AT LAST: NEW CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN ON MIDTOWN DELRAY MIXED USE COMPLEX

The Real Deal confirms that construction of the mixed-use development called Midtown Delray Beach will start near the end of the year.  Included will be a mix of apartments, retail stores, office space and an underground parking garage.

Location is on Swinton Avenue south of Atlantic Avenue, covering two blocks in the Old Scool Square Historic District which recently got a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Midtown Delray Beach historic development close to approval

Version six of the plan for redeveloping two blocks of Swinton Avenue is close to fruition. Included in the plan are building an underground parking garage, offices, stores, restaurants, and apartments around the historic homes on the Swinton Avenue corridor.

Developer Hudson Holdings has redesigned and resubmitted the project multiple times over the course of two-and-a-half years based on feedback from residents, city leaders and historic preservationists — some of whom continue to fight the project. In six months developments will be reviewed.

Changes to the plan will include a maximum of four floors, aesthetics improved, and widths meeting city code. “I think there are a lot of elements of this plan that strike a balance between preservation and redevelopment,” Mayor Cary Glickstein said. Still some members of the city’s Historic Preservation Board want to reject the development, saying it is incompatible with the quaint historic corridor. Hudson Holdings will be hiring mostly local workers.

The Old School Square Historic District is under consideration for a position on the National Register of Historic Places. All homes on the southwest block of Atlantic and Swinton avenues will temporarily move while the underground parking garage is being constructed. The corridor will lose some of its mature trees and lush shrubbery, but many trees will be replanted in decorative pots above the concrete roof of the underground garage.

Progress does take time but improvements will make downtown Delray more attractive and updated.

This information was printed in the Palm Beach Post.

WE KNEW THAT!

Delray Beach was named among the Ten Best Little Beach Towns in Florida.

Atlantic Avenue has one of the most beautiful beaches on Florida’s east coast, a haven for art lovers & beachcombers: 20+ galleries & iconic public art pieces, Friday gallery nights, browsing local art, listening to live music & dining on the Avenue.

There are 800 condos, 127 townhomes, 141 villas & 739 single family homes.  Tell me which one you would like a list of 10 properties for, how many bedrooms & max price you would spend.  START HERE AND COME LOOK WITH ME!

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS

FROM http://www.pbcgov.com/papa/advaloremtaxexemption.htm

The Property Appraiser's Office is pleased to provide you with this Homestead Tax Exemption Application. Instructions to complete the application are below.

When qualifying for Homestead Exemption, you will need the following documents for all owners applying:

1. Florida Driver’s License or Florida ID if you do not drive
2. Florida car registration
3. Florida Voter’s ID (if you vote)
4. Immigration documents if not a U.S. citizen.

Documents should reflect the address of your homesteaded property. 

·       Instructions 

·       Application

·       Portability Application 

In order to begin your filing process you will need to:

1. Gather necessary documentation establishing your qualifications to file.
2. Request a Personal Identification Number.
3. Log in to online filing.

BEGIN THE FILING PROCESS NOW

The Property Appraiser's Office is currently accepting 2018 AND 2019 applications. The deadline for 2018Homestead Exemption is MARCH 1, 2018.

VOTE ON HISTORIC PROPERTY DELAYED AS DEVELOPER CHANGES PLAN

In its 6^th iteration, Hudson Holdings will make several changes in their plans. 

They will break up planned buildings along Swinton Avenue, south of Atlantic Avenue, to narrow them and be within the allowed city code.

Other new ideas came from a meeting with 100 residents and may result in Hudson Holdings incorporating some of them.

The new project will be considered by the city commission a week before the March 13 election which will change at least three of four seats on the commission, including the mayor’s seat. The commission will ultimately approve or reject the project.

HISTORIC AREA CHANGES ARE CHALLENGING!

We are watching these issues, with the knowledge that you cannot stop progress, though you can amend and change it somewhat.

Have you driven by the area and wished for changes?  Once a proposal to redevelop and build out the area has been confirmed, this will be the start of a renaissance in the area just east of I-95 and the areas to the west.  Delray Beach’s under-developed West Atlantic Avenue will see, sooner or later, many new projects. 

For the past four years, Hudson Holdings has proposed to redevelop and build out this important corner in Delray Beach that has aged.  The sixth revision to keep the residents who focus on historic preservation happy, has been proposed, was rejected by the Delray Beach city commission, and is under appeal.

The proposal prepares the way for some historic structures being demolished and rehabilitated, a few being relocated but remaining on the same block, and condominiums, stores, and an underground garage being created.  The city’s Historic Preservation Board does support a resurgence, but says the proposal is too grandiose for the subtle historic district. Some of the city’s oldest structures are tucked behind lush landscaping.  One board member stated that “It’s losing that whole ambiance of a historic neighborhood”.  Others are pushing for a “moderning up” [editor’s words] of the area.  Nearby are the Public Library and Tennis Center stadium.

City leaders say that this redevelopment could bring “the most important renaissance of the next ten years in Delray Beach”. Everyone agrees that changes are due.  Many refer to the area as “blighted”.

Big changes are hard to come by and sometimes it is not possible to please everyone 100%, but Hudson Holdings has made many changes to please the objectors.  

GARAGE SECURITY - IMPORTANT!

You have checked all the windows to make sure they are closed and locked, doubled-checked the doors, let the neighbors know you are going out of town, informed the mail so it does not pile up and activated all the passive security systems in your home. However, one area is often overlooked as you pull out of your garage and leave: The garage you just left.

A modern-day garage is a prime spot for thieves to gain access to your home. 

There are three basic types of garages that your home may have and each one requires its own safety measures. The first two are attached garages, and they can be divided into two categories: The front of the house garage that faces the street and the rear garage, which is out of view from the street.

The third type of garage is the detached garage. It is particularly dangerous if this type of garage is not secured properly because it offers a staging ground for thieves to enter the premises.

Here are a few pieces of advice that will help you protect your home:

Use Your Garage. Park your car in the garage when it is not being used or if you are leaving by other means. Many people leave their garage door remote in their car, and all it takes is something like a broken window in your car to give a thief access to your home. To combat this, you can also make sure to remove the remote if you leave your car outside of the garage.

Disable the Electric Motor. If you are leaving for an extended period of time, detach your electric garage door opener. This is usually a very simple thing to do. Most electric garage door openers have a rope or chain you pull down to disconnect the electric motor from the chain that operates the door. This protects you in two ways: First, if a thief used a frequency scanning device to obtain your code, it will be of no use since it is not operable. Second, it would require a thief to physically go to the door, which the neighbors could see.

Bolt It. Use a manual sliding bolt-style lock on the inside of your garage door that can only be opened from the inside.

Keep It In Good Condition. Make sure the garage door is properly functioning and that there is no damage to the panels through which a thief could access your home.

Keep It Contained. Do not leave important items in the garage and make sure to lock the door to your home. If thieves do break into the garage, you want to make sure that is all they can access. Place a deadbolt and anti-kick device on the door that leads to the garage.

The Same Goes for Detached Garages. For the detached garage, make sure you follow the same principles as if it was connected to your home. If the garage is out of view from the street where neighbors could spot a break-in, these rules become even more essential. Most importantly, do not keep valuables in your garage

Garage Door Security Tips to Prevent Break-Ins

You have checked all the windows to make sure they are closed and locked, doubled-checked the doors, let the neighbors know you are going out of town, informed the mail so it does not pile up and activated all the passive security systems in your home. However, one area is often overlooked as you pull out of your garage and leave: The garage you just left.

A modern-day garage is a prime spot for thieves to gain access to your home. 

There are three basic types of garages that your home may have and each one requires its own safety measures. The first two are attached garages, and they can be divided into two categories: The front of the house garage that faces the street and the rear garage, which is out of view from the street.

The third type of garage is the detached garage. It is particularly dangerous if this type of garage is not secured properly because it offers a staging ground for thieves to enter the premises.

Here are a few pieces of advice that will help you protect your home:

Use Your Garage. Park your car in the garage when it is not being used or if you are leaving by other means. Many people leave their garage door remote in their car, and all it takes is something like a broken window in your car to give a thief access to your home. To combat this, you can also make sure to remove the remote if you leave your car outside of the garage.

Disable the Electric Motor. If you are leaving for an extended period of time, detach your electric garage door opener. This is usually a very simple thing to do. Most electric garage door openers have a rope or chain you pull down to disconnect the electric motor from the chain that operates the door. This protects you in two ways: First, if a thief used a frequency scanning device to obtain your code, it will be of no use since it is not operable. Second, it would require a thief to physically go to the door, which the neighbors could see.

Bolt It. Use a manual sliding bolt-style lock on the inside of your garage door that can only be opened from the inside.

Keep It In Good Condition. Make sure the garage door is properly functioning and that there is no damage to the panels through which a thief could access your home.

Keep It Contained. Do not leave important items in the garage and make sure to lock the door to your home. If thieves do break into the garage, you want to make sure that is all they can access. Place a deadbolt and anti-kick device on the door that leads to the garage.

The Same Goes for Detached Garages. For the detached garage, make sure you follow the same principles as if it was connected to your home. If the garage is out of view from the street where neighbors could spot a break-in, these rules become even more essential. Most importantly, do not keep valuables in your garage.