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City, developer outline ‘1 Boca’ government campus; residents split on parks, traffic and long lease
Summary
City staff and the 1 Boca development team presented a revised plan to redevelop about 7.72 acres near the Brightline station, promising doubled parkland, a new community center and a 99‑year ground lease. Residents voiced sharp division over trees, traffic, and the long lease; council set a Dec. 2 agenda item for ballot language ahead of a March 10 referendum.
City staff and the private 1 Boca team detailed plans on Nov. 18 for a government campus and mixed‑use development around the downtown Brightline station that would place public facilities next to new retail, housing and a hotel, and send the project to a citywide referendum if the council approves the agreements.
Deputy City Manager Mark Lukasic told the council the proposal has been reduced in scale from earlier versions and repositioned east of Northwest 2nd Avenue. He said public amenities would include a 30,000–35,000 square‑foot community center with multipurpose rooms and indoor courts, a combined police and fire substation for downtown response, expanded outdoor green space, rebuilt tennis facilities and a redesigned City Hall with flexible meeting rooms.
Mike McShea of CBRE, the city’s revenue consultant, described five primary revenue streams to the city under the proposal — base rent under a 99‑year ground lease, ad valorem taxes, profit participation above specified yield thresholds, transfer fees on future sales, and a developer mobility contribution currently forecast at about $7.8 million. McShea summarized the project’s long‑term cash flows as approximately $4.1 billion over the lease term, discounting to a present value of roughly $353 million for the city, according to his presentation.
The presentation emphasized public engagement and multiple revisions made after community feedback. Lukasic reminded the council that if it approves sending the project to referendum, council would consider ballot language on Dec. 2 to meet the supervisor of elections’ Dec. 5 submittal deadline; staff identified March 10 as the target referendum date.
The meeting’s public comment period stretched more than two hours and showcased deep divisions among residents. Supporters, including business owners and longtime residents, said the public‑private partnership (P3) would modernize aging city facilities without raising taxes, improve safety and create long‑term revenue for parks and services. “It updates aging public buildings, it improves safety around the station, and puts private investment to work in a way that supports the city without raising taxes,” said Michael Massarella, a small business owner who said he has lived in Boca for 67 years.
Opponents raised concerns about possible loss of parkland, tree damage to the city’s historic banyan trees, traffic congestion, and the financial assumptions behind a 99‑year lease. Dr. Lorraine Blank warned that construction and tall buildings could threaten Banyan Village’s historic trees, saying root and shade impacts require a targeted environmental impact review. Other residents urged an independent financial review and questioned discount rates and long‑term revenue estimates.
Several speakers also cautioned that a proposed charter amendment connected to campaign activity could create unintended consequences by requiring citywide votes for leases or sales of parcels over a half‑acre, potentially delaying routine upgrades to parks and public facilities.
Mayor Singer and staff assured residents additional financial analyses would be published; Lukasic said a third‑party financial consultant (PFM) is producing an independent review and that the city will post more refined revenue and expense analyses to the city website. Lukasic also outlined regulatory steps: Planning & Zoning review in mid‑December and council consideration of master partnership, ground leases and construction management agreements in January if the referendum path proceeds.
The council did not take a final vote on the project at the meeting; members instead directed staff to bring ballot language and contract drafts to the Dec. 2 meeting. The proposal’s next formal milestone is council consideration of ballot language on Dec. 2 and the supervisor of elections’ Dec. 5 deadline for a potential March 10 referendum.
Why it matters: The proposal would change the downtown footprint, public facility funding and city land use for generations. Residents, while divided, pressed for detail on tree protection, traffic studies, independent financial analysis and guarantees for nonprofit tenants whose leases could be affected by any charter amendment.
What’s next: Council will consider ballot language and draft agreements on Dec. 2; staff said the independent financial analysis will be posted to the city website ahead of that meeting.
