[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6301754,"mediaKeyId","2484583-d92dc7beb58e89204f46392a037eee45","parentId",2484583,"title","West Palm Beach Center for Arts and Technology announces new location, upcoming programs during CRA meeting","audioSeconds",135,"startMs",52000,"endMs",187000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2484583-d92dc7beb58e89204f46392a037eee45&start=52&end=187","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2484583-d92dc7beb58e89204f46392a037eee45/thumbnail_52000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6301754/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/West-Palm-Beach-Center-for-Arts-and-Technology-announces-new-location-upcoming-programs-during-CRA-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301754-f86615eda08e386e4b8734a8f4bac5e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771205759&Signature=DO3UsiE6YHS5-5GiE~crFHjfOy9VdeG820XEz0VsOSQbGqu~cOWYHT2TDYhqlcU8-N8jNXRIb0uFkmR7EthgR0YnIFYspbxyK8kVKH9rPfSKxDj7gF0sFwIKDTksazEF18L7FvtOhvT6xSPapQSpLglgsE6mHDwpjimoZ3yv3WYiZcp477U6qfPMi4kBWB~llhxFDjoKAdbwgttncY1pK-oS8X0oYn5Mx1HVWLcnfWz1UH0gNABDOeXODBrj4R7VUieaK0FrV1XwDkFj121fczTmhObVwoOt~tf95WDggA8XqDENxkyk5PGkuI3FCWPCng2bYBeYSBt6JJ-QnGlAeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of West Palm Beach, FL","date","2025-03-04T16:07:26.357Z","article","Claudia Kirk Bartow addressed the Community Redevelopment Agency during the public-comment period on March 3 to announce her new role and upcoming programs at the West Palm Beach Center for Arts and Technology.

Bartow said she is the organization’s new executive director after 14 years as executive director of Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast. She told the board the Center for Arts and Technology expects to be located at 819 Sapodilla beginning in June and will run multiple programs: a culinary program whose current cohort is concluding and a next round that the transcript lists with start dates given as March 14 and March 18 (both dates were mentioned in the comment), and a construction program beginning in April.

Bartow said the Center plans to bring in mentors from the chefs association and construction partners to prepare participants for interviews and careers. She also described a youth program, Youth Leading the Way, and said the organization has expanded into Palm Beach Lakes and Forest Hill and plans additional focus on Forest Hill seniors: she cited that in the Northwest neighborhood 84 of 100 high school students attend Forest Hill.

Bartow said the Center will initially operate a drop-in community space and plans to bring a proposal to the CRA soon; she thanked the board for its patience on this matter. Her remarks were made during public comment; no board action was recorded on the item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CRA Meeting | March 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Claudia Kirk Bartow, newly named executive director of the West Palm Beach Center for Arts and Technology, told the CRA on March 3 the organization plans to open at 819 Sapodilla in June and will run culinary and construction training programs this spring.","taxTitle","West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",4250,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6301761,"CRA authorizes negotiations with Vegan Fine Foods for 719 Sapodilla property",289,259000,548000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2484583-d92dc7beb58e89204f46392a037eee45&start=259&end=548","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2484583-d92dc7beb58e89204f46392a037eee45/thumbnail_259000.jpg","/articles/6301761/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/CRA-authorizes-negotiations-with-Vegan-Fine-Foods-for-719-Sapodilla-property","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301761-a2b73737b01651fd654e83151436efd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771205759&Signature=HUxs9da3DEOcgqPOdnwetC23vsrYZrDM3sTNHjCKQK614aUE89V15Lg4IJdN4SE2avhru3drS35YEpXNe9rWzxye6UV03Q2piOf40G9VgAwOwvVQYxNVS0HMPu-OB2ZQSEWBv8OEuMr-0gBHeTMRiE0nM4108eSoyUQs2rmKBpiXwEp8-toNHknJTiYpglpicwN96LrYTioE~ksEcHEwH8wq~ree8MJ6R4mK9ZAvmxQPU3js5Bf482Xm0b2X6Rw~xtuQF17RnZx-U7wVWqepVq5UV27OAyK1u~NssNxL1RQDbxhlbwbM9czA6h~QvZU8stdQQwyvvEkO06QTMaRflA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency on March 3 authorized staff to begin negotiations with Vegan Fine Foods over the conveyance of the property at 719 Sapodilla Avenue.

Jade Green, deputy director with the CRA, said staff issued a notice of disposition in December following public outreach and surveys indicating demand in the historic Northwest for restaurants, retail and a small grocer. The CRA received one responsive proposal from Vegan Fine Foods. Green said the company proposes a sustainable dining and retail concept including a full-service bar and grill, vegan retail and produce, meal-prep offerings, live music and educational programming such as cooking classes. The proposal also includes online ordering and a stated priority for discounts to seniors and youth and workforce hiring focused on residents; the proposal mentioned creating more than 50 local jobs.

Green said the proposal seeks a lease with an option to purchase within five years; staff recommended authorization to negotiate terms and return to the board with a purchase-and-sale agreement in April. Green told the board that the building on the site is undergoing historic-preservation construction expected to be complete in April, with a target for tenant fit-out and business opening in summer 2025.

The board approved Resolution 25-10 authorizing negotiations. The transcript records the motion and a unanimous vote in favor; individual roll-call vote names were not recorded in the transcript.

Why it matters: CRA staff said the action responds to prior community surveys (Barbecue, Brews and Blues and Winter in Paradise) showing demand for restaurants, retail and a small grocer in the historic Northwest, an area staff described as a food desert where residents travel more than two miles for grocery options.

Next steps: CRA staff will negotiate terms with Vegan Fine Foods and said it expects to return to the board in April with a proposed purchase-and-sale agreement or lease terms.","The Community Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously March 3 to begin negotiating terms with Vegan Fine Foods for the conveyance of 719 Sapodilla Avenue; the firm proposes a vegan restaurant, retail and community programming with a lease-to-purchase option.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6301765,"CRA approves $5.5 million purchase of 914 Fern Street to enable Fern Street extension",1194,568000,1762000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2484583-d92dc7beb58e89204f46392a037eee45&start=568&end=1762","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2484583-d92dc7beb58e89204f46392a037eee45/thumbnail_568000.jpg","/articles/6301765/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/CRA-approves-55-million-purchase-of-914-Fern-Street-to-enable-Fern-Street-extension","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301765-b051da6aead98d1fec2b77e9dd06d877/orig.mp4?Expires=1771205759&Signature=ekbH8dNDpeQUuyztW4~sGrKSEsEmoC2~UT01gGGh2iAVfz3RwILpDMYjHdLx08gdtGxPnCiBllUv5IjwTA3b~b-lULlBmxtVUj4K~GwqAcZcsKHiDt-BcFI6TxZJrEBqpgp3xrohJowDiCo5MFv59NxOvY-tguK1b7c9lcj0dAbtE6jvAkNRcOpqERNpw6epu2DIcHII91zWSRvj1muaUOuu0GmqsU~fx710WFWN-a~z1553kMptpujAo~ZNX9tjNfiqDi19TSJ35cD583KIAbJTdYSfIopEeuUCpW-HL0AuYfaowFr0OnfxcWk0cGMOUPkOin54JLGnVYgqyfYjPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency on March 3 approved a $5,500,000 purchase of 914 Fern Street to enable a planned extension of Fern Street across the SFRTA/FDOT railroad tracks.

CRA Executive Director Chris Rook told the board the roughly 12,000-square-foot parcel includes an existing warehouse and parking area and is owned by a family investment company. Rook said the purchase price was negotiated using appraisals and recent transactions in the downtown master-plan area and was set at a level that would incentivize the seller to sell for the road project.

Kevin Walbrecht, the city’s Director of Engineering, said the Fern Street crossing is expected to increase transit capacity and spur redevelopment east and west of the railroad tracks. Walbrecht said prior evaluations estimated the crossing would divert about 11,000 vehicles from Okeechobee Boulevard and Banyan Boulevard during peak hours.

Rook described the parcel’s current tenants and lease terms: Universal Cabling (lease through April 2028, with an amendment allowing the company to terminate with 90 days' notice and a separate amendment allowing the CRA to terminate the lease beginning January 1, 2027) and Drama Works (lease through December 2026). Rook said demolition and road work will require the site to be vacant and appropriate construction permits to be in place.

Rook and Walbrecht laid out an anticipated timeline: staff expects to complete the property closing by June 2025, continue roadway and rail design through late 2025, identify contractors in spring 2026, and—subject to lease vacancies and permitting—target an earliest groundbreaking in fall 2027 with roughly 14 months of construction. The CRA previously applied for two grants (CRISI and ATIP) and was not awarded either; officials said they will continue to pursue federal and state funding and other sources.

The board approved Resolution 25-11 authorizing the purchase. A motion to approve was moved from the dais; the meeting transcript records that the motion passed unanimously but does not record individual vote names. The resolution authorizes staff to deposit an initial earnest amount and to conduct a 60-day inspection period before closing; the transcript specifies an initial deposit of $10,000 and refers to an additional deposit to be applied to the $5.5 million purchase but does not state the exact additional amount.

Why it matters: City staff and engineers said the crossing has been in planning documents since 2017, is included in CRA and city plans, and is intended to relieve downtown congestion while supporting planned and prospective development near the Transit Village, Vanderbilt and Cleveland Clinic project sites.

Next steps: Staff will complete due diligence in the inspection period, return with closing documents, pursue grant and appropriation opportunities, and coordinate neighborhood outreach and construction staging as design work advances.","The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously March 3 to buy 914 Fern Street for $5,500,000 to allow a planned Fern Street extension across railroad tracks, a project officials say will relieve peak-hour traffic and support downtown redevelopment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

West Palm Beach Center for Arts and Technology announces new location, upcoming programs during CRA meeting

CRA authorizes negotiations with Vegan Fine Foods for 719 Sapodilla property

CRA approves $5.5 million purchase of 914 Fern Street to enable Fern Street extension