City staff and CBRE recommend buying 6551 Park of Commerce as temporary city services building amid public questions on price and transparency

City staff and a CBRE tenant representative on Monday urged Boca Raton officials to acquire 6551 Park of Commerce as the city’s interim services building, saying the purchase plus a smaller downtown city hall would cost about half as much as rebuilding a full‑size downtown facility.

Will Portfolio, a senior vice president with CBRE, told the council his team evaluated 15 properties, toured 10 and shortlisted five before concluding that 6551 Park of Commerce best met the city’s operational needs. Portfolio said comparable owner‑occupier sales ranged about $228 to $288 per square foot and that the city negotiated the price down from an initial $19 million to $17.4 million for the site.

Why it matters: Staff and the consultant said the combined strategy—acquire off‑campus space for services and build a roughly 30,000‑square‑foot downtown city hall—cuts long‑term costs and lets redevelopment proceed. Residents told council the proposed acquisition and related campus moves could harm local amenities and asked for clearer negotiation records before a purchase is finalized.

Public concerns and staff responses Residents voiced multiple concerns during the meeting’s public comment period. Judy Morrow said she was surprised to learn "it cost $4,200,000 to move the Children’s Museum" and asked when and why the museum would be relocated and whether tennis courts would be preserved. Jonathan Anjian questioned why the city would pay a premium for the adjacent parcel at 6551 Park of Commerce when a nearby corner lot (6601 Park of Commerce) sold in February 2025 for about $14 million; he also argued that CBRE’s large market role raised possible conflicts.

City staff and CBRE addressed those concerns directly. George Brown said the city had previously planned to replace building department facilities and that the $4.2 million estimate covers moving three small structures associated with the former children’s museum; he said the city is still evaluating which structures must be relocated and that some may not move. Will Portfolio said the corner building that sold for $14 million contains data‑center infrastructure that limits buyers and that market dynamics and competing offers affected pricing. Portfolio added that he represents tenants and buyers as a tenant rep and that CBRE’s agency listing work for landlords is a separate business line.

Council questions and due diligence Council members pressed staff on the property’s fit‑out needs and due diligence steps. Portfolio said 6551 requires fewer improvements than the other shortlisted properties—he estimated additional ADA restrooms and carried conservative estimates of $75 per square foot for build‑out and $50 per square foot for furniture—but predicted some of those costs could be reduced. City counsel and staff said a purchase and sale agreement (PSA) and due‑diligence conditions, including parcel unification where required by prior development orders, are included in the contracting presented to council the following night.

Next steps No formal purchase vote was recorded during the workshop. Staff said the contracting and due‑diligence steps will be presented to council at the upcoming regular meeting and that subdivision and unification conditions are part of the PSA. If council approves the PSA, staff expect to continue due diligence before closing.