Boynton Beach Insider

The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (BBCRA) is proud to announce that it was named a finalist by the South Florida Business Journal’s 2024 Structures Awards for Best Mixed-Use Project, for the Heart of Boynton Villages Apartments and Shops.

Once a vibrant corridor along E. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where iconic venues like Club Continental and Bahama Bob hosted performances by legends such as James Brown, B.B. King, and Guitar Slim, the area saw a decline after those venues closed. For more than 50 years, community members and City leaders worked tirelessly to bring life back to the boulevard.

The Heart of Boynton Village Apartments and Shops project is the result of 14 years of land acquisition by the BBCRA and many community meetings listening to feedback from community members and stakeholders. As the first redevelopment project in over 50-years on the historic Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, getting the community support and buy-in was essential to the success of the project. The mixed-use project will reactivate the once vibrant corridor and spur future redevelopment opportunities along the corridor.

The commercial component of the project was incorporated into the project as a direct result of community input and the BBCRA’s leadership. The main redevelopment goal for the BBCRA was to provide a project that serves the community by providing quality affordable housing, neighborhood serving uses, and a catalyst for the revitalization of the corridor. With public land and public dollars involved, it provided the community with some control of what kind of project would be built. Additionally, as part of the Commercial Development Agreement, the developer, Centennial Management Corporation (CMC), agreed to a maximum rent of $22 per square foot for a period of 5 years and the ability to market the tenant spaces to local small businesses. After five years, the rental rate may increase 3% per year or the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower, for the next five years. The 10-year rent control allows local, community-based businesses the opportunity to grow or expand into a brick and mortar location. 

The Heart of Boynton Village Apartments and Shops represents a major victory and milestone in that journey. Howard Schultz’s quote, “success is best when it is shared,” perfectly captures the collaborative effort behind this mixed-use, redevelopment project.

The Heart of Boynton Village Apartments and Shops would not have been possible without:

• Listening to and understanding the needs of the community.
• Defining a shared vision.
• Securing the right developer through a competitive bid process.
• Maximizing public incentives.
• Selecting strong local businesses for the commercial space.

This public-private partnership exemplifies shared risks and collective success and will serve as a catalyst for future redevelopment and wealth-building opportunities along the corridor.

While the BBCRA didn’t take home the overall award, we remain incredibly proud of the Heart of Boynton project and the lasting impact it will surely have on the community.

Learn more about the project on the BBCRA website.