Downtown's makeover, and who gets left behind
Redevelopment pressure, a teen being mourned, and a Juneteenth weekend in Boynton.
Downtown's makeover, and who gets left behind
The Villages and The Pierce are bringing apartments, retail, and workforce housing to downtown Boynton — the kind of density the CRA has chased for years. But the upgrade cuts both ways. Hurricane Alley owner Kim Kelly told WPTV she worries the longtime Ocean Avenue fixture could be displaced as the neighborhood reshapes around it. It's the familiar tension in any redevelopment: more housing and foot traffic on one side, the places that gave downtown its character on the other.
A 14-year-old killed crossing Congress Avenue
Christopher Cetoute, 14, was crossing North Congress Avenue just before 9 p.m. on June 12 when he was struck by a southbound BMW M4 that police say was moving at a high rate of speed. Fire Rescue pronounced him dead at the scene in the 4600 block; everyone involved stayed put, and no charges have been announced as detectives work to reconstruct what happened. Friends and neighbors have spent the past week grieving a boy who should have been settling into his summer, and police are still asking anyone who saw the crash to come forward.
City Hall floats a plan to lean less on your tax bill
City Manager Daniel Dugger laid out eight initiatives at the May 19 and June 2 commission meetings, all pointed at the same goal: easing the property-tax load over time. The list includes building a municipal endowment fund, restructuring how the city delivers services, and a broader push toward what he frames as fiscal independence. None of it changes a tax bill overnight — this is the early scaffolding of a long-term strategy — but it's worth tracking as it moves from slideshow to budget.
A permit-fee break to harden your home before the storm
With hurricane season underway, the commission signed off on a temporary rebate on building-permit fees for residents making their homes storm-ready. The idea is to take a little of the cost sting out of shutters, roof work, and other hardening projects before the next system spins up. If you've been putting that kind of work off, it's worth checking the terms before you pull a permit.
Juneteenth on the Heart of Boynton
The city's Juneteenth celebration runs Saturday from 2 to 7 p.m. at 209 NE 9th Avenue, in the historic heart of the Black community that's anchored Boynton for generations. The day itself is today, June 19, marking when word of emancipation finally reached enslaved people in Texas in 1865, more than two years after the Proclamation. Saturday's gathering is the local way of keeping that history close.
CareerSource job fair downtown Wednesday
CareerSource brings a job fair to 100 E Ocean Avenue on Wednesday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. — a straightforward stop whether you're hiring or job-hunting in the area. Bring a few copies of your résumé.
Rock the Plaza returns with Spred the Dub
The CRA's free Rock the Plaza series is back Thursday, June 25 at 5 p.m. at the Heart of Boynton shops at One Boynton, with reggae band Spred the Dub on the bill. Expect local vendors, family-friendly activities, and an easy reason to be outside on a summer evening.
Pence Park redevelopment goes out to bid
The city opened bidding on the Pence Park Redevelopment Project (ITB No. 26-077B) on June 9 — an early procedural step for a neighborhood park overhaul that will take shape over the coming year.
Commission signs off on public-safety grants
Alongside the fiscal initiatives, commissioners approved a set of public-safety grant moves: an EMS grant agreement, a law-enforcement grant application topping $1.3 million, and an application to a federal Presidential Residence Protection Assistance program. These are applications and agreements rather than money in hand, but they point to where the city is steering its public-safety dollars.