Lennar is the confirmed buyer of Boynton Beach Mall, with a mixed-use plan
Downtown food grants with a catch, four A-rated West Boynton schools and two library events Wednesday for little kids and teens.
Tenants at Boynton Beach Mall have been told to be out by Jan. 15, 2027. Now the homebuilder behind the pending sale has put its name on the deal, though not yet a home count.
The site covers about 91 acres, and tenants must be out by Jan. 15, 2027. Three of them may stay past that deadline, according to the mall's owner: JCPenney, Cinemark and Christ Fellowship. Lennar plans a mixed-use rebuild with housing, retail and other uses. The company says the project could help with the housing shortage in Palm Beach County. It has not shared how many homes it wants to build or when construction would begin. The sale is expected to close in early 2027. Lennar described its planning as being in the early stages. It also said it expects to hear from stakeholders as the design takes shape. For now, the date tenants must leave is firmer than any picture of what replaces them.
Starbucks signs on at Windsor Place, just north of Boynton
The coffee chain is the newest signed tenant at the 40-acre site in the Lake Worth area, following Chase Bank and Tide Cleaners. So far the tenant mix leans toward daily errands: coffee, banking and dry cleaning. Plans call for retail and professional space totaling more than 15,000 square feet. About 8,500 square feet of that is still up for lease. Housing is the larger piece, adding hundreds of new households close to Boynton's north side. Traffic estimates suggest the finished project could add approximately 3,264 vehicle trips a day. Boynton drivers who use Lyons Road regularly would gain new places to shop and eat, along with more cars sharing the road.
CRA approves revised grant rules aimed at downtown restaurants and coffee shops
Of the $600,000 initiative, about $150,000 is set aside for rent help and $450,000 for property improvements. The Community Redevelopment Agency signed off on the revised rules at its Oct. 20 meeting. The goal is to bring bakeries, eateries and coffee shops into storefronts that now sit empty. Grant winners still carry half of eligible costs, which is a real bar for a small operator. There is also a catch for shops already downtown. The new rules favor certain kinds of businesses and fresh investment, so some current merchants could see fewer chances at assistance. On the other hand, new arrivals could pull more people onto the sidewalks, which helps the stores next door. After a long stretch of downtown change, the real test is whether those empty storefronts fill.
Four West Boynton schools make Florida's 2026 Schools of Excellence list
The honorees are West Boynton Middle, Christa McAuliffe Middle, Sunset Palms Elementary and Hagen Road Elementary. Each of the four also earned an A grade. The list includes two middle schools and two elementary schools, so the recognition reaches families with kids at different ages.
Game Day for Teens at the library Wednesday afternoon
- When
- Oct. 28 · 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Teens can bring friends to play video games ranging from Madden NFL 26 and NBA 2K26 to EA Sports FC26. Other titles on the lineup include Sonic Superstars, Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Once Upon a Katamari. Game Day runs 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 at the library and is for ages 13-17.
Little Boo Halloween Parade at the library Wednesday morning
- When
- Oct. 28 · 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Where
- Commission Chambers
Costumed little ones will march through Youth Services and around City Hall after silly songs, stories and a creepy crawly craft. The Halloween story time runs 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 28. Costumes are welcome, as long as they suit small children. The Boynton Beach City Library hosts it for kids up to age 5.