TWO BOYNTON BEACH HISTORIC HOMES SLATED TO BECOME RESTAURANTS

No doubt the sense of history surrounding these two homes in the downtown Boynton Beach area will add to the charm of these restaurants that were recently approved by the City Commissioners acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency board.  These changes are made to help restore Ocean Avenue’s identity to bring shoppers to the area to stroll, eat and buy.  When I95 was built in the 1970’s the Ocean Avenue area was cut off and has been struggling for an identity ever since.

The two-story Magnuson House at 211 East Ocean Avenue was built in about 1910 by a Swedish immigrant and farmer, Oscar Sten Magnuson.  His wife, Eunice Benson Magnuson was one of the first town clerks.  It will be leased to the restaurant owners with an exclusive option to buy the property for its appraised value of $340,000 after the first year of operation.  The new Oscar’s Restaurant will be an organic café serving lunch and dinner seven days a week. 

The Ruth Jones Cottage at 201 NE !st Street would be moved to the southwest corner of East Ocean Avenue and Southeast 4^th Street later this year.  The restaurant owner is asking for no rent the first year.  It would become the 201 Trading Post, a combined eat-in restaurant and market for prepared meals-to-go and catering service.  Built in1940, it was the home of Ruth Jones until about two years ago.  With her late husband Mason, a farmer and member of a Boynton pioneer-family, they raised five children there.  The new location would be next to an existing public parking lot with 21 parking spaces. 

Also on the drawing board are an entryway with a distinctive city logo at the marina end of Ocean Avenue and an outdoor amphitheater on the grounds of the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum in an area with mature oak trees and a natural bowl setting to be used for performances.