Lake Worth Beach plan for museum campus advances

Project includes cafe, apartments

BY: BILL DIPAOLO | THE PALM BEACH POST | NOVEMBER 5, 2024

LAKE WORTH BEACH — Building a $60 million mixed-use museum downtown campus — a public/private development with apartments, cafe, bookstore and parking garage — took a step forward Tuesday night.

“This will put our city on the map as the arts center of Palm Beach County,” said Commissioner Mimi May, who voted with the 4-1 majority to continue discussions to approve $7.5 million in public money to build a parking garage on K Street next to the proposed Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts.

The vote, with Commissioner Christopher McVoy dissenting, is not final approval.

City officials and the developers will negotiate a “comprehensive agreement” to iron out the finances, insurance, performance bond and other details. There is no deadline for completion of the comprehensive agreement.

“The city can walk away. This vote means we are continuing the process,” Mayor Betty Resch said.

What are the details of the elaborate plan?

The public/private partnership plan with Brooklyn-based United Management calls for:

• The city to donate 1.7 acres in downtown to United Management, which is doing business in the city as Sunshine Lake Worth Development. The property, valued by the city at about $3.3 million, is at the southwest corner of Lake  Avenue and South M Street.
• Sunshine Development would build a four-story museum to display its 15,000 pieces of decorative glass and ceramic artwork. Along with the cafe, bookstore and classrooms, an exhibit by Dale Chihuly is planned.
• Sunshine Development would build a 110-unit apartment complex to include eight affordable artist lofts. A nearby three-story parking garage would have about 270 spaces. The garage would be owned and operated by the city. Parking for the public would be allowed.
• An “active alley,” a pedestrian only landscaped walkway between the museum and parking garage, would be built.
• Four historic buildings now on the property would be moved to nearby Lake Worth Beach Community Redevelopment Agency-owned property.
• The 33,000-square foot Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts would house the ceramic and glass art collected by Arthur Weiner, an attorney, real estate developer and art collector.

Proponents argued that long-needed additional downtown parking will be a direct result of the development.

“Downtown business owners want more parking. If we don’t listen to them they will go somewhere else,” Lake Worth Beach resident Peggy Fisher told commissioners.

Opposition to the project: ‘What’s the rush? We are being reckless’

McVoy countered that the city was moving too fast. More community meetings are needed for the public to fully grasp the project, he said. “What is the rush? We are being reckless,” McVoy told about 40 people in the crowded commission chambers.

Other opponents said tax dollars should go to other issues, such as afordable housing and historical preservation.

“Giving developers everything they want sets a dangerous precedent,” said resident Jenny Powell.

Opponents also questioned the prediction from developers that the museum will draw 50,000 annual visitors. By comparison, Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach drew about 310,000 visitors last year. The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens annually draws about 200,000 visitors. The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach draws about 100,000 visitors annually, according to local officials.

“I can’t see a museum with glass sculptures drawing 50,000 people annually. This is not the best use of taxpayer money,” said Alex Schultz, a retired attorney and 15-year Lake Worth Beach resident.

A non-profit, 501(c)3 organization, Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts now stores the artwork in Hollywood, Fla., while looking for a permanent location.

Wiener, 80, wants to facility to be a “legacy” for his family.

Wiener had family members killed in the Nazi Holocaust. Wiener also has lost family members in the Middle East conflict that started a year ago on Oct. 7.

“This country has been very good to my family. I want this museum to become an institution in Lake Worth Beach,” Wiener said at a previous Lake Worth Beach CRA meeting.

What’s next for the project?

• Officials from Lake Worth Beach and Sunshine Lake Worth Development will work on a “comprehensive agreement” to iron out the finances, insurance, performance bond and other details.
• The Lake Worth Beach city commission will not vote on final approval of the project until the comprehensive agreement is completed.
• There is no deadline for completion of the comprehensive agreement.