Beyond Walls: GreenThink in Lake Worth

Phase 1 of the EcoCentre, soon to be occupied by the Romano Group law firm, is an important step forward in the history of Lake Worth. Beyond being a world-class, cutting edge environmentally sensitive building, it most important represents the addition of another destination in our downtown. That destination will house workers whose incomes will be spent throughout our downtown area - providing support for retail merchants and restaurants. We also cannot discount the importance of clients coming and going from the building. We will be building positive impressions of our town with every visit.

But most significantly, it represents the first steps to a very bright green future in Lake Worth!

It is clear that this will be a working prototype of new LEED certified construction that will attract school age children and adults alike. They will come to study this building and learn the importance of environmentally friendly design. This will spawn other buildings that can take advantage of the lessons learned from this project and apply the technology/techniques in their projects.

The most important aspect of this building being located here is that it is symbolic of the GreenThink for which our own Lake Worth can be known. Already this is starting to manifest itself. I recently finished working on the grant application for the Hammon Park residential project that will provide workforce housing in our downtown area. During the public meetings discussing the changes necessary for the project to go forward, the Romano Group generously offered a program where the firm would provide down payment assistance to their employees if they were to purchase a home in Hammon Park. John Szerdi's firm, Living Designs, has also stepped up to the plate and offered a similar benefit to their employees.

This is the power of GreenThink - beyond the physical walls of a building.

Why is this so important? First of all, it is rare for the private sector to step up to the plate in this manner, but it's probably the beginning of a trend as new, quality housing physically near your place of employment is almost impossible to find. But it is becoming more and more important as the price of gas increases, threats of climate change loom and an increasing cost burden on the part of the household for reliable transportation is experienced by many households. Clearly, it will be more and more desirable to locate near where you work as commuting has been shown to be the major contributor to the large carbon footprint left by most middle class families.

We also must not forget of the coming transit service on the FEC (eastern) railroad tracks that will make commuting to other coastal downtowns easier and more accessible today. Tri-Rail is fine for longer distance commuting, but it is too far west to benefit the bulk of the population east of I-95.

Lake Worth is also a very bikeable and walkable community. We also have a "grid" street pattern that has been the rage of "new urbanism" planning doctrine. We are actually what all the new communities which call themselves "Tradition" want to be - without trying. And we can do so in an environmentally sound planning paradigm - encouraging in-fill development of all sorts within the borders of our community. Our new Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code will support this effort.

For this reason, I feel that the future is bright and green in Lake Worth. You just wouldn't know it by much of the negativity that surrounds public debate here. We are likely going to succeed in spite of ourselves. Imagine how much better and faster that could happen if we learned to get out of our own way!

They say if you love something, let it go. I say if you really love this City, let go of selfish ambitions and let Lake Worth be what it can and should be.

One of the ways we can do that is through GreenThink. It is the key to our future. More later.