Boynton Forum

After hours of presentations from four developers and fierce debates over them, it looks like the Boynton Beach Police Department is moving west, much to the chagrin of residents in the east.
The Boynton Beach City Commission voted 3-2 at its Nov. 17 meeting to consider the lowest bidder’s proposal to move the department into Renaissance Commons at Gateway Boulevard and Congress Avenue. The vote granted the redevelopment deal to the Boynton Beach-based developer Compson Associates.
Commissioners Woodrow Hay and Jose Rodriguez were strongly against the decision.
“I’m just very disappointed,” Rodriguez said. “We have an obligation to redevelop the blighted areas in our city and stick with the master plan, and that all went out the window last night.”
He said he had a hard time with a plan that would put the police department in a retail business building.
“Congress Avenue is already fantastic,” he said. “The east part of the city is hurting and we have an obligation to it.”
A group of about 20 residents voiced their concerns about moving the police department west.
“It just seems foolish to plan redevelopment along Congress where they do not need it,” said Barbara Ready, Boynton Arts Commission chairwoman. “More than 20 people stood up and said they wanted the department kept downtown. They just ignored them.”
Ready said the plan calls for the department to be moved into an office building on the third floor, with retail downstairs.
“How are you going to transport prisoners when you are parking police cars next to John Q. Citizen?” Ready said. “Also, the traffic on Gateway and Congress is terrible. What, are police going to get called out for an emergency and get stuck in traffic?”
Of the developers’ four proposals, only one of them, the Patrinely Group, ? came back with ideas to keep the civic buildings and the police department downtown, and it also was the only one that included ideas for the old Boynton Beach High School building off Ocean Avenue and Seacrest Boulevard, which is of key interest to Ready. The Patrinely Group proposal also called for a donation to refurbish the early 20th century school.
Despite that plan being voted down, Ready said her cohorts would continue to work to keep the historic building alive and kicking.
“We’re not going anywhere,” she said. “We are working on a concept plan and forming a nonprofit looking for funding opportunities for the old school.”
On the other side of the debate, CRA executive director Lisa Bright said she thinks the relocation of the police department is actually good for creating opportunity for redevelopment in the east.
“I’m extremely excited that they made a decision,” she said. “It is a nice, central location and the current site doesn’t even have an office. Also, it allows us to look at the old high school and City Hall.”
She said with the police department relocation, the downtown master plan might be able to be put into motion, creating a civic campus with a possible amphitheater.
“Of course, we have to get the public to vote for it,” Bright said.