CHANGES THEY ARE A-COMIN'!

Members of the Delray Historic Preservation Trust are still challenging Developer Steve Michael of Hudson Holdings plans for the corner of Atlantic and Swinton Avenues.  The plan is to rehabilitate and buildout part of the historic downtown district.  It would be “Caddy Corner to the Old School Square and Cornell Museum.

Tuesday there will be another discussion before a city board with Hudson Holdings hoping to gain public approval. Steve Michael said that they did everything possible and appreciated the feedback so they could create a better project.  They are keeping many historic structures in place.

Some of Delray Beach’s oldest structures are in the area being discussed, on Swinton south of Atlantic Avenue.  Hudson Holdings would rehabilitate and renovate those homes, build a hotel, stores and underground parking facility.

Delray Beach is a popular and interesting area for tourists and vacation home seekers, with focus on Atlantic Avenue from I-95 east to the beach and ocean. There are many historic homes in the area and professionals have purchased homes and made them into offices, improving the appearance of these homes and upgrading the neighborhoods while staying true to the original buildings as much as possible. 

Slowly the area is “modernizing, upgrading” and moving the appearance of downtown Delray into today’s world. It is not easy to change the appearance of an area to make everybody happy, but it would seem to bring new business space and other amenities to the area, new income to the city, and new residents. Renovated historic homes will be much more desirable for purchase.

The picture herein is with the courtesy of Hudson Holdings, to show what the development will look like.  There will be office space on the second floor.