Serving Highland Beach and Coastal Boca Raton
January 2019
Highland Beach
Volume 12 Issue 1
Boca Raton
City considers two plans for campus
CARL FELDMAN 1939-2018
Mayor served town he loved By Rich Pollack
Complex would replace aging city hall, police building
For Highland Beach Mayor Carl Feldman, serving as the leader of the commission was the culmination of a love for the town that started when he moved here in 2000. He died Dec. 24, following an illness, while holding the title that meant so much to him. He was 79. A dedicated elected official, Mr. Feldman was in his second year of a three-year term as mayor. He had previously served for four years as a town commissioner and had worked on campaigns for other elected officials, including former Mayor Bernard Featherman. Feldman “Carl was an outstanding man who was very intelligent and very fair-minded,” Featherman said. “He was involved because he cared very much about the citizens of Highland Beach.” Mr. Feldman also was the vice president of the Beach Condominium Association of Boca Raton and Highland Beach, and he served on the board of the Villa Costa Condominium, where Mr. Feldman was president for several years and Featherman was secretary. He was dedicated to the residents of Highland Beach and to working in local government. “It became his passion,” said his wife, Lois, See FELDMAN on page 13
By Mary Hladky
Town rushes to get A1A work on ballot, seeks voters’ input By Rich Pollack Voters in Highland Beach will have a chance in March to allow town leaders to spend up to $45 million on a series of long-term renovations along State Road A1A, barring last-minute changes this month. At a special meeting in December, commissioners agreed to ask voters if they were willing to spend as much as $45 million over 20 or 30 years to fund a wide-ranging project that could include drainage improvements along A1A, installation of underground utilities and significant roadway and walking path improvements. “This is an opportunity for residents to approve a large public project that will See A1A on page 16
City Hall
Two variations of the theme show that new construction would replace the aging City Hall (CH) and police station. A new community center (CC) would be part of the complex. The Downtown Library would remain in place. The white circles indicate the number of parking spaces. Renderings provided by the City of Boca raton
More than two years after Boca Raton City Council members started mulling a new downtown government campus that would replace the old and outdated City Hall, Police Department and community center, a consultant has created two renderings of what that campus could look like. They are based on what residents, who were surveyed in 2017, wanted included and excluded in the campus. For example, a majority wanted existing ballfields and a tennis center moved out of the 30-acre, city-owned site. Both plans locate a new City Hall on the western edge along Crawford Boulevard. The building would face east and would be fronted by a public plaza. Both plans call for two 600-space parking garages. In the two versions, one would be on Northwest Second Street just north of where City Hall now stands. The location of the second garage differs, as do the locations of the Police Department and community center. The Downtown Library would remain where it is in both versions, as would the Boca Raton Children’s Museum. Both have large open space areas north and south of the new City Hall. The GreenMarket, which recently moved from Royal Palm Plaza to the City Hall north parking lot, would stay in the campus. Not included at this point is a performing arts center. About See BOCA on page 6
Inside Vote put off Boca council wanted more info before approving two-phase Alina plan. Page 3
In pieces
Community bids farewell to sculpture that was designed to decay with age. Page AT1
Resolve to volunteer
We offer a guide of places to help others. Page H1
Tech Effect
Cornell Art Museum show explores relations between art, technology. Page AT9