Tag Archive for: boca raton shopping center

Boca Raton is trying to figure out what to do with whatā€™s considered the last area of blight in downtown Boca Raton.

The modern redevelopment was approved by the Planning and Zoning Board, despite a strong pushback from the community worried about density.

The project is located at 171 West Camino Real. The plan would take the defunct shopping center and turn it into a mixed-use, shoppingĀ and residential area. It would include 350 apartments and two eight-story buildings.

The landā€™s owner says this is the only way to make the land viable as retail slides. Most of the public who attended a recently held meeting say this will add too much traffic to an area thatā€™s already too busy.

ā€œClearly itā€™s the density of the project. When you add 350 residential units, the area canā€™t support it. The infrastructure isnā€™t there. We already have crowding on the roads, we already have crowding in our schools,ā€ Tony Gautney, a Boca resident said in an interview.

There was some support for the project from the public.

ā€œBeing in the area, and raising a family, a few small kids, I feel like this project is exactly what the city of Boca needs, and our neighborhood needs. I think it could be the catalyst to revitalize our area which I feel like has been neglected for some time,ā€ said Boca Raton resident Patrick Grogan.

The board will recommend the plan with one change: an additional left-hand turn lane instead of a right-hand turn lane into the project. That will hopefully mitigate some of the traffic concern.

This still needs approval from the Community Redevelopment Agency, who will likely take a look at this in January.

 

Source: WPTV5 News