When the Boca Raton City Council held hearings on the Brightline station, several speakers called the facility “a game-changer.” The current council believes the hype.
At the center of the city’s most ambitious redevelopment plan since Mizner Park—the new downtown government campus—is the station. In a June 28 memo, City Manager George Brown called it “a major opportunity for the station as an economic driver” for the 30 acres around City Hall and the wider downtown.
Brown also called the station an “investment catalyst.” Indeed, Boca Raton hopes that it will allow the city to redevelop those 30 acres with a private partner in a deal to not only remake all that key public space but also to transform what Brown calls “underutilized” commercial property.
Without the station, Boca Raton could not propose what the city calls “a Transit Oriented Community Area.” To get the station, Boca Raton spent $10 million on the parking garage. Is the station worth what the city has invested and now is betting?
“One hundred percent,” said Councilwoman Yvette Drucker, who regularly talks about her use of Brightline and Tri-Rail. “It’s an exciting time.”
During a meeting two weeks ago, Mayor Scott Singer said the station, which opened in December 2022, “already has exceeded expectations.” But he offered no metrics to support that claim. Singer did not respond to an interview request through his special legislative assistant.
Though the station allows residents easy access to Brightline’s system, supporters said the bigger potential was in bringing people to the city. Has that happened?
It’s hard to tell. According to a spokeswoman, Brightline “does not publicly provide ridership by station.” Councilwoman Fran Nachlas offered anecdotal evidence. At “an event in Mizner Park I spoke to a lot of people who had traveled by Brightline.”
During that discussion two weeks ago, Councilman Marc Wigder said the downtown changes would give people “a reason to get off the train.” Boca Raton, he said, needs to “activate” the area with “understated elegance.”
But Wigder’s comment—one that other council members have made—would seem to acknowledge that the station has not yet accomplished its goal. So, is this ambitious plan a way to capitalize on the station or justify it? Councilman Andy Thomson said, “It’s a fair question,” though he also said of the station, “I think it’s largely done what we wanted it to do.” He and Singer are the only current members who were on the council when it unanimously approved the station.
Brightline’s business model has changed since that approval. There was talk in 2019 about Boca Raton becoming part of a downtown commuter system to Miami, in contrast to Tri-Rail farther west. With its Orlando station open, Brightline is focusing on long-haul travel. Last spring, the company dramatically raised the price of commuter tickets.
Boca Raton’s response?
Brightline “was not intended to be a commuter service,” Brown said. “It is a specialty service.” Drucker agreed, saying that Brightline and Tri-Rail market to “different demographics.”
That’s true. A round-trip ticket from Boca Raton to Miami leaving in mid-morning and returning mid-afternoon is $67, for Brightline’s lower-priced service. On Tri-Rail, it’s $12.50.
Even if Brightline is a “specialty service,” potential visitors need options. Brown said the lease requires Brightline to offer the same service available at the Fort Lauderdale station. While the lease does note that the “operating hours” must be “similar,” there is no mention of stops. A spokeswoman said Brown was referring to the lease section about operating hours.
For the moment, service in Boca Raton is not “similar.” The Brightline representative said trains stop in Boca Raton between 18 and 21 times a day and in Fort Lauderdale between 33 and 38 times a day.
Drucker said Boca Raton could get more stops with a second platform. The city has applied for a $5 million federal grant. Council members have not discussed whether the city should pay for the platform if the grant doesn’t come.
Nachlas also noted that the city only started its new downtown shuttle service in May. Before then, Brightline passengers had no easy way to get around. Singer said the new downtown campus could include a pedestrian walkover from the station. Brown’s memo notes that the station is just 400 feet from the station, but there’s no way to get there.
As public discussion progresses, council members likely will need to address the question of whether this project is designed more for Boca Raton residents or to attract visitors. Brown’s memo says the goal is “a built environment that is sustainable, welcoming and vibrant for those arriving…”
Drucker summed up the council’s collective sentiment by saying that Boca Raton is blessed to have the Brightline station and the Tri-Rail station. Wigder said the council was “right to jump at the opportunity” for a Brightline station. The current council wants to keep riding that train.
How Boca’s downtown campus could be developed
But who’s driving that train?
The city first wants to hire a consultant that would assist in creating a master plan for the area. City officials had planned to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) last month. Now, there is no timetable. According to Brown’s memo, it could take at least nine months for the consultant and the city to work out the plan. The relationship, Brown said, would be one of “open communication and mutual support.”
From that plan could come a public-private partnership, or P3. That partner could help build the public facilities in return for developing private space, which could include housing, retail and entertainment to “get people off the train.”
Wigder has spoken of a potential “billion-dollar project.” Not surprisingly, prospective partners aren’t waiting. Drucker said, “I have been approached. We all have.” She declined to give names.
In Brown’s memo, he says that the city would issue a “Request for Proposals” after the consultant’s work is done. But he says that would happen “if no unsolicited and acceptable proposal is not sooner received.”
It all sounds fluid, especially since the council has held just one discussion. I’ll update with developments.
Boca searching for new city attorney
Memos from Boca Raton’s legal department to the council now come from Deputy City Attorney Joshua Koehler, not City Attorney Diana Frieser. Koehler also attends council meetings in Frieser’s place.
As I reported, the council in July approved a separation with Frieser after 25 years on the job. She will leave Oct. 31. But under a sweetheart contract approved in 2011, Frieser will get $437,000 to not work.
Still, Frieser presumably is expected to work until that Halloween departure. A city spokeswoman told me that Frieser “is coming into the office.” Koehler’s new role is “part of the transition.” The city is “working with a search firm” to find Frieser’s successor.
Boca to provide emergency fire and medical support to Highland Beach
At its Aug. 27 meeting, the council approved an agreement under which Boca Raton will provide emergency medical and fire assistance to Highland Beach.
Notably, this is not a mutual aid agreement. Highland Beach would have to reimburse Boca Raton for any expenses if it needed help responding to what the staff memo calls “multiple emergencies at the same time or a large emergency incident.”
Under mutual aid agreements, departments help neighboring departments that can respond in kind. There is never any payment. As the memo says, however, Highland Beach has “limited resources and is unlikely to reciprocate” if Boca Raton needs help.
This issue arose when Highland Beach ended its contract with Delray Beach for fire-rescue services and formed its own department, which began operating in May. Delray Beach fire officials cautioned that Highland Beach would not be able to find a mutual aid partner. They were right.
Boca P&Z Board approves townhome project
At last week’s meeting, the Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval of a 120-unit townhome project at 2600 N.W. Fifth Ave. It could go before the council as early as next month.
There was one funny moment. Homeowners in the adjoining Windwood neighborhood criticized the project because it would be rental. One said, “It looks like it will be a slum in 15 years.”
A specific concern was that students at nearby Florida Atlantic University would move in and throw loud parties. Board member Christen Ritchey noted that there would be only 25 guest parking spaces, which would discourage such parties.
Her colleague, Timothy Dornblaser, said with a chuckle that he couldn’t imagine the lack of parking deterring any college party. General laughter followed. Dornblaser cast the only vote against the project.
Plan for former Ocean Breeze golf course approved
The board also gave unanimous approval to the plan for the former Ocean Breeze golf course, now called North Park. The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Parks District will develop the 200 acres. Boca Paddle, the racket facility in North Park, also received unanimous approval. Both go now to the city council.
