AAF Ownership in West Palm - Now 2 acres

[spuwho]

In a sign that FECI/AAF are making big plans for West Palm, they have now confirmed that they have purchased 4 parcels sized at a total of 2 acres for redevelopment and station platform construction.



This also puts AAF in a strategic position of being right between the fast growing Clematis Street Food & Entertainment District and only 3 blocks from the West Palm Beach Tri-Rail Station.

Per the Palm Beach Post

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/all-aboard-florida-confirms-ownership-of-2-acres-f/nbPxz/

A Florida East Coast Industries executive confirmed Wednesday that the company's proposed express passenger railroad has purchased 2 acres of property in downtown West Palm Beach for a station and transit-oriented development.

In the block between the FEC tracks and Rosemary Avenue to the west and bordered by Datura and Evernia streets to the north and south, the company has purchased $5.5 million of property. Development surrounding the station likely will move FECI as far along to recuperating its $1.5 billion investment as much as ticket sales.

The railroad will run between Miami and Orlando in a three-hour route, with stops in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

"We're not just building an intercity passenger railroad," FECI Executive Vice President Husein Cumber told Northern Palm Beach County Chamber members this morning. "We're building another lifeline for the South Florida economy."

The station itself is expected to serve passengers with retail shops for coffee, magazines and travel amenities like toothbrushes. But the surrounding development could include a hotel and residential condo, company executives have said. It could also boost businesses from Clematis Street to CityPlace by providing a connector between the two main downtown business hubs and encouraging foot traffic.

The company is expected to file plans with the city of West Palm Beach soon to build the train platform and ticket sales area.

[thelakelander]

I hope they have great quick success if that's what's needed to get them to come to Jax before the end of the decade.

[spuwho]

I was in West Palm again 2 weeks ago and drove through the Evernia/Datura district to check out the landscape. While they mention hotels and retail, I think this district will bloom with townhouses. West Palm is already extremely walkable from City Place to Clematis (they even have faux trolleys) up Rosemary. Adding the new station will enhance this immensely.

The only constraint I can see is that most of the parcels west of Sapodilla are for Tri-Rail leased and public parking.

Most of the more recent high rise build outs in central West Palm off Okeechobee show that the city planners understand urban design concepts, many that Jacksonville need to embrace.

Next time I am down there I will take more pictures and post.

[thelakelander]

^I wouldn't worry about the leased surface lots.  They'll eventually be developed as property values rise.

[chrsjrcj]

Not sure about the area between the Tri-Rail station and Sapodilla. A lot of that land has sat empty for a while now, and Tamarind Ave. is known as one of the most dangerous places in Palm Beach County. The AAF station, though, is in a perfect spot, right in between Clematis and City Place. The city just recently added a new trolley route between downtown and the Tri-Rail station, and the route between City Place and Clematis has been there for quite a few years now (I believe since City Place opened).  Both trolley routes go right by (or pretty close to) the proposed AAF station.

When it comes to public transportation, I actually really like what South Florida has done (and is planning to do). Orlando is starting to get in the game quite nicely too.