Thursday, January 23, 2014

Lake Worth moves to transform its gateway | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Eliot Kleinberg's article appeared in today's Palm Beach Post about the City Commission taking action on the Trojan House and property. It is located at the traffic circle at A Street and Lake Worth Road. This is a long-standing issue where the oldest structure in the city was left to deteriorate under the auspices of the Palm Beach County School Board. The city will gain the property and demolish the structure. The school district will use the money to fund building trade training programs for students. Click title for link. Here is part of the article:
“What’s been sort of a blighted-looking property at a very prominent part of our city, for quite a while, we would be able to clean it up, basically, and make it nice with the circle and then we would talk about certain plans for what the circle would look like,” Bornstein told the city’s Jan. 7 meeting, where commissioners approved the transaction.
The vote was 4-1. Commissioner Christopher McVoy agreed the dilapidated building needs to go, but noted, “apparently we would be in the position of paying for it twice.”
Local Realtor and former city commissioner Bo Allen, who donated his time to negotiate the deal, reminded the commission the property could have been sold to a private entity and become a home, convenience store, flea market or parking lot.
Here is the actual discussion on the item from the City Commission meeting of 1/7/14 if you missed it. You can also hear about how the original deal came about and how the city isn't, despite Commissioner McVoy's assertions, paying for something twice.