Council approves Park of Commerce mixed‑use CIMD: 243 rental units, amateur recreation use and restaurant in existing office building

The Boca Raton City Council voted unanimously on April 8 to approve a commercial industrial multifamily development (CIMD) proposal for an approximately 10‑acre property at Park of Commerce Boulevard and Congress Avenue that will convert part of an existing office building to new uses and add an eight‑story residential tower and townhomes.

Staff presentation: Heather Hanson, senior planner in Development Services, told the council the project includes conversion of about 130,510 square feet of existing office space to a mix of uses: a roughly 72,428‑square‑foot amateur recreation facility called a “sports garden,” about 11,447 square feet of indoor restaurant space with 2,570 square feet of outdoor seating, and about 46,635 square feet of remaining office. The site plan also authorizes construction of 226 apartments in an eight‑story tower with an integrated parking structure and 17 townhome‑style units in five three‑story buildings east of the office, for a total of 243 rental units. The site plan requires a restrictive covenant ensuring 10% of units (25 units) will be affordable and 5% (13 units) workforce housing for 30 years following certificate of occupancy, Hanson said.

Community Appearance Board (CAB) conditions: Hanson said CAB recommended approval with conditions including screening on the north and west sides of the parking garage, screening for mechanical equipment, an artistic or decorative treatment for the west parking‑structure facade facing Congress Avenue, and shielded garage lighting.

Applicant presentation and public comment: Applicant counsel Ellie Zacharaitis and HDA architects presented renderings showing an activated edge along the El Rio Trail and townhomes fronting the trail. Zacharaitis said the project includes surplus parking compared with code requirements and that the adaptive reuse of the office building and townhomes would activate the canal edge. Several residents and property owners spoke during the public hearing; Jonathan Unjin and others supported the redevelopment, citing infill development benefits and transit‑oriented opportunities. Some residents asked about building height, traffic and the visual treatment of the garage; the applicant said the west facade will be treated to be visually appealing and the design team will continue to work with staff on materials.

Engineering and parking: Hanson said a shared‑parking analysis supported the proposed parking schedule and the application requests a technical deviation for a parking‑aisle length increase from 250 feet to 296 feet. The applicant proposed an integrated parking structure with a surplus of 62 spaces above code. The project also requests abandonment of a portion of a 12‑foot water‑line easement.

Council action: The council adopted Resolution 45‑2025 (conditional use approval for the amateur recreation facility) and Resolution 46‑2025 (CIMD site plan amendment authorizing the residential tower, townhomes, office reconfiguration, and technical deviation) by separate votes, each passing 5‑0.

What this means for the neighborhood: Supporters said the project will add rental housing, including affordable/workforce units, and reactivate an underutilized office campus; critics raised concerns about traffic, garage aesthetics and whether a shared shuttle contribution should have been required. Staff acknowledged FDOT and other agencies will continue to be consulted for traffic and transit compatibility as project design moves forward.