A bare patch of land could become West Atlantic Avenue's newest development. The deadline for proposals isn’t until Jan. 15, and requirements for each proposal are detailed, including conceptual architectural elevations and floor plans, time schedules, project cost analysis and financing plans.
It’s just one of a dozen vacant property sites on Atlantic Avenue from Southwest Sixth Avenue to Interstate 95 in a historic black neighborhood on West Atlantic Avenue, but that vacant land could change into development rather quickly as city leaders and the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Association seek proposals on a 2.32-acre site between Southwest Sixth and Southwest Seventh avenues. The question is: What would fit on the parcel of land?
According to the CRA, a three-story office building with 70,000 square feet of office space and a 300-foot parking structure could fit on the site. Other uses that might fit include a grocery store, retail space, a restaurant or community facilities for a nonprofit or community education.
The site borders Shuler’s Memorial Chapel to the east and the plaza with Blanc Barber Shop across Southwest Seventh Avenue to the west.
As Delray Beach resident Kevin Mortimer walked passed the proposed site bordering West Atlantic Avenue, he knew the site needed something other than a few bare trees and dirt with grass patches.
“I think it’s a good idea to develop this land rather than leave it as an empty lot sitting on a corner,” Mortimer said.
Francisco Perez-Azua, the city's economic development director, said even though no proposals have been made, there have been a few inquiries.
“We have met with a few interested parties to review the requirements and discuss different concepts. Their ideas range from a large nonprofit facility to a private hotel,” Perez-Azua said.
The RFP for the site is available on the CRA website at www.delraycra.org. For more information, call Francisco Perez-Azua at the CRA office at 561-276-8640.

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Kaley Tuning plays tight end as a member of the Miami Calientes Lingerie Football League. On Wednesday night Tuning will visit Il Bacio in Delray Beach for a special appearance.

Kaley Tuning is a 23-year-old renaissance woman of sorts. She’s a member of the inaugural Lingerie Football League’s Miami Calientes and also a successful real estate professional. On a phone interview about her upcoming appearance at 9 p.m. Wednesday at Il Bacio in Delray Beach, the Fort Lauderdale resident said she will be signing autographs and explaining how she got involved with the LFL, an exciting endeavor allowing Tuning to take a chance at being a trendsetting pioneer since she is just a handful of women nationally playing a men’s dominated sport, but with a feminine tone.

“We can play as good as the guys and look better doing it,” said Tuning, a mortgage broker and owner of her own real estate processing company.

Tuning and her teammates will be playing at Sunrise’s Bank Atlantic Center, an indoor sporting venue that holds close to 20,000, when her team takes on the Tampa Breeze, Jan. 22 with a trip to the Lingerie Bowl in their grasp. At Il Bacio, Tuning will be raffling off tickets to that game with proceeds to benefit local charities.

“I work all day and we practice football all night. We practice until we get everything right. This is seven days a week fulltime for me…It’s real tackle football and there is a chance we could get hurt, I’ve seen two girls tear their knees up and another who had her shoulder popped out of place,” Tuning said.

She will be donning her shoulder pads, lingerie top with helmet and boy shorts, when she and a few other members of the Lingerie Football League drop by Il Bacio, a nightclub and restaurant at 29 SE Second Ave.

For more information call Il Bacio at 561-865-7783.

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The Delray Beach Fire-Rescue Benevolent Association has spent $1,000 on food and supplies aimed at helping 25 needy local families at the start of this holiday season. At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the firefighters will deliver the goods to The Caring Kitchen at 196 NW Eighth Ave.

Delray Beach Fire Rescue Community Education Specialist Lt. Trisha Dunkelmann said the firefighters wanted to give back to the “immediate” local community during this Thanksgiving Holiday Season. She also wrote via e-mail that the firefighters remained more committed than ever to help community families during “these difficult times.”

For more information about The Caring Kitchen event call 561-278-0918 or www.crosministries.org and for information on the Delray Beach Fire-Rescue Benevolent Association call Lt. Tim Garito at 561-243-7424 or e-mail him at Garito@ci.delray-beach.fl.us

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In front of the museum bearing their last name, the Cornells were honored by the Delray Beach Rotary Club, who gave their annual Service Above Self Award posthumously at a Old School Square ceremony.

Harriet and George Cornell did so much philanthropic work for Delray Beach and its residents that they were honored posthumously a decade, and half-decade, respectively, after their passing. The Delray Beach Rotary Club gave the 13th annual Service Above Self Award to the Cornells at a presentation at Old School Square.

“This is the first time we’ve given the award posthumously. The award is for exceptional contributions the Cornell’s gave to this community,” longtime Delray Beach Rotary Club member and past president Leo Phillips said.

The Cornells' generous donations have helped the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, Lake Ida Dog Park, Old School Square, Delray Beach Public Library, Bethesda Hospital, Palm Beach Zoo and Florida Atlantic University among others.

Recently the Old School Square gem, the Cornell Museum, again made possible by the wonderful couple, was renamed the Cornell Museum of Art and American Culture.

“George and Harriet saw the values and vision of Old School Square. Their spirits were with us when they spoke to us at Old School Square telling us to take it (Cornell Museum) to the next level and make the iconic American Cornell Museum of Art and American Culture name change,” Old School Square executive director Joe Gillie said.

Jean Fischer, the Cornell’s care-giver attended the event and was joyous in telling stories about her “special time” with the two amazing people.

“When I got cancer, Mr. Cornell took me to all my appointments, he was soft spoken and cared. He was the best! Mrs. Cornell is the brain behind all of this… She told Mr. Cornell since they had no kids that they should put their money and name behind what’s good in the community,” Fischer said.

Harriet and George Cornell also gave upwards of $12 million to Cornell University. They also supported Rollins College in Winter Park.

Harriet Cornell passed away on Aug. 3, 1999, and George Cornell on April 2, 2003.

Past recipients of the Delray Beach Rotary Club’s Annual “Service Above Self Award” include, Clifford Ripley, Ernest Simon, Robert Miller, Dr. Fred Love, Elizabeth Wesley, George Elmore, Leo Weeks, Dr. Monroe Farmer, Frances Bourque, Alexander Simon, Spencer Pompey and Barbara Dodge Smith.

The Delray Beach Rotary Club regularly meets every Tuesday at 12 p.m. noon at Ellie’s 50’s Diner Banquet Room at 2410 N. Federal Highway in Delray Beach.

For more information call Ellie’s 50’s Diner at 561-276-1570 or Sally Dye, Delray Beach Rotary Club executive secretary at 561-649-1658 or email at sallydye1@yahoo.com

Old School Square Director Joe Gillie accepts the Cornells' award from the Delray Beach Rotary Club.

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Dr. Sam Bierstock began penning political parody songs 15 years ago while finding humor in the management of the U.S. health care system, but it was during a visit with a veteran soldier at the Palm Beach International Airport, when he found his most lasting tribute.

Bierstock, a resident of the city’s northeastern quadrant near George Bush Boulevard, wrote “Before You Go” the morning after an eye-opening ordeal with a veteran working the change booth late night at P.B.I.A. Bierstock was returning home to Florida, after 1 a.m. when he rolled down his window and gave the veteran change, he was startled when the older man, a veteran said, “I took two bullets for this country and look what I’m doing now!”

Bierstock drove away, then slammed on the brakes, put the car in reverse and sped backward to the toll booth. He then thanked the man for Bierstock’s wonderful life in this country. The veteran began to cry.

Fast forwards, three years ago, this Veterans Day, Dr. Sam Bierstock, who wrote the lyrics for “Before You Go,” and piano player John Melnick, who wrote the music, were invited to perform at the U.S. Capitol with an orchestra backing them during the song. This Veteran’s Day, the duo will return Nov. 11, and join their band, Dr. Sam & The Managed Care Blues. The band will travel to the nation’s capitol to play the song at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

“I’m thrilled and looking forward to this important chance to share this song that has already touched so many veterans and their families,” Bierstock said.

The song has been downloaded more than 20-million times at the website www.beforeyougo.us.

“It’s a tremendous honor!” Melnick said.

“ I’m looking forward to it… We each have an idea where were going with this song, bringing thoughts to veterans causes. I have a thought of this becoming part of a national patriotic songs catalog. We’re going to be out at the Vietnam Memorial Wall, I don’t know what to expect. ‘Before You Go’ was originally written for World War II veterans and we’ve expanded it to all eras,” Melnick said.

Bierstock and Melnick wrote the song in 2005.

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(Left to right) Veljko Dujin, curator of collections at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, gets ready to inform people about the new Tokyo Shinkansen Bullet Train Station portion of the new "Japan Through the Eyes of a Child" interactive exhibit at the Yamato-kan located adjacent to the museum, as Morikami Board Member Nancy Stroud looks on before entering the bullet train.

A new permanent exhibit at the Morikami Museum features a chance for children and small groups to take a step into real life-like Japanese environments that range from a Tokyo Shinkansen Bullet Train station, Miyazu classroom, Tatami Room, a Japanese home's kitchen, a Bento Shop and even a Japanese toilet and shower. The Honorable Japan Counsul General Namiki was on hand to dedicate the "Japan Through the Eyes of a Child" interactive exhibit.

"This exhibit expands on Japan and South Florida relationships. Students can tour the exhibit and learn the customs and many aspects of Japan," Namiki said.

He also pointed out that the bullet train portion of the exhibit could provide a glimpse into the future of South Florida passenger rail transportation.

"President Obama has talked with us about 10 projects nationally and mentioned Florida as one of those candidates. It would be a bullet train from Miami to Orlando and over to Tampa," Namiki said.

The first room at the exhibit is dedicated to the Tokyo Shinkansen Bullet Train station, and students can pick up a subway phone there with Japanese instructions.

"I'm glad this exhibit targets children," Namiki said.

Photo of a Tokyo train station and an interactive Japanese phone where students can listen to instructions in Japanese.

Current Yen to dollar exchange rates at the exhibits bullet train station.

Vending station at the exhibit.

Japan Honorable Consul General Namiki addresses the crowd at the Yamato-kan at the Morikami.

Morikami Trustee members and staff get ready to cut the ribbon at the "Japan Through the Eyes of a Child" exhibit.

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