CRA board approves budget amendment to fund Crest Theatre design, agrees to remove SW Eighth roundabout

The Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency voted to approve a budget amendment that reallocates CRA acquisition funds to cover a $500,000 design request for the Crest Theatre renovation and to fund the removal and roadway repair at the Southwest Eighth Avenue and Southwest Second Street roundabout.

Renee, CRA staff, told the board the $500,000 would come from the CRA's land-acquisition line if the board wanted to proceed; city staff said that without CRA assistance the design work would have to wait until the next fiscal-year CIP budget. Missy Barletta, the city's public works director, told commissioners the estimated project total for removing the roundabout is about $311,000 for design and $180,000 for construction, and said the intersection has been a repeated source of neighborhood complaints.

The nut graf: The board approved Budget Amendment No. 2 (fiscal year 2024-25) and then unanimously approved a first amendment to the interlocal agreement with the city to reflect the Crest Theatre design funding and the Old School Square grounds/turf-block implementation funds. Commissioners discussed alternatives for using the Old School Square master-plan funds but chose to keep $500,000 allocated for grounds improvements while using acquisition funds to support Crest design.

Board members asked for clarity on timeline and cost: Missy said revised estimates showed the full project could be brought in at about $3.5 million (down from an earlier $5.5 million projection) and that the CRA's $500,000 was expected to support architectural design and contract negotiation so the city could move forward in the current fiscal year. Several commissioners said they preferred funding the design now from acquisition funds rather than touching the master-plan implementation money tied to Old School Square grounds work.

After discussion the board moved and seconded the budget amendment; the roll call showed unanimous approval by the commissioners present. The board also approved the first amendment to the CIP interlocal agreement incorporating the Crest design and grounds items.

On the roundabout, Missy said the intersection would be converted to a four-way stop after removal; commissioners and staff described the existing roundabout as undersized and impeding trucks and emergency vehicles. The board approved funding for the design and construction to remove the roundabout as part of the amendment.

No binding long-term commitment to fund the full Crest renovation was made; staff said any additional funding requests would return to the CRA or city commission for approval and funding contingencies and due diligence would be part of any purchase or capital contract.