West Palm Beach details construction, governance and operations plan for Curry Park

Chris Rugg, executive director of the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, told the mayor and commissioners that Curry Park will remain wholly owned by the city and outlined a governance and operations plan intended to keep the project city-centered while using a nonprofit board and private operator to run day-to-day activities.

Rugg said the park — a 13-acre site north of Palm Beach Lakes near Dixie Highway — has been designed in close consultation with neighbors and the Curry family and was seeded by voter approval of a $30,000,000 parks bond. He said the CRA and multiple city departments have coordinated design, programming and finance work and that bond counsel reviewed the proposed 501(c)(3) structure to ensure it will not jeopardize the tax-exempt bond status.

Construction and schedule details mattered to commissioners. Lorenzo Rivera of the city engineering department described a two-phase plan: Phase 1 (south end features including the Events Pavilion, bocce and pickleball courts, playground and MLK area) is substantially graded and on track for completion by February 27; remaining elements — tennis courts, parking, boat ramps and waterfront components — are targeted for completion by September 27, 2027. Rivera said crews encountered unforeseen conditions that required replacing roughly 300 feet of seawall, which affected the timeline.

Kelsey King, the Curry Park project manager, said procurement for the park restaurant began with an RFP issued Nov. 19, 2025; the RFP closed March 3 and attracted about three proposals. An evaluation committee is scheduled to hear presentations in June (she said June 8–16 is the target window) and will make a selection that must return to the board for approval.

Dan, the consultant with BRB who has worked on similar projects, described the proposed operating model: an 11‑member nonprofit board (largely mayoral appointees consistent with the city charter) that would select an operator to manage programming, security and maintenance. He listed key performance indicators BRB uses in other cities, including a target of roughly 1,000 park visitors across 13 acres at off hours and a focus on attracting a high share of women as an informal safety metric. "No park is successful unless it's crowded with people," he said.

Staff described revenue sources and next steps. Rugg said the community-approved parks bond provided the project's initial funding and that the CRA will continue to seek grant funding and other sources for deferred items. Dan noted that Related agreed to prepay CMOD payments from its first building, which should cover early years of operating support; he said a future assessment district is likely and under Florida law could take about nine to 12 months to establish. Rugg said the CRA is also evaluating whether to reallocate dollars in the current budget cycle to fund a community-requested splash pad.

Commissioners pressed staff on how the park will handle homelessness and safety once open. Rugg said the plan has three components: a detailed written security plan developed with the West Palm Beach Police Department and BRB, active daytime programming to increase legitimate use, and funded, dedicated security staff for the site. "We've already been working on it," he said of the security plan, noting a security manager and city attorney involvement.

Staff presented programming proposals from partners including Northwood Warehouse, Rose Readery, Palm Beach Opera and Rhythm And Hues; proposed activities range from fitness and story time to fishing programs and movie nights. Kayla Hughes, who outlined the programming, said most offerings will be free and layered throughout the day to maximize visits.

On staffing and local hiring, Dan said programs and the restaurant can generate substantial employment as other urban-park models have done. He pointed to examples of large seasonal and programmatic employment gains in projects his firm has managed and said local hiring is a likely outcome.

What happens next: staff will return items to future CRA board meetings — including the BRB contract extension to help with transitional management, final terms for the restaurant operator agreement and funding-district work. The CRA will present additional budget and procurement items to commission and CRA boards as required; no formal vote or ordinance was taken at the work session.