Friday, December 20, 2013

Editorial: Check all angles of Rybovich-Related project | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Randy Schultz makes some key observations in this editorial. He talks about both the Chapel-by-the-Lake property and the Rybovich project. There might be a chicken-or-the-egg situation with the Rybovich project, however. From the article, click title for link:
 "But the selling point for the Rybovich-Related project is that it could transform the north end of West Palm Beach, especially west of Broadway. Bring enough new people, and redevelopment will spread. On that point, however, Rybovich Vice President Carlos Vidueira said Wednesday that even if the commission approves the project, nothing will get built until there is action on the crime-ridden areas west of Broadway.
“We must pre-sell 50 to 60 percent of the units,” Mr. Vidueira said. That cannot happen with “no grocery store, no national retailer, nothing in a 3-mile radius” of the project. The city planning staff’s recommendation for approval comes with conditions related to traffic, but nothing related to improvement of Broadway. Couple this with Rybovich’s suggestion that the Community Redevelopment Agency boundaries could be expanded several blocks north to include the project, which Mr. Vidueira said could create opportunities for “more creative financing.”