CRA Past Projects

The Lake Worth CRA developed a strategic approach to redeveloping the district several years ago. The Program to assist with this approach was called the Cultural Renaissance Program. Since that time the name changed to LULA, Lake Worth Arts. While the CRA worked on the development of the LULA program, the Agency also focused on several undertakings. These included the attraction of the Palm Beach County Cultural Council to the downtown, the attraction of an urban Publix, purchase of the 1000 Lake Avenue Building to serve as a future artist/ cultural center and the awarding of over Million in Neighborhood Stabilization funds for the development of workforce and affordable housing.

READ ABOUT THE URBAN ARTS LOFTS PROGRAM

La Joya Villages is an affordable rental apartment community that increased activity and stability to the surrounding community. Developed by Realtex Southeast and the Community Land Trust of Palm Beach County, the development is comprised of 55 two and three bedroom units targeting families earning 80% and below of the area median income.

La Joya Villages was designed to provide quality residential units and community amenities to an existing community and strengthen redevelopment in the area. Site amenities include a clubhouse, splash park, History Labyrinth made of pervious pavers, native plants, and historical markers, community gardens for both La Joya residents and the surrounding community to utilize.

READ ABOUT THE LA JOYA VILLAGES PROJECT

The long awaited development, the Downtown Shops at Lake Worth, is almost complete. The project, developed by Stateside Partners, with assistance from the CRA, will contain 8,863 SF of retail space and will add 50 full time job (or equivalents) to the area. Retail tenants include T-Mobile, Starbucks, Dr. G’s Urgent Care and Oxygenix Nail Salon. The new Starbucks is the first to offer drive-thru services in the City.

In 2013, the City of Lake Worth (with the CRA acting as the primary sponsor) applied for and received over 0,000 from the Florida Department of Transportation to be used for construction and engineering costs to build a new 1500’ linear bikeway and pedestrian trail along the 5th Avenue South right-of-way from South ‘A’ Street to South ‘F’ Street.

The City and CRA identified the 5th Ave. South unimproved right-of-way as an excellent location to redevelop into a new open space featuring native landscaping, benches, bike and walking path and raised crosswalks at the intersections. To make this project possible, the CRA obtained support from the neighborhood associations, the Rotary Club of Lake Worth and various members of the public as we reached out and obtained community collaboration.

The goal of this project was to foster connections between all members of the Lake Worth community and to guide students who would normally traverse on 6th Ave. South to use this bikeway instead.

Project design work was completed in the summer of 2017. Construction of the project began soon thereafter. In February of 2018, the City of Lake Worth and CRA formally dedicated the new Royal Poinciana Trail at 5th Ave. South!

The “ONE” is a new development located at 1 South Palmway just minutes from the heart of downtown. An exclusive collection of 14 luxury residences in walking distance to Lake Worth Beach. 1, 2 bedroom condominiums for sale as well as commercial space available for rent.

As part of our initiative to make City streets safer throughout the neighborhoods, the Lake Worth CRA partnered with the Lake Worth Rotary Club to install new BriteSide® Reflective Panels to stops signs at various intersections. In 2015, CRA Staff and volunteers from the Rotary Club installed 100 red reflective panels at intersections primarily located within the Tropical Ridge and Royal Poinciana Neighborhoods.

BriteSide® Reflective Panels dramatically increase the visibility of traffic signs day or night, and provide a cost efficient and highly effective traffic calming solution. They have been utilized as a critically important part of national road safety programs since 2000 and now, the Safer Roads Program is bringing the benefits of this product directly to Lake Worth. The reflective panels are a means to calm traffic and increase safety for drivers and pedestrians. Many traffic fatalities are caused by motorists who fail to see critical safety signs such as stop signs.

The CRA identified many of the most dangerous intersections within the community prior to installing the signs. The reflective signs were donated free of charge from BriteSide Panels. All other materials and labor were donated by CRA Staff and Rotary Club volunteers. For more information about the Rotary Club, please visit: www.rotary6930.org.

The CRA is continually researching and applying for grants and funding opportunities to develop new and exciting projects for the residents of Lake Worth. This is especially true when it comes to the development of new green space. In June 2013, the Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group and national non-profit KaBOOM! awarded the CRA a ,000 'Let's Play' Community Construction Grant. The grant is part of 'Let's Play', a community partnership led by Dr Pepper/Snapple Group to get kids and families active nationwide.

"Lake Worth has seen so many improvements these past few years but further development of the Tropical Ridge Fitness Park has special meaning to me. This grant will enable the Agency to fulfill a promise made to the neighborhood that included the development of park space for adults and children. Parks offer residents a quantifiable range of advantages including quality of life, neighborhood vitality and economic benefits", stated Cary Sabol, CRA Chair. "I am both proud and thankful to our Board and Staff and the many partners in this project including the Tropical Ridge Neighborhood Association, who never tire in improving the sense of pride and identity in our community."

The playground was built using the KaBOOM! community-build model, which requires using community volunteers to plan, design, fundraise and build the community playground. The CRA opened the new park May 2014.

New to the City of Lake Worth’s Artisanal Industrial District is Mathews Brewing Company (MBC). The Brewery will be located at 130 South H Street, just west of Dixie Hwy. MBC will be a distribution brewery with a tap room and a beer garden where customers can enjoy craft beer, food trucks and music. David Mathews, the owner of MBC states, "being a small independent craft brewery allows for more hands-on brewing and greater control of the beer's flavor, aroma and drinkability".

The intersection of Sixth Avenue South and Dixie Highway now has a new Dunkin Donuts store! The project, developed by Dixie Capital, with support from the CRA, contains a 2,000 square foot store, complete with a drive-thru facility. Construction of the store began in the summer of 2019 and was completed in late 2019. Although the new Dunkin is a stand-alone store, the developer, Dixie Capital has plans to build other retail space in the area to complement both Dunkin and offer choice and services to the surrounding community. For many years the parcels at Sixth Avenue South and Dixie have sat empty while others contain underutilized and unmaintained buildings. This redevelopment project will not only revitalize a busy intersection but also provide jobs for local residents.

The Lake Worth Beach CRA partnered with Neighborhood Renaissance and developed 8 new live/work units for artists just west of Dixie Highway. Building on the success of the Urban Arts Lofts, the CRA is partnering with Neighborhood Renaissance and developing 8 new live/work, for sale units specifically for artists. This new development located at 110 North F Street is directly across from the new Lake Worth Arts Center. The project will be Florida Green Certified and will include community/ commercial space for cultural uses. All units must be sold to Artists who meet the established definition.

Following the NSP guidelines, all units must be sold to households making 120% or less of AMI. Some down-payment assistance will be offered.