto Park office building with a newly-constructed motor court.

The

northeast corner contains the One City Center office building, and the southwest is a construction site for rental apartments.

For over twenty-five

years, the site has been used as a private parking lot, following the demolition of derelict low-rise businesses for major redevelopment speculation which never occurred.

The counter-proposal will be based on maximum utilization evoked from the previous proposals, while adjusted to suit today’s market conditions to foster long-term economic growth and emphasize sustainability. The vision is a 150-foot tower with a luxury hotel and executive office space above in a “piggy-back” configuration. The ground floor will include retail facing Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway. Service entrances will be concealed along 1 s t Avenue, as well as the parking garage parallel Royal Palm Road and the neighboring motor court.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Rationale for the Project In 2013, single-family residential developer Kolter Homes, L. L. C. proposed a thirteen-story 200-room Hyatt Place hotel on the site (Roach 2013).

Considering the prominent and centralized location, as well as the plans and lack of mixed-use, this is inefficient utilization of the land. As the proposed hotel is a mid-range limited-service accommodation, it is more appropriate for a city like Boca along a feeder or side street. A comparable Hyatt Place hotel location in the nearby City of West Palm Beach, while also existing at a prime location similar to that of Boca Raton, is presented more as an infill project for an already built-out block, contrary to the state of Boca’s barren parking block.

The neighboring City of Delray Beach to the north also has a Hyatt Place downtown, albeit a block away from Atlantic Avenue, its main street.

Furthermore, as explained in the upcoming section, multiple proposals have been made for the site in the past, all of which were more ambitious and compatible than the Kolter proposal. Inspired by these previous proposals, a mixed-use tower will facilitate downtown Boca Raton’s economic vitality and provide a better sense of place.

It will connect the southern areas of

downtown below Palmetto Park Road, which have not been as successful, to the northern successful Mizner Park area, which is an important and economically viable node within the downtown Boca Raton area. Connecting these areas efficiently will ensure a trickle-down effect to revitalize more businesses.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Background Information Since the early-1980s, numerous proposals have surfaced for the site.

The first proposal by Crocker Partners, later developers of Mizner Park, proposed an office tower dubbed the “McNulty Building.”

The proposal was

stale, and subsequently, Barbar & Associates, developers of Woodfield Country Club, proposed a large mixed-use complex the “Boca Financial Center,” albeit dubbed the “Barbar Center."

The project’s estimated cost was $175 million,

and would have included 1.5 million square feet of commercial space and a hotel on 14.5 acres of land (Nunes, 1990). Since then, many blocks the center would have encompassed have been developed, mainly during the 2000s real estate boom.

In 2008, Ram Realty Services and Stiles Corporation proposed the “Palmetto Park City Center,” or “Ram Project.” The original proposal called for a mixed use office and hotel tower on the current site, and the block immediately to the southeast for rental apartments (da Costa, 2009).

The

former was scrapped, and the residential component, now called “The Mark at CityScape,” is the only component of the development and is currently under construction.

In 2013, Ram and Stiles transferred development rights of the

site to Kolter, who is currently proposing a smaller scale development incongruent to its location and surrounding larger-scale developments from more recent times.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Objectives The overall objective towards the proposal is based upon numerous questions concerning the subject site.

Why has the southeast corner of

Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway been vacant for such a long time, and why have proposals in the past failed one after the other?

The proposal

currently in place by Kolter is of a much smaller scale than previous proposals, and is this based on the preface that ambitious projects fail? If so, how can a better project successfully be developed without failure? What are the current socioeconomic trends of the area, and are they in line with the city’s and community redevelopment agency’s mindset for downtown development already established?

The overall objective of the project proposal is to essentially find and understand the answers to the aforementioned questions, and through the research acquired, propose a new centerpiece project for the City of Boca Raton’s downtown area, with justification towards why it is inherently of superior use and utilization of the land than the current Kolter proposal, and why

the

addition

of

upscale

office

space,

hospitality,

and

retail

accommodations is more appropriate for the location. Furthermore, it should be justified how the proposal will serve and connect existing areas. All if any conflicts identified must be presented to have viable solutions that can be implements.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Methods Study Site and Design An eleven phase process will be carried out in the study.

The current

conditions of the site will be examined prior to planning the development.

Currently a parking lot, it shall be identified who the parking lot currently serves, and how overall parking will be affected when redeveloped.

For

example, parking calculations for neighboring businesses may take into account the site, and once it is developed, there would be insufficient parking.

This

may require the construction of an offsite garage conditionally at approval, if the garage serving the new development is off limits to the said unrelated businesses.

Furthermore, traffic patterns must be identified to ensure if the existing traffic calming devices in place are effective, or in need of improvement, which may also be a condition on approval. The design of the proposal itself must be within the confines of the city code, and prior to official submittal for approval, preliminary steps including planning advisory should be taken to predict any issues which would otherwise inhibit the project from breaking ground for construction.

For example, the proposal will likely require setbacks to allow

for a larger sidewalk to warrant the construction of outdoor restaurant seating.

Additionally, numerous boards including planning and zoning, as well as the CRA will likely make suggestions as well.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Data Analysis From the data retrieved, not only will it serve to understand the parking situation within the downtown area, but also how much parking will be required for the proposal beyond the language of the city code, and the brevity of traffic accumulated.

Data will also be crucial to target the area

demographics, both local and city-wide, and prospective visitors. As previously stated, further costs may arise to solve any problems which would otherwise stall the development.

From these findings, a total cost and its associated

eccentricity based upon various options can be calculated, which may ultimately be influential in decisions on how the final outcome of the project will be compared to the conceptual and earlier proposals.

Planning Approaches and Techniques Numerous planning approaches and techniques will be utilized to ensure the execution of a successful project. A SWOT analysis, and the extent of the site in relation to the central business district and the city a whole, in essence a micro to macro comparison or vise-versa, will be taken into account to better understand the existing components of the city.

This includes, but is not

limited to, the history, evolution, and future projections of downtown Boca Raton and the city itself as a whole.

Also, a land value analysis will be

conducted to help index the economic viability of the area, including whether

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

it’s subject to growth or not. Furthermore, the opinions of city officials must be taken into consideration, and whether they conflict with how the proposal offers compared to previous instances, and the current Kolter plan. While city council members are elected by residents to represent their own views, sometimes this can deviate, especially among boards that council members and other elected officials appoint members to. To ensure the least amount of bias possible, nearby business owners and residents will also be interviewed by separate agencies about their opinion concerning the site.

Chapter 2: Good Urbanism Following

almost

a

quarter

century

of

suburban

sprawl

trends,

reinvestment within urban and exurban environments has arisen both within the United States and internationally.

Spearheaded by fairly new concepts

such as New Urbanism (“NU”), smart cities, and other environmental concerns, many winning results have been classified as “good” urbanism. However, many examples are subjective and specific only towards the context of location.

Nevertheless, there are unanimous dos and don’ts to what accounts for good urbanism. A proposed Hyatt Place hotel in Downtown Boca Raton, Florida, a unique city on the account of its varying environment, is frankly inappropriate to the context of this anywhere.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Defining "Good Urbanism" Good Urbanism refers to the positive outcomes of organized urban areas under

pragmatic

and

institutionalized

methodologies.

The

critical

acknowledgement at the point of tactic selection is to understand the difference between the strategy to use and the applicability to its context (Grant 2006). In the comprehension of the latter, seats the potential success of generating the right place for the right people.

Good urbanism is coined

with the idea of generating economic vitality, community stability, and environmental health (Sultana et al. 2009).

In today's social urbanized

civilization, it is no doubt that economics factor are the driving force in which all other components of our society orbit around. The material component of our society indeed it could be coined as an element that prioritizes our principles of importance.

Society might undervalue other non-monetary components of our communities, such as, the emotional, cultural, and historical. However, money supply and demand is needed for order, and the social aspects needed for people provide us with equilibrium of forces.

Local approaches to urban

developments in urban areas in favor of said forces (Sultana et al. 2009). The false trap of selling an ideal perfect picture of a planned community does not work.

Since ideal people do not exist and urban planners/designers tend to

romanticize with such ideals that do not necessarily apply to every context, one size does not fit all.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

In general terms, we might say that urbanism refers to the practice of implementing walkable, connectable, mixed-use, diverse, and sustainable communities.

The walkability of an urban place is vital to the livability and

success of such.

In the instance that people are provided and motivated to

walk in safe joyful realms, the livelihood of the place is increased by the people's interaction and social building skills.

Wider sidewalks with lighting

fixtures, vegetation (trees canopies), and retail uses at the ground level are part of the elements being utilized.

Connectable entities are of great

importance in the urban realm (Henderson 2013).

In the event of a new

development in any realm it is imperative to provide the intended user with possible connecting routes from one place to another. It is in our nature to move around form one place to another for natural needs. In the hands of the designer lies the responsibility of generating straightforward city grids, narrow streets, and pedestrian comfort for the betterment of all.

The implementation of high walls along slim streets or pathways generates a sense of safety and comfort. People related to these sensations as being protected from external components, such as, the wilderness. Mixed-use characteristics in land use are of great importance in urbanism tactics.

The

way designers designated the kinds of activities that would take place in any given space are the key factors in the success of such. mixed-use

we

tend

to

think

of

a

space

that

is

When we think of

flexible

to

multiple

transformations in its use. For urban designers and architects it may refer to 12

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

the implementation of a variety of uses that enhance will generate a variety of activities in an entity. For instance, in a downtown project redevelopment it is imperative to accommodate the type of activities that are potentially occurring in that location, such as, retail, commercial, bars/cafes, parking, offices, amenities, and living into one complex.

Diverse communities refer to the

multi-social agitators of an urban place.

It is important to understand the

various types of behaviors and accommodate places that could gather and unify everybody (Sultana et al. 2009).

While it all sounds like the perfect and

idolized utopian society, the reality is people with their own culture, believes, and ways of life might prefer to be around those of their own. It is more of the idea that likes are with likes and dislikes are with dislikes.

The sustainable factor of an urbanized community refers to the idea of the environmental concern. It is a new thought in the recent years that we are being exposed to the necessity of being aware of the impacts that we as a society and with our products are generating to our environment.

The

development of new technological has enabled us to discover and analyze aspects of the world unknown before.

In urban planning, design, and

architecture we tend to address the sustainable factor by implementing conscious environmental decisions, such as, the use of recycle and up-cycle building materials, the use of renewable energy, the use and reuse of water sources, and the preservation of natural habitats.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

The aesthetical value and community value are of great importance in the creation of an urban setting. In occasions providing the community with aesthetically pleasing edifices does not address the underlying issues that cause community and place disconnection (Sultana et al. 2009).

We might

comprehend the idea that putting make-up on the face might make a person look better.

But in reality the bare face is in fact what that person is.

We

understand that aesthetics generate an impact in how we perceive the world around us, and it is important to implement as a component for better developments (Taylor 2009).

Downtown Redevelopment The idea of re-developing what is theoretically supposed to be the most developed area of a city seems counterintuitive. However, it is commonplace in recent times to see such a trend worldwide.

Dagney Faulk of Indiana

University laid out an eight-stage process normally observed for traditional American “wagon wheel� cities.

As sprawl and decentralization occur,

residential inner-city areas and inner-ring suburbs are rendered obsolete by the general public.

Subsequently, retail traditionally found in the central

business district is duplicated in suburban environments at auto-centric shopping centers. As a result, the role of downtown as a commercial center is diminished. Subsequently, high vacancies rates and blight foster the necessity to form agencies or associations to advocate redevelopment (Faulk 2006).

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

The City of Boca Raton, while inherently suburban in nature, with polycentric

nodes,

possesses

a

traditional

downtown

which

has

seen

investment within the past twenty-five years along the lines of how Faulk describes. Much of these single and unrelated development projects have also been developed as “city within a city concept,” which ultimately attempted to create urban environments surrounded by post-war suburban development (Forsyth and Crewe 2009).

One such development, Mizner Park, stylized in

1988, opening in 1991 as a new urbanist lifestyle center, meets all the criteria Forsyth and Crewe list in creating more attractive suburban places.

This

includes, aesthetics, style, place, and satisfaction and popularity.

Despite Mizner Park’s metamorphosis as a public-private collaboration between a private developer and the city Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), it has not solved the bottom line issue of revitalizing Downtown Boca Raton. It is poorly connected to the rest of the downtown area, and despite its innovative architecture of the time as a reference to the city’s past and mostly forgotten vision, it has been criticized as setting a precedent to the city’s development status quo, by creating monotonous guidelines and standards, which stifle experimentation for future innovation, which led way Mizner Park’s unconventionality in the first place.

This also mirrors Forsyth and Crewe

concerning the suburban city of Irvine, California, which is divided into internally monotonous “villages” with limited connectivity.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

In the mid-2000s, a revised Downtown masterplan was drafted, focusing on the connectivity of different redeveloped sites and proposed redevelopment locations. Information, mainly statistics, was gathered through digital means in the drafting of the plan, and information was provided to the public online.

This idea of a smart-city is important to the further prosperity to Downtown Boca Raton, and these steps were some of earliest actions (Gresh 2013).

In

2005, Hurricane Wilma damaged the region and seemingly setback the plans.

However,

it

also

allowed

for

the

reactionary

addition

of

emergency

management, and awareness on the environment and possible changes in climate.

Infrastructure is another important component of smart cities, and

while the city has embarked on costly capital improvement programs to improve the streetscape in recent years, traffic calms has only recently been addressed.

However, since the economic downturn in late-2008, the dynamics of redevelopment has changed contrary to the citywide comprehensive and downtown-specific plans. Many aspects aforementioned within the plan have been ignored and disregarded, such as traffic, connectivity, and public transportation improvements.

As a result most proposals and projects

currently under construction are respective to the current economic turmoil, while also following the same excluding design guidelines as real estate boomera condominiums, most of which have not been as successful as Mizner Park initially was. At one site in particular, numerous proposals have been made to 16

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

create a “crown jewel� for CBD. However, the most recent proposal, a middleof-the-road market Hyatt Place hotel, also while a sign of the economic turmoil, is not a viable commitment concerning the vision of the area as a mixed-use destination with less automobile dependency, and more fluvial connectivity.

Scope of Work In relation to good urbanism, the proposed Hyatt Place development does not meet any of the criteria of good urbanism.

The proposal must

understand that economic based strategies might not be the only component to the success of the place.

In the current proposal of the Hyatt hotel in

Downtown Boca Raton walkable edges are shown vaguely as an attempt to revitalize that specific locale. The implementation of tall facades and narrow implemented streets within its site are elements of a connectable community.

Furthermore, no apparent sustainable elements of the design are being implemented. The Hyatt project in Downtown Boca Raton covers up underlying social and collaborative absence through the use of ideal urbanism techniques.

The project responds to the majority of the new urbanism components that are being prescribe as the ideals for a "good community."

Nevertheless, the

project lacks a profound connection with the site's physical and non-physical contextual aspects.

The project is disconnected from what the history that

Boca Raton is all about. The implementation of new developments in urbanized 17

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

downtown areas are categorized as successful when they enhance the ability to create a sense of place, as it was before in traditional downtown areas (Faulk 2006).

If the proposal were to be re-considered in its execution, or the ensuing counter-proposal is executed, the majority of the criteria on what is classified as good urbanism, will be fulfilled and a better project will foster a better community.

Chapter 3: Planning Context Existing Plan Context Downtown Boca Raton generated an updated version of its original master plan in August, 2007 by the Community Redevelopment Agency in adjunct with the city's planning staff and Urban Design Associates, a private firm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Urban Design Associates 2007). The master plan is used as a design guideline for future developments and the overall vision of the downtown. Boca Raton has constantly been in "improvement" of their downtown area through redevelopment projects.

Redevelopment is

defined by the downtown CRA as a "long range commitment to a public policy to enhance the downtown for present and future generations to live, work, and enjoy" (Urban Design Associates 2007).

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Location Context Downtown Boca Raton is situated in a centralized location of the city with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. The site is surrounded by residential communities, bodies of water, institutions, places of major employment and green open spaces.

On the northeast side outside the boundaries of the

downtown center are R-1-D (one family dwelling, ~1,250 square feet) residences of the Boca Villas subdivision.

This residential neighborhood is

linked to the downtown area by Northeast Mizner Boulevard. On the east side is Lake of Boca Raton, which serves as a buffer between downtown and the barrier island coastal zone.

Palmetto Park Road crosses the lake connecting

the inland downtown to the ocean front.

It is important to remark the critical function that Palmetto Park Road serves for downtown Boca and for the city itself.

This road links the city’s

west-east orientation from major intersections, such as, Interstate 95 and Federal Highway to the Atlantic Ocean. On the southeast side of the downtown area is a large green open space which houses the Boca Raton Resort and Club, a renowned five-star vacation attraction. The green site is currently utilized as a golf course for the resort. The site is linked to downtown by Camino Real and Southeast 5 t h Avenue. On the south side of downtown are R-3-B multi-family dwellings with an average size of 2,200+ sq. ft. This locale is directly linked to the area by North Federal Highways.

The southwest side is composed of

various land uses, such as, the St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, municpal 19

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

cemetery, community business (B-2), and professional office and institutional (PO&I) uses. The majority of these places are linked to downtown by the Dixie Highway.

On the west side of the downtown there are a series of R-2 (two

family dwellings) and R-3 (multi-family dwellings) residences.

On the

northwest side of the Palmetto corridor are a variety of land uses, such as, LB (civic center and limited business), R-1-D (single-family), R-4 (multi-family), and the Boca Raton Christian School.

These residential, civic, and educational

places are linked to the central business district area by Crawford Boulevard and Palmetto Park Road. Lastly, the north side of the downtown area contains R-3 (multi-family), PUD (planned unit development), M-1 (light industry), C-1 (commercial), and LB (civic center and limited business) uses. These facilities are connected by Dixie Highway.

The downtown area is illustrated on the

following page in Figure 3-1.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

St. Joan of Arc Catholic School

Figure 3-1. Contextual Map showing Downtown Boca Raton and vicinity.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Planning History Historical records indicate the earliest inhabitants of the planning area were the Tequesta Indians, who lived primarily along the southeast coast of Florida up to their eighteenth century demise.

The extension of the Florida

East Coast Railway (FEC) from Palm Beach to Miami, and ultimately Key West, as well as the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), opened the area for modern settlement. In 1895, pioneer Thomas Rickards settled on the north shore of Lake Boca Raton, and began clearing and selling plats of land. In 1913, Harley and Harriet Gates purchased five acres along the ICW, and established the “Palmetto Park Plantation” homestead. By 1917, a bridge was constructed across the canal, essentially establishing the route of “Palmetto Park Road” today.

By the 1920s, the area’s pioneer days were over, as the real estate

boom facilitated by J. C. Mitchell began to shape the community.

Mitchell would later serve as the president of the city’s Chamber of Commerce and mayor from 1939 to 1949.

The City of Boca Raton was

incorporated in 1925, and by speculative measures, the new city commissioned Addison Mizner of Palm Beach estate fame to develop a world-class resort.

Only a small portion of the plans were executed before the great depression, but would later serve as an influence in the contemporary era.

Following the Great Depression and World War II, the area was largely influenced by suburbanization, which laid out streets intertwined with the prewar plats.

Historically, the city’s main thoroughfare has been “Boca Raton 22

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Road,” today between First Avenue and Mizner Boulevard (formerly 2 n d Avenue).

In 1963, the city’s first shopping center, Royal Palm Plaza, was

constructed to accommodate the beach resort clientele that arose from the expansion of Mizner’s small-scale Cloister Inn into a different breed of resort than was envisioned in the 1920s.

The majority of commerce for the city’s

populace was outside of the historic downtown area and along northern Federal Highway’s strip malls, in what is designated today the “Motel Business District”, or R-B-1.

In the early-1970s, concerns of unprecedented growth seen throughout the 1960s became of concern to many residents, and a referendum was passed by the city calling for a 40,000 dwelling-unit “growth cap.” By 1980, this was deemed a failure, being overturned in 1976 by county courts on the basis that the 40,000 figure was “arbitrary,” and ultimately the city abandoned the fight after millions of dollars spent in appeals.

Current Planning Status In 1980, the city council approved the establishment of a community redevelopment agency (CRA), per Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes. The main goal of the CRA was to revitalize the downtown area designated at 344 acres, and neglected after years of sprawl and westward investment.

Two

years later, an initial plan was adopted, with the intentions of fostering economic growth through private development by setting up “land use 23

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

controls, transportation and parking concepts and sign guidelines to aid in the achievement of specific redevelopment objectives� (City of Boca Raton 2006).

Even today, certain essential aspects of the plan, including transportation and traffic, have been poorly addressed.

While little successful development took place at first, the CRA executed one of its first initiatives – the redevelopment of Sanborn Square in relation to the historically-restored former City Hall to the Historical Society museum. In the process, Boca Raton Road between Federal Highway and First Avenue was eliminated, so the park could be extended.

In 1985, the Historical Society

purchased the former FEC Railway station, finishing restoration in 1988. Both these projects are considered crucial in the establishment of a unified Addison Mizner architecture style for the city and specifically its downtown area, based on their rediscovered sentimentality.

The redevelopment of a derelict shopping mall into a mixed-use lifestyle center called Mizner Park is perhaps the best of the CRA’s accomplishments.

The center conformed to all guidelines set by the agency over the years, while promising to provide a viable return of investment. However, bonds valued at $68 million in 1989 were refinanced twice, both in 1992 and 1998, in vain of lower interest rates (City of Boca Raton, 2006)

Since then, Mizner Park has

served merely as any conventional shopping center, only attracting customers within its confines, especially considering its poor interaction along major downtown street, which discourages further pedestrian activity.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

At the height of the 2000s real estate bubble, many fragmented parcels of land that stood vacant for decades were developed into condominium towers.

Since 2007, the city embarked on a revision of its twenty year-old

plan, focused on the Palmetto and Federal intersection, and Palmetto Park Road corridor, east of Mizner Boulevard.

Specifically tailoring towards a

proposal by Ram Real Estate, the area height limit was increased, and more capital improvements throughout downtown were carried out. First Avenue is currently under refurbishment to act as a pedestrian “spine� between Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place.

However, the erratic market conditions have

caused Ram to shelve its plans for a grand office tower, and the land was sold to another party.

While redevelopment and construction has resumed, only

now with rental apartments, there are little to no unifying factors to foster downtown to achieve its full originally-envisioned potential.

Surrounding Neighborhoods As shown in Figure 3-2, downtown Boca Raton is surrounded by a number of communities, all of which are primarily conventional suburban residential subdivisions platted after World War II.

Over the years, the changes in the

downtown area have trickled to neighborhoods east of the FEC line, creating a positive impact towards these older developments, with dilapidated 1950s ranch houses being replaced by McMansions and sometimes even high-density, multi-family dwellings following zoning approval.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Figure 3-2. Downtown Boca Raton area subdivisions.

Bible Conference Estates:

Named after an event held at the Boca Raton

Community Church within the neighborhood, and one of the only areas of the city without a seemingly flat elevation, it contains some of Boca’s only houses with basements. Most houses appear to have been built in the late-1950s to 60s, with some large-scale renovations and reconstructions.

Beulah Heights:

A single street of 1950s ranch bungalows, and an expanded

upon, two floor pueblo-style residence. The latter has done little to facilitate residents to improve their properties, and no sidewalks are present.

Boca Raton Heights:

A neighborhood consisting of both single-family ranch

homes and duplexes. Currently, a capital improvement project to replace the 26

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

sidewalks and wooden utility poles to concrete is taking place, but the aesthetics are minimal compared to downtown.

Boca Villas: Since the 2000s real estate bubble, many of 1950s ranch homes that make up this neighborhood have been demolished and replaced with McMansions of diverse architectural styles. Many lots are empty and awaiting construction following the late-2000s economic conditions. In the recent past, street intersections have been replaced by ornate roundabouts to reflect this transition.

King’s Court: Encompassing several streets immediately north of Palmetto Park Road, Kings Court contains single family homes flanked by strips of townhome development along East Boca Raton Road at Mizner Boulevard and 5th Avenue.

Spanish Village:

The only pre-war subdivision classified as a proper

neighborhood within the vicinity of downtown. Developed by Addison Mizner as a lower-class area to his higher-class residential area of Floresta, the remaining lots were built out in the 1950s. Many of surviving houses from the 1920s are unrecognizable from additions and alterations, but some have been renovated to better reflect their original appearances.

Recently, overhead

utilities have been changed in a similar fashion to what is being done in Boca Raton Heights.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

S.W.O.T Analysis Boca Raton residents and key figures in the community participated in a workshop event that sought a contextual understanding of the downtown area.

Through this exercise, the CRA, other organization members, and the master plan developers attempted to determine the best suitable planning decisions which would enhance the overall vision.

In an attempt to determine the strengths of the study area, participants were given base maps with three green dots, three red dots, and three blue dots.

The green dots represented the strong positive sites within the

downtown area that the community saw as exemplary developments for the future. These are places that are actively used, enhance a sense of security, in regards, to the pedestrian usability, economic growth, sense of place, culture, and environmentally sensitivity (as shown in Figure 3-3).

The red dots

represented the weak locations of downtown based on varying criteria's (as shown in Figure 3-3).

Bad connectivity within the downtown and the outer

neighborhoods was one of the major issues after tabulation of results. Another criteria that came about during the exercise was the poor treatment to redevelopments and the usage of parcels.

A decent amount of results

concluded that places along Palmetto Park Road lack of sense of place.

It

seems as if developers built with absolute disregard to the integrating overall downtown vision. Naturally the latter might and have to abide by the design guidelines and regulations superimposed by the CRA and planning officials.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Therefore, the real issue might be originated from poor planning guidelines, strategies, and not having a clear vision. Abandoned and rundown parcels on Palmetto Park Road are of common existence.

It is not acceptable that the

major roadway in downtown Boca is not on its optimal conditions. The site is not pedestrian friendly as an overall downtown area with potential to be within walkable distances. turmoil

that

Vehicular congestion at major intersections is another

generates

disapproval.

Participants

felt

that

the

major

intersection of Palmetto Park Road and North Federal Highway lacks character and sense of place. The participants were asked to locate blue dots on places where they found a potential (opportunities) site for improvement (as shown in Figure 3-3).

Figure 3-3.

Strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in the downtown area.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

One of the major concentrations of blue dots, not surprisingly, was found along

Palmetto

Park

Road

The

need

for

improvement

in

Palmetto's

transportation and general movement of pedestrians is imperative for the overall success of such urban realm.

First, is the needed establishment of

clearly defined entry and exit ways to the downtown, the continuity of its urban fabric in a cohesive evolvement to its neighbors from residential, to commercial, civic, cultural, and ultimately the heart of downtown. Second, the overall places and activities within downtown must work in a harmonical manner. Today, it seems as if the downtown is composed of different places acting on their own right. The opportunity for a lively downtown area arises due to its diverse use of land. Third, movement within the downtown must be pedestrian oriented. The Palmetto Park Road corridor could eventually become the lively heart of downtown through a clear vision and design guidelines.

Pedestrian activity could be achieved by implementing wider sidewalks, vegetation (tree shading), parallel parking (buffer promoting reduced speed), and land uses at ground level (bars, restaurants, and shops).

All of these

strategies are intended to motivate people to be there, to be watched, and to watch others. Fourth, the integration of cultural, civic, mixed-use, and natural places as a single entity.

The generation of a smooth transition that would

connect on place to another, as mentioned before. The major threat that was set forth by the participants in the city-wise exercise was the disconnection of the downtown area (as illustrated on Figure 3-4).

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The latter is currently

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

perceived as a collection at separate places. Various land usage and activities are gathered within delineated site boundaries (downtown itself).

The

community and rational personalities that seek the lively vision of downtown saw a threat on unsustainable development. They feared that developers keep creating a sense of division within members of the same whole. Naturally, it is understood that developers are indeed needed for the growth of an urban environment, but, the city and CRA officials must impose the vision of the community and collaborate with the private sector for the betterment of all.

Figure 3-4. Flowchart of major threat evolution.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

In summary of the analysis, the community developed a plan of action on what they saw as immediate threats to the downtown area (as shown in Figure 3-5).

Critical policy changes will be required to facilitate public and private

investment, as well as redevelopment and design decisions. The development of a better route connection between the Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place is needed.

This would in part revitalize Sanborn Square as a focal point that

would gather an increase in pedestrian activity, and with a defined purpose.

The streetscape on Palmetto Park Road going east should serve as an activator of lively pedestrian activity towards the beach. Finally the Palmetto Park Road and North Federal Highway intersection should serve as the center of downtown.

Figure 3-5. Summary of downtown issues showing poor pedestrian connection.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Chapter 4: Methodology With the sudden surge of development proposals within the downtown area of Boca Raton, the dynamics of the city are rapidly changing at an unprecedented rate. Taking the principals of New Urbanism (“NU�), smart cities, and environmental sustainability, into consideration, the legitimacy of each project must be critically evaluated. The provisions set forth in the downtown masterplan are an attempt to achieve such, but there tends to be discrepancies between a proposed project and context of the plan.

As a result, many

developments previously built have led to poor connectivity and circulation within the downtown area. A recent submittal of plans to construct a Hyatt Place hotel at a major interchange, further justifies this claim.

In the effort to create a better downtown through the concepts of good urbanism, numerous studies will be conducted to affirm the aforementioned claims. Using a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, a broad number of key components will be brought to attention. Based on this explanatory initiative of research, a counter-proposal will be crafted.

Background The area of Boca Raton designated by its respective Community Development Agency (CRA) is a 344 acre area roughly bounded by the northern section of Mizner Park and Camino Real to the south, and the FEC line to the west and Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to the east.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Some areas outside of these confines are also within the CRA area, but are not necessarily affected by the issues denoted in the next section.

Within the past twenty years, numerous developments have been built in Downtown Boca Raton. The most notable by Crocker Partners called Mizner Park, can perhaps best be described as an “urban oasis.” While the development has great connectivity and circulation within itself, both important aspects of good urbanism, it is poorly connected to the rest of the downtown. Blocks abruptly end surrounding it, and the west side of the center has no interaction with the street, as it faces parking garages and service entrances. However, to some extent, the latter problem is unsolvable on the notion that Federal Highway is a major thoroughfare with higher speed traffic, and crossing can only be limited to major traffic intersections.

Furthermore, Mizner more or less serves as a northern terminus for the

downtown area, along Plaza Real, the street it is composed of, to the amphitheater.

Smaller scale developments are primarily located south of Palmetto Park Road, which is also a major thoroughfare with traffic conditions comparable to Federal Highway. Most of this development is residential with a retail component, and office with retail component usually composed only of a bank serving as the anchor tenant. Retail space within residential buildings, even at the height of the economy, has remained mostly vacant with high rates of turnover.

At the start of economic troubles in 2008, Ram Realty Services and Stiles Corporation proposed the “Palmetto Park City Center,” or “Ram Project.” Touted as “looking beyond the recession,” the proposal called for a mixed use office and hotel tower at the southeast corner of Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway, and the block immediately to the southeast for rental apartments. In preparation for the former, the city revised its downtown masterplan to 34

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

allow for taller buildings, and embarked on a multi-million dollar capital improvement streetscape plan. In theory, this would ultimately connect Mizner Park with the southern downtown area composed of Royal Palm Place, and recent residential buildings. Ultimately, only residential component, now called “The Mark at CityScape,� has gone under construction, and in 2013, Ram and Stiles transferred development rights of the site to Kolter, who is currently proposing something isolated and contrary to the original plans set forth to resolve an ongoing issue.

Problem Statement In late-2013, developer Kolter Homes proposed a thirteen-story 200-room Hyatt Place hotel on the site in question. While the developer assures it will facilitate connectivity to established destinations, it will certainly not utilize downtown components and facilitate activity in the way the original ram proposal had promised. Again, the development pattern of downtown Boca Raton is scattered and the pieces are isolated, and while a plethora of uses exist, it is not feasible for business to operate, residents to live, work, and leisure, and serve as an attraction to visitors.

Objectives and Goals The overall objective of the project is to establish Downtown Boca Raton as a world class destination that will attract area visitors normally attracted to counterparts such as the Miracle Mile, Las Olas Shops, and Atlantic Avenue while ensuring long-term commitments and 35

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

prospects to keep the area from decline again. Goals towards achieving this include a counterproposal to Kolter’s Hyatt Place hotel with better connectivity, a mix of uses, and larger scale based on its prominent location. This will ultimately create a new centerpiece project for the City of Boca Raton’s downtown area. In addition, further goals will be to alleviate traffic problems that currently exist and have not been adequately addressed by the CRA, and anticipating anymore traffic that would result from the counter-proposal and future development that would follow suit if successful. This also includes pedestrian traffic in relation to automobile traffic, which must be regulated at focal points of Downtown, including Mizner Park, underutilized recent condominiums and office development, and parks, recreational areas, and places of interest such as Sanborn Square and the Old Town Hall. Goals will be achieved in sustainable matters, both in the aspect of new urbanism being less automobileoriented, and new construction to use LEED standards, which was previously proposed by Ram in 2008, but currently not so by Kolter. Furthermore, input from the public will highly regarded, hence the acquisition of data for research methodology.

Methodology The research design will consist of a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. In order to filter the information necessary for the success of the research, a strategy was elaborated to enable coverage of a broad number of key components that would be narrowing down into the essence and origin of the real situation. This research proposal is based on the basis of an explanatory initiative.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

On the idea of narrowing down the information and the spectrum from where the data will be collected, the methodology will consist of a phase oriented strategy. The group will dismantle the project into independent subdivisions that would specify on their topic. First, the group of work that would be involved in this process will be divided into separate divisions.

Nevertheless, each division would maintain in constant exchange of information. The first group will be in charge of collecting the data. The second group in editing, tabulation, and classification. And the third group on administrative. The methodology implemented for this research proposal will be conducted in a systematic manner. The basis for this methodology lies on the understanding of individual components, as generators of a whole. The project design will be phase-oriented with pre-formulated guidelines. However, the process is open to eventualities and to changes when needed. The first approach to the understanding of the study area is to understand where the area is situated.

On the first phase of the analysis, data will be collected and gathered for the comprehension of the city [Boca Raton]. The data for the city will reveal a broad understanding of the context that surrounds the downtown area. It is critical to understand the site in its macro level. Phase one is intended to gathered data on context, demographics, population growth, income, future visions, and modes of transportation. Each category will be analyzed in an evolutionary approach, in order to recognize tendencies. The information adopted will be based on factual sources and empirical observations.

On the second phase, the research team will center their analysis on the downtown area. The analysis on this area will gathered all the categories of the previous phase, in addition to the analysis of activities/events, land use, landmarks, and features. On this phase the data 37

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

collection will be conducted through observation, survey, interview, and experimental methods. Data will be categorized into two separate sub-divisions. Primarily data would be identified as newly collected data that would be

generated by the research staff. Also,

secondary data would be identified as existing information tabulated by the staff. The observation method would be targeted to people, their activities, and situations. The type of observation tactic will consist of a mixture of both a structure and unstructured methodology.

The observant will be assign a key position on the site to visualized and collect data based on a pre-formulated checklist of things to be observed. However, the observant is free to tabulated data outside of the checklist if necessary. The survey method will be conducted on a structural basis of a formal list of questions, with closed ended questions. The people to be surveyed range from the general public to city officials. The number of people to be surveyed varies, due to the need to tabulate as much as needed. The survey will take place at the major landmarks of downtown surrounding the study site, and on private sectors with governmental authorities.

The timeframe for this analysis is intended to recognize the critical moments of the site. The survey and observation will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at three different times (9 a. m., 1 p. m., and 5 p. m.) in order to understand the social tendencies. The interview assessment will be held at private locations, with open ended questionnaire. This method will promote a chatting type interview that would facilitate the openness of the public. The experimental approach will be regarded as a major instrumental technique in this procedure.

The ability to gather and tabulate data on past record as a tool to recognized tendencies is vital for this research. The trajectory of key components to the research and their evolution through time will enable us to grasp an understanding of the situation. It will also aid us on the 38

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

formulation of new predictions to come. On the third phase of the research analysis we will be examining the site itself.

At this point, there should be an idea of where contextual,

demographical, and other elements derive from. At this stage the site area will be analyze in depth. The site actual dimensions, views, trajectory, urban fabric, land use, modes of transportation, adjacent buildings, social aspect, economical aspect and ecological concerns.

The origin of the site should be reflected on the neighborhood and city wide analysis [and back and forth]. All conducted analysis will consist of structured formulated tables. At the end of the data collection all information should be tabulate into their correspondent charts and tables. As a result on the last phases of the research the editing and classification will be based on the latter information. By generating a systematic disassembling methodology of all aspects, it facilitates the recognition of sources. The tabulation will be conducted in a narrowing format that will generated profiles, and statistical proof.

On the next phase, the project should be tabulated and classified. All the results will enable the research team to generate a counter proposal for the intended site. All staff should held continuous meeting sections to determine the most suitable design solution. Once a design is agree upon the team will generate the proposal, as an undeniable appropriate comprehensive design for the site. Once more the team will be subdivided to generate individual specify tasks. Subsequently all data will be brought together in a unifying manner.

Once all data collection, analysis, and proposal is achieve, then the submittal method is derived. The process of submittal commence by the assembling of all aspects of the proposal by the department staff. At this point all members of the team will reunite to synthesize the material. The package consist of a project description, a project rationale, a project background, 39

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

a project statement, a literally review, a project objective, a project methodology, and a communication strategy. Next the research administrative staff will work with the team to assemble the research correctly for the office of sponsored research standards. After that, the research proposal will be submitted to the office of sponsorship for approval. Once the project is approve the research administrative staff will set up a delivery plan in conjunction with the team. As of imperative importance the project will be presented to city officials, general public, regional authorities, and the Florida Atlantic University Department of Urban and Regional Planning. At each submittal, the results will be compiled in a file report, available as a physical copy and online. The project will also be displayed on a synthesized poster in brochure format to promote understandability of the general public, with easy and inexpensive distribution.

Chapter 5: Results and Findings Methodology Results Introduction The following report was conducted to gather the results, based on the research proposal. The collection of data was conducted via a variety of approaches, such as, observational, digital, interactive, and file reports. The data was tabulated in order for the research group to acknowledge tendencies, profiles, and context.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Analysis and Findings Phase 1: The overall demographics were examined concerning the city in its entirety. According to the United States 2010 Census, the city’s total population was approximately 84,000 residents, the majority of which were female. The racial make‐up was majority‐white at eighty‐eight percent, followed by Hispanic at approximately twelve percent. Blacks accounted for just over five percent of the population, with other minorities being below 2.5% of the population. The population of the city is projected to have exceeded 87,000 residents in 2012, and a net gain of approximately 17,000 people is expected by the end of the decade (United States Census Bureau, 2010).

Zoning for the city shows the majority of lands to be largely low-density residential. The only exceptions are the Boca Raton Airport/Florida Atlantic University area and Town Center at Boca Raton, flanking both sides of Interstate 95.

Phase 2: The demographics within downtown and surrounding neighborhoods were taken into consideration. Divided into four quadrants, the northwest and northeast portions appear similar in median incomes around the lower‐40,000s. The southeast portion is the highest, likely taking into account affluent communities within the grounds of the Boca Raton Resort and Club and other waterfront homes. The southwest segment has no majority‐race population, with the lowest income at approximately 26,000, and a median age less than half 41

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

that of the other segments. The majority of residents with proximity to downtown are 55% male, contrary to the female�majority of the city, as discovered in Phase 1 (United States Census Bureau, 2010).

Numerous features, including roads, landmarks, and other areas of interest were denoted as being within less than a mile away from each other, but are separated by barriers currently inducing hardship, such as Federal Highway and the FEC Railway. Zoning was looked at again more closely, showing a more diverse concentration surround the downtown area.

However, all of downtown is uniformly zoned as DDRI.

Phase 3: The vacant site in consideration was compared with surrounding developed and undeveloped land, and the uses, mainly mixed�use retail and office for the former and recreational for the latter, was denoted. A basic breakdown of the possibly of development density was examined. The site is approximately 31,000 square feet, and allows for 200 feet maximum height. The land is appraised at fifteen million dollars.

Phase 4: The development history of other buildings different types was identified. The results are consistent with past market conditions, with residential being the primary construction within the past ten years at the lowest interval of 1�4 years per new project. Events held in the area occurred at times when new development was completed, mainly cultural, such as the art

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

museum. The association for Mizner Park’s amphitheater was established one year prior to its completion. Architectural styles are consistent with the time historically speaking, but following the CRA’s establishment in 1980, there appears to almost be a status quo for postmodern Mizner‐esque buildings.

Phase 5: The focal points of interest including business establishments, and major thoroughfares are denoted with their associated traffic to help understand the existing conditions in relation to projected changes with further construction.

This includes the duration of future

construction, and how it may affect the business entities in the area. Consideration for future traffic patterns from a macro-to-micro scale will be evaluated considering the factors of local and regional traffic.

Phase 6: All stakeholders, including owners, the general public, city officials, and developers will be interviewed concerning the types of buildings, land use, and activities they would like to see or not to see within specific areas of the downtown area, mainly Mizner Park, along Palmetto Park Road, Federal Highway, and Royal Palm Place/Plaza. A card will be used for each interviewee, denoting their preferences with either a “yes” or “no.”

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Phase 7: SWOT analysis will be performed to assist in determining different zones within the site, based on the formulated criteria. The results will be tabulated in order to maximize strengths and opportunities. The results will help is eradicating weaknesses and threats. Generally, the strengths include walkability, context, land use, points of interest, economic growth, culture & history, open spaces, livability, and as a gateway. The weaknesses are vacant lots, lack of adequate transportation, character, a sense of place, green space, and restraints on design guidelines, land use, and height. Opportunities include pedestrian orientation, mass transit, character, order, and vacant lots. The threats are isolated projects, and developers who do not utilize all strengths and opportunities the site entails.

Introduction

Chapter 6: The Plan

The following section pertains specifically to the plan and actions taken, based on research and understanding concerning the area of the subject cite. Herein, the counterproposal is the “Palmetto Park City Center.�

Planning Aspect In research of the subject site and area, we found many unique and peculiar issues which ultimately influenced the nature of the counter-proposal. As indicated in the previous section, the demographics around the downtown area are considerably lower than 44

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

demographic within the city itself. Furthermore, the majority of the city’s population is female, while it is majority-male in the downtown area. Surveys conducted indicated the need for more community space in the area, as well as a variety of retail-uses, chiefly being restaurants.

A render of the retail atrium area at the Palmetto Park Road entrance The subject site is zoned DDRI, which provides a degree of flexibility in land-use for the area. However, the majority of density in the immediate area is office space, including One City Centre inversely across the street from the subject site, 120 East Palmetto Park Road to the immediate east, and the Bank of America Tower located another block east from 120 Palmetto.

Therefore, for consistency and the supply of new high-quality office space, such a component is necessary for the counter-proposal.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

The proposed Hyatt Place hotel by Kolter Homes is a mid-range limited-service accommodation. While lower-end hospitality, along with affordable housing is important for the city, the site is best suited for a high-end boutique hotel and class “A” office space.

Previous proposals such as the 2008 ram Project and Barbar Center from several decades ago justify this claim. The patronage of the area, which is mainly concentrated from Mizner Park and executive high-paying office jobs, correlates well with the demand for an upscale hospitality accommodation and more class “A” office space.

While the demographics around the downtown area are considerably lower than the city as a whole, the public space the Palmetto Park City Center will provide, as well as variety of retail, will be intended to serve as locale community space and activity. The ground floor will encompass a large public space atrium, suitable for a high-end restaurant, fast casual restaurants, a bank or other financial institution, and specialty retail such as women’s clothing, beauty etc. shops. All retail will mainly cater to the wide range of visitors, the demographics of downtown, and the city as a whole. This allows for flexibility in leasing, and less of a threat of vacancies, high turnover, and or anything else associated with a “white elephant” dilemma which would pose as threats to the Palmetto Park City Center’s success.

Design Aspect The 2013 Kolter Homes proposal, which is a thirteen-story 200-room Hyatt Place hotel encompassing the entire site, inhibits the potential which can be utilized. A much taller and more presentable building must be developed instead.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

A site plan of the Palmetto Park City Center, showing the unique design and shape of the tower, public space, and associated parking and retail components fronting Federal Highway and 1st Street.

Multiple proposals have been made for the site in the past, all of which were more ambitious than the current proposal. Taking these previous proposals into consideration, and well as numerous precedents which have been successful in other cities and often with revitalizing attributes, a mixed-use tower will facilitate downtown Boca Raton’s economic development and provide unprecedented benefits in both the short and long terms.

Like the previous 2008 ram “Palmetto Park City Center” proposal, this new current counter-proposal calls for a 150 foot tower with executive office space on the upper floors, and a luxury hotel below with a two-to-one “piggy-back” space ratio, or vice-versa depending on design limitations.

The proposal design will reflect the area location.

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Considering the

FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

significance of the subject site, located at the corner of a major intersection of a major U. S. Highway and east-west corridor of the city, ranging from the beach to fringe western communities, its architecture must be iconic. To that extent, utilizing the maximum height limit of 150 feet in the area is beneficial in creating something truly iconic. However, to keep from casting a shadow over the entire intersection, it will sit on a low-rise podium and be setback from Federal Highway. The podium will ultimately serve as the retail and public space atrium.

An elevation of the center at Palmetto Park Road. Note the setback from Federal Highway to utilize an efficient sky plane.

It should be noted, while the height limit in the area is 150 feet, that does not mean the tallest building within the city is under said constraint. Indeed, the Boca Raton Resort & Club tower built in 1969 is the tallest at 300 feet, and at the time of its construction, was the tallest building along Florida’s east coast between Miami and Jacksonville. The City Center tower will be approximately half the height of the club tower.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Architecturally, the tower will be of expressionist style.

As a style seen within

international cities throughout the world, it will emphasize the specific uniqueness and importance of Boca Raton as an important economic hub to the world, contrary to its neighbors and even some larger cities like West Palm Beach and Pompano Beach. This is especially true in the economies of finance and overseas, particularly Latin American and Caribbean, corporate operations. While the design of the Palmetto Park City Center is overtly modern, its architecture is also symbolic to its location and function. Serving as a connection to Mizner Park and the South Plaza Real (Royal Palm Place of downtown), its open space character of the atrium immediately at the street corner will serve as a convenient meeting place for customers, and allows visibility of nearby attractions and the existing environment like Royal Palm Place.

A render of the public space. The Residences at Royal Palm Place can be seen in the background, beaconing pedestrians to other areas of interest downtown.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Another important component of the project will be the emphasis on sustainability and the environment. Construction is to be LEED Platinum-certified, and all power used by the facilities will be retrieved through the renewable means of solar paneling. The southern portion of the tower will utilize a “double skin” façade to lower heat gain, and lower energy costs, chiefly central air conditioning. The public space and greater walkability offered from the atrium and central courtyard will further enhance the community in providing “complete streets.” The façade inverse to the intersection, 1st Avenue and Royal Palm Road, where parking will be located, will contain ground floor retail, and sway from a “blank wall” design flaw. This retail space will more or less cater towards the downtown residents and lunch crowd. The atrium retail space will be more catered towards city-wide residents and visitors.

A render of the “back yard” garage side of the building. Retail will mask the parking structure to create an inevitable environment and better land utilization.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

Conclusion The importance of good urbanism must be considered in the execution of successful and worthwhile projects. Through these principles, knowledge gained about the area, and public participation, the benefits of a new proposal following the guidelines of new urbanism and sustainability, offer many merits. Furthermore, following the master plan of certain areas, which is evidently drafted with input from the public will better ensure successful developments.

The Hyatt Place hotel proposal circa 2013 for Downtown Boca Raton follows none of aforementioned guidelines.

While previous proposals have been more effective in land

utilization, and were of far grander scale, they were executed poorly with an incoherent timeline, which ultimately overlapped economic troubles. As the free market dictates the economic system of the United States, proposals must be made in the context of supply and demand. However, the real estate market tends to deviate from this principle through “boom and bust” cycles and “bubbles.” Therefore, supply and demand can be evaluated through the opinion of citizens through direct participation, especially when dealing with higher-profile projects.

Taking into account history, using existing comprehensive and master plans,

determining their visions through new creative means such as charettes, and gathering data personally from actual citizens, can result in effective development that utilizes land and will offer a far greater return on investment, while ultimately improving the quality of life and stature of a certain location.

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FAU - School of Urban and Regional Planning I URP 4979 - Planning Project I Instructor: Diana Mitsova

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Nunes, J. (1990, March 18). Developer`s high profile on the wane George Darbar no longer seen as Boca`s big player. South Florida Sun-Sentinel (accessed April 07, 2014). da Costa, P. (2009, April 09). Developers look past long economic downturn. Daily Business Review (accessed April 07, 2014).

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