TO: CRA Board of Commissioners
FROM: Christine Tibbs, Assistant Director
THROUGH: Renée A. Jadusingh, Executive Director
DATE: April 30, 2025
Title
DEVELOPMENT OF SW 600 - 800 BLOCKS OF WEST ATLANTIC AVENUE
Body
Recommended Action:
Discussion and direction on preparation of a Request for Proposals the Development of SW 600 - 800 Blocks of West Atlantic Avenue.
Body
Background:
In November 2022, in connection with the discussion of the future City of Delray Beach Police Station, CRA staff engaged with Currie Sowards Aguila Architects (CSA) to provide a comprehensive study of the CRA-owned properties within the West Atlantic Avenue area. The study consisted of site analysis to determine potential development opportunities and strategies of each CRA-owned property while taking into consideration community desires and needs.
CRA staff worked with CSA to develop sketches and meetings with CRA Board members were held to discuss and gather input. In October of 2023, the CRA and City held a joint workshop to discuss future development on CRA and City-owned properties in the West Atlantic Avenue area. Following that workshop, another round of meetings was held in May 2024 between CRA Staff, CSA, and CRA Board members to provide additional input on development opportunities.
At the October 29, 2024, CRA Board Workshop, CRA Staff presented the development sketches that showed conceptual development opportunities for CRA and City-owned properties along West Atlantic Avenue, which included the CRA-owned properties in the SW 600, 700, and 800 blocks of West Atlantic Avenue (Exhibit B). Additionally, CSA presented analyses of banks, pharmacies, and grocery stores within a ½ mile and 1 mile radius of the CRA-owned properties in the SW 600, 700, and 800 blocks of West Atlantic Avenue (Exhibit C).
Following that Workshop, CRA Staff also issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Professional Commercial Real Estate Marketing Services for qualified real estate firms to provide marketing services with specific expertise in the grocery, medical (e.g. doctors, clinics), pharmacy, and financial services sectors. The firms will be responsible for handling all customary activities associated with developing and implementing strategic marketing methods and plans for CRA-owned vacant land properties along West Atlantic Avenue to potential tenants and/or commercial developers in the grocery, medical (e.g. doctors, clinics, etc.), pharmacy, and financial sectors. At the March 25, 2025, CRA Board meeting, the CRA Board awarded the RFQ to CBRA, Inc., and Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. CRA Staff is currently negotiating agreements with both firms, and anticipates those agreements will be on the May 29, 2025 CRA Board meeting agenda for approval.
At this time, this discussion is being brought before the CRA Board in light of the current House and Senate Bills (HB 991 and SB 1242) advancing through the legislative process that involve significant revisions to Florida Statute 163.3755. HB 991 currently calls for a prohibition of new projects starting on October 1, 2025.
2018 Request for Proposals:
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued for the SW 600 - 800 Blocks of West Atlantic Avenue in 2018. The 2018 RFP included all CRA-owned properties within the SW 600 - 800 Blocks between SW 6th Avenue and SW 9th Avenue, bounded by West Atlantic Avenue to the north and SW 1st Street to the south.
The key elements in the 2018 RFP included:
• Provision of housing, including workforce housing on-site or off-site on CRA-owned vacant properties.
• Inclusion of community needs identified in the 2012 West Atlantic Area Needs Assessment as follows:
o Full-service grocery store - no less than 20,000 square feet;
o Pharmacy*;
o Health and wellness facilities (urgent care, clinic, fitness center);
o Financial institution (Bank or credit union)*; and
o Family/social entertainment (sports bar, jazz club/lounge, amusement venues)
*Note: Pharmacy & Financial Institution may be located with the Grocery Store.
• Space for local small businesses in the new development.
• Local hiring and inclusion plan to provide construction job opportunities for local residents and bid opportunities for local subcontractors and vendors.
A copy of the 2018 RFP is attached as Exhibit D.
2025 Request for Proposals:
CRA staff is requesting the CRA Board to provide direction on drafting a new RFP for the SW 600, 700, and 800 Blocks of West Atlantic Avenue.
CRA staff is proposing to issue a Request for Proposals for the development of CRA-owned properties within the SW 600, 700, and 800 Blocks of West Atlantic Avenue this July - August 2025.
If the CRA Board desires CRA staff to draft and issue an RFP within that timeframe, CRA staff is requesting the CRA Board to discuss and provide general direction as it relates to the specifications desired within the RFP, and more specifically, on the following:
1) A full-service grocery store was a community need identified in the 2012 West Atlantic Area Needs Assessment and included as a key element in the 2018 RFP that needed to be included within a potential developer’s submitted proposal.
• Should a full-service grocery store with a minimum of 20,000 SF remain a key element in the 2025 RFP?
• Is there a desire to allow potential developers to propose alternative fresh food retailers?
• Is there a desire to reduce the minimum square footage?
2) The 2018 RFP included all CRA-owned properties within the SW 600 - 800 Blocks between SW 6th Avenue and SW 9th Avenue, bounded by West Atlantic Avenue to the north and SW 1st Street to the south, and potential developers were required to propose a development that encompassed all CRA-owned properties contained in the RFP.
• Is there a desire to release the 2025 RFP with the same structure and requirement?
• Is there a desire to release three (3) separate RFPs - one (1) RFP for each block of CRA-owned properties?
• Is there a desire to release one (1) RFP that includes all CRA-owned properties within the SW 600-800 Blocks of West Atlantic Avenue, but allow potential developers the option to choose which of the CRA-owned properties on which it would like to develop?
3) Is there a desire to include the development sketches that showed conceptual development opportunities for CRA and City-owned properties along West Atlantic Avenue, which included the CRA-owned properties in the SW 600, 700, and 800 blocks of West Atlantic Avenue as presented to the CRA Board at the October 29, 2024, CRA Board Workshop (Exhibit B), within the 2025 RFP?
Attachments: Exhibit A - Location Map; Exhibit B - West Atlantic Avenue Sketches; Exhibit C - West Atlantic Avenue Analyses; Exhibit D - 2018 Request for Proposals
CRA Attorney Review:
N/A
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
Funding has been allocated from TBD.
Overall need within the Community Redevelopment Area from Delray Beach CRA Redevelopment Plan:
Removal of Slum And Blight
Land Use
Economic Development
Affordable Housing
Downtown Housing
Infrastructure
Recreation and Cultural Facilities