Riviera Beach CRA hears three Marina Village proposals; board to set special vote

Riviera Beach — Three teams pitched competing visions on May 13 to the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency for the Marina Village Phase 2 ground lease, and commissioners agreed to reconvene within two weeks to take a formal selection vote.

At a packed Marina Event Center, procurement director Latanya Ammons summarized the RFP process and said three responsive proposals advanced to oral presentations: Sonnenblick Development, Forest Development and Related Urban. Ammons told the board staff had investigated a post‑evaluation allegation of conflict of interest and concluded the complaint conflated two legally distinct entities and, on that basis, found no disqualifying conflict.

Why it matters: the site is the largest remaining city‑owned waterfront parcel and proposals differ on whether to emphasize hotels and tourist revenue, a convention/community center, condominiums, or public amenities. Commissioners and residents raised questions about financing certainty, local subcontractor commitments, parking and how quickly the first phase would be completed.

Sonnenblick: no city subsidy proposed Bob Sonnenblick told the board his team’s two‑hotel, mixed‑use plan would require no direct CRA subsidy. “We are not asking you for $1,” Sonnenblick said, adding his team proposed a combined ground rent of $500,000 per year across the phases and had lender interest and an LOI for financing the first phase. Commissioners pressed him on whether his lender LOI covered both phases; Sonnenblick said the LOI covers phase one only and that later phases would be market‑driven. The board also questioned how the team would lock in local subcontractor commitments; Sonnenblick pointed to prior Riviera Beach projects and said his team had achieved 30–50% local participation historically but described that as past performance rather than a guaranteed future percentage.

Forest Development: local participation and workforce focus Forest Development emphasized local small‑business participation and workforce development. The team proposed a convention/community center, a promenade with restaurants and retail, automated boat storage and a hotel; its presenters said the plan includes a 25% small‑business enterprise participation floor and capacity building supports, and projected up to 1,500 construction jobs across a decade and about 1,000 permanent jobs once built. Forest said the convention center sizing and market analysis are under review with hospitality consultants to right‑size the space.

Related Urban: public parking and capital contributions, plus a TIF ask Related Urban stressed continuity with prior CRA work and offered direct contributions to renovate the Marina Event Center and Bicentennial Park. Albert Milo said Related’s plan would include a public parking garage and a small‑business incubator in phase one. Related proposed a phased program it said totals about $245 million, including roughly 224 condos, a 120‑room hotel and about 755 public parking spaces; the team requested a 10‑year tax‑increment financing (TIF) arrangement for part of the condo/hotel component, which the team estimated at roughly $6 million over 10 years, and said it would provide capitalized lease payments and direct renovations as part of the deal.

No award tonight; board to reconvene Commissioners declined to make a final award that night with two members absent and with residents pressing for maximum public access and infrastructure protections. Chair Guyton said the board would contact absent members for availability and attempt to schedule a special meeting within seven days’ notice, but no later than two weeks, at which proposers would be given five‑minute follow‑ups and the board would take a vote.

Public concerns and next steps During public comment, residents repeatedly urged that the waterfront remain accessible to the community, warned against privatizing the shore with excessive condominium development and asked for clearer guarantees that local residents and small businesses would receive contracting and hiring opportunities. Staff reminded residents that all three proposals and recordings of tonight’s presentations are posted on the CRA website and that the procurement cone of silence remains in effect while the selection is pending.

What’s next: the CRA will post a special‑meeting notice once a date is set and invite the three finalists for brief follow‑ups; any board action on awards, TIFs or bond financing will be recorded in the public minutes and require the votes of a quorum.