Boynton Beach

Boynton’s marina and waterfront

The City of Opportunity

With continued development of the town center and a new business incubator, this centrally located, vibrant city is taking off.

As the third-largest municipality in Palm Beach County, Boynton Beach is continuing to experience a renaissance. The catalyst was the opening of its Town Square, an exciting downtown focal point for the community, as well as the start of Riverwalk, a first-of-its-kind development on the waterfront. That, along with great neighborhoods, excellent medical care and a fun waterfront, has made Boynton Beach the talk of Palm Beach County.

Square Deal

Town Square, a 16-acre oasis in downtown Boynton Beach, has grown much closer to achieving its titular goal as a central hub for the city and its neighboring communities. The sleek new four-story city hall—complete with an Innovation Space Business Incubator designed for early-stage startups—and city library have both been open since the summer of 2020. Opening shortly after was the historic Arts and Cultural Center, formerly the historic (ca. 1927) high school. This facility now features art exhibits, dance classes and workshops for the community. A city fire station and amphitheater were completed on site as well. Included in the next phase of this project will be two parking garages and three apartment buildings.

Tech Runway

Florida Atlantic University’s Tech Runway is now open in the City of Boynton Beach. Based in Boca Raton as an incubator and accelerator space for startups and entrepreneurs, the Tech Runway offers resources, mentorship and early funding opportunities through its TRIN Investors Network. A $50,000 grant was approved last year to open a satellite location in Boynton Beach. In collaboration with South Florida Tech Hub, FAU Tech Runway and the City of Boynton Beach, the “Tech Hub Pitch Clinic” was held within the newly renovated 1,850-square-foot, ground-floor innovation and collaborative office space at City Hall at Boynton Beach Town Square. The pitch clinic was the first event of its kind since the Town Square renovation.

Go West

Two development projects in western Boynton Beach promise to contribute highly to the largely residential region’s quality of life. Boynton Beach Marketplace, at 7499 West Boynton Beach Blvd., is expected to catalyze West Boynton, anchored by a Whole Foods Market as well as restaurants, fast-casual dining, service establishments and a boutique fitness option. Meanwhile, the Stiles Corporation is building the Stables, featuring 125,000 square feet of leasable space at the intersection of Military Trail and Woolbright Road. Publix has already opened, and 7-11 has broken ground.

To Your Health

Placing a high importance on mental health and personal well-being, NeuroBehavioral Hospitals (NBH) will open a location in Boynton Beach at 4905 Park Ridge Blvd. NBH-South will be a specialized hospital serving voluntary patients who require additional treatment or have medical complexities.

NeuroBehavioral Hospitals are committed to raising the standard of mental health care. With nearly 20 years of experience providing evidence-based, trauma-informed programs in a variety of inpatient, residential and outpatient settings, NeuroBehavioral Hospitals of the Palm Beaches and its affiliated sites currently provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment to approximately 3,000 patients in 10 states.

A Shopping and Dining Renaissance

From tourists and families to business professionals, there is something for everyone at the Renaissance Commons mixed-use development in Boynton’s commercial hub, Congress Avenue. Customers can enjoy delicious restaurants like Lemongrass Asian Bistro, Bonefish Grill, BurgerFi and Pizza Rox. Congress Avenue is a food lovers’ paradise with restaurants like Bru’s Room, Buffalo Wild Wings and Casa Linda, just to name a few. This centralized location also features big-box retailers like Target, Total Wine and Best Buy. Shoppers can easily hop from one retailer to the next.

Boynton High School Academies

Boynton Beach teens interested in a career in Aerospace, Medicine and Technology can purse their goals at Boynton Beach High School. Palm Beach County Schools (Boynton Beach Community High School) and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) have partnered to create a unique curriculum option for students throughout the Palm Beach County School District. The Boynton Aerospace Science Academy (BASA) offers a rigorous academic program in the fields of Aviation, Aeronautical Science, Aviation Maintenance and Unmanned Systems (Drones). Each student will have the opportunity to earn dual credit—for college and high school at the same time—when participating in the BASA courses at Boynton Beach Commu-

MEDIAN AGE 42.6

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME $65,182

POPULATION 82,812

SQUARE MILES, INCLUDING 4 MILES OF INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY

TEMPERATURES RANGE FROM AN

AVERAGE LOW OF 56° IN JANUARY TO AN AVERAGE HIGH OF 91° IN JULY/AUGUST

EDUCATION LEVELS

of population age 25+ are high school graduates or higher, 30% of population age 25+ have a bachelor’s degree or higher

INCORPORATED IN

MEDIAN HOME VALUE $420,000

AMENITIES 250+

acres of beach, natural conservation land and parks; including 5 parks on the Intracoastal Waterway; 12 acres of beach on the Atlantic Ocean

Sources: U.S. Census, worldpopulationreview.com, livestories.com, city-data.com

Spotlight Faces of Boynton Beach

Meet a few of Boynton Beach’s community leaders WRITTEN BY CHRISTIANA LILLY AND JONATHAN PORGES

Ty Penserga, Mayor, City of Boynton Beach

Serving his first term as the Mayor of Boynton Beach, Penserga previously served as a District IV commissioner and vice mayor. Penserga is currently a chemistry teacher at a local Palm Beach County high school and holds a master’s degree in Biology/Neuroscience. As a public servant, his priorities include enhancing public safety for all communities, promoting affordable/workforce housing, promoting entrepreneurship, creating highpaying jobs as well as a vibrant and exciting downtown, supporting our local schools, and eliminating blight throughout the city. Mayor Penserga strongly believes that good governance, equitable growth and a strong, long-term vision are the foundations that will revitalize our city and bring prosperity for all families.

Mayor Penserga concurrently serves as a board member of Boynton’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Quantum Park’s Overlay Dependent District (QPODD) and the South County Regional Wastewater Treatment and Disposal (SCRWTD).

Nelson Lazo, CEO of Bethesda Hospital East, Bethesda Hospital West

Before he came to Bethesda, Lazo was the CEO of Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables and Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute, both part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest not-for-profit, faith-based health care organization in the region.

Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute is the official sports medicine provider for the Miami Heat, Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, FIU, Miami Open tennis tournament, the Orange Bowl and the Miami Marathon. Lazo also spent three years as CEO of Mariners Hospital and served in executive roles for a variety of health care organizations, including HealthSouth Corporation, Parkway Regional Medical Center and Mercy Hospital. Today, Bethesda is in the top 5 percent of hospitals in safety, and its orthopedic and cardiac programs are nationally recognized, all while being an affordable institution for health care.

Jean Phillippe Gaudree, owner of Benvenuto

If there’s a wedding in Boynton Beach, chances are it’s at the Italian-inspired Benvenuto. At the helm is Jean Philippe Gaudree, the son-in-law of the original owner, who has taken the space to new heights. Gaudree started behind the kitchen in Paris, where he went to culinary school and worked at Michelin three-star restaurants before opening his own place. He moved to the United States in his early 20s, working in Boca Raton, San Francisco, Tampa and Deerfield Beach before taking over Benvenuto from his father-in-law in 1997. He expanded the space and turned it into an events venue, where it hosts about five weddings a week, and 800 events a year. “We try to be an anchor in Boynton Beach, and it’s been in the same hands since my father-in-law bought it in 1973,” Gaudree said of the restaurant’s legacy.

ECO Park

nity High School. This exciting and innovative academy provides students with the latest in educational advancements, current technologies and crucial job skills from ERAU professors at no cost to the student.

The Medical Sciences Academy Program at Boynton Beach Community High School is designed to encourage and prepare students for entry into all health professions and towards higher education in the medical or health care field. This program will facilitate student awareness of health professions while providing a skill-based curriculum. Students will enhance their curriculum by using state-of-the-art technologies such as ZSpace, a real-world virtual learning tool that gives students hands-on comprehensive enrichment lessons.

Students will have the opportunity to explore the following careers: Allied Health Care Assisting, Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA), Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Physical Trainer (sports medicine/ physical therapy) and Electrocardiograph Technologist (EKG Aide).

As technology evolves, the demand for techsavvy individuals is expected to increase as well. The Information Technology program at Boynton Beach Community High School offers an innovative, integrated learning environment focused on computers, technology and communications. The program provides students with the training and skills necessary for careers such as: Computer Operation, Graphic Design, Multimedia & Web Design and Word Processing. Students will earn industry certifications that will enable them to directly enter the workforce.

This page: Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Like hundreds of other towns, Florida is known far and wide for its peaceful parks. The

Thomas A. McGillicuddy Eco-Park at Quantum Corporate Park offers residents a way to take a break, get together with friends, read a book, sit on a bench, meet new people or play with their kids. The Eco-Park at Quantum Corporate Park is at 13 Quantum Blvd.

Where the Wild Things Are

Spanning the western boundary along State Road 7 between Atlantic Avenue and Woolbright is one of the northernmost remnants of the Florida Everglades, the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, covering 221 miles of marsh prairies, hardwood hammocks, canoe trails and levees. This wild natural refuge provides habitat for millions of birds, more than 70 endangered species and thousands of native plants and animals. Guests can interact with exhibits in the Visitors Center, like “Everglades Attitudes,” where children and adults can hear the opinions of animated alligators and small kites about their lives in the Everglades.

They can also observe Loxahatchee’s yearround inhabitants such as Florida alligators during a stroll on the Cypress Boardwalk or Marsh Trail. Winter visitors might enjoy bobcat sightings, early morning otter and grey fox sightings as well as hundreds of birds such as wood storks, great blue herons, limpets, hawks, snowy egrets and more during migratory season.

The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is on Lee Road off 441/State Road 7 and is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year. The visitors’ center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week.

You’ve Got Ale

Boynton Beach is leading the charge working with local startup craft breweries, with many popping up within the city limits. Stop by one of their tasting rooms and enjoy your selection in their indoor beer gardens.