Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Conveyance Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CRA approves final extension for Skunk Works conveyance at 520 Northwood with December deadline
Summary
The CRA granted a second and reportedly final extension to Skunk Works to complete build‑out at 520 Northwood, moving the completion deadline to Dec. 1 after a March building permit and a series of earlier delays; the board unanimously approved Resolution 25‑24.
The City of West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency on May 12 approved a second amendment extending the deadline for completion of construction at 520 Northwood, the property conveyed to Skunk Works, with staff saying the extension will run to Dec. 1 and is intended to be the final extension.
Kelsey King, CRA project manager, reviewed the property’s history and the proposed extension under resolution 25‑24. The agency originally conveyed the property (initial bids and conveyance referenced as occurring in 2019–2020); the parcel was conveyed for no purchase price on condition that the recipient fund and complete the build‑out. King said the property conveyance included a stipulation that the recipient would not be eligible for additional CRA incentives.
King said the project missed the first deadline because the title was not in the owner’s name when permitting was submitted and because the design shifted from a one‑story concept to a three‑story concept and later reverted, causing additional permitting delays. She told the board the building permit was issued March 7, 2025, and that construction progress has occurred since then. Staff recommended approval of the second amendment to extend the deadline to Dec. 1 under the condition that it be the final extension.
Commissioner Charles Peduzzi asked whether the operator had acted in good faith and questioned why the project has stretched from initial bids in 2019 to 2025. King and staff said the owner has engaged with CRA staff and that the building permit issuance in March was a material step. Stephen Carlson of Scott Courts LLC, who identified himself as representing the project, told the board the most recent delays were caused by multiple failed plan reviews; he said “we failed 4 reviews” for minor issues such as a door drawn the wrong way, and that coordinating multiple consultants slowed the process.
Commissioners pressed about enforcement options if work again lapses; staff said that under normal circumstances the property would be conveyed back to the CRA and re‑solicited publicly, but that legal review of the precise mechanics of repossession had not yet been completed. King said CRA staff is confident the current contractor expects to finish well before Dec. 1, and the owner told the board he expects a certificate of occupancy “a few months” before the deadline if the contractor’s schedule holds.
The board voted unanimously to approve resolution 25‑24. The extension is conditioned as staff presented; staff will monitor construction and report back if further delays occur.
