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Atlantic Avenue is essentially divided into two distinct
communities: East Atlantic Avenue and West Atlantic Avenue. Over
the past 8 years, the
Delray Beach
Community Redevelopment Agency (Delray Beach CRA) and the
City have poured millions into the revitalization of East
Atlantic Avenue. Today, East Atlantic is a vibrant downtown with
several specialty retail stores, restaurants, boutiques and
newly renovated office spaces. East Atlantic Avenue has
undergone a complete renaissance, much to the credit of the
Community Redevelopment Agency. Currently, East Atlantic Avenue
has a less than 5% vacancy rate in the retail/office market.
However, the West Atlantic Avenue, a historically
African-American community benefits very little from the
revitalization process of Downtown Delray. The West Atlantic
Avenue corridor lacks the basic business infrastructure that
makes a viable business corridor. Although there have been some
major public investments including the
Delray Beach Fire and the
Police Departments constructed over the past five years in
the area, there have been no significant private investments.
The limited commercial space available in the area is in fair to
poor conditions. The area businesses are typically “check
cashing stores,” “fast food” restaurants and “liquor stores,”
which contribute more to the deterioration of the area than to
its economy. The residents of the community lack the basic
retail, food and entertainment services. Existing services in
downtown Delray Beach, only a few blocks away, serve a more
upscale market and do not meet the needs of the West Atlantic
Avenue community residents Conversely, the housing stock on West
Atlantic Avenue consisted mainly of older, smaller units built
in the 1950's. Four years ago, the City of Delray Beach and the
Delray Beach CRA joined the two CDCs, Delray Beach Community
Development Corporation and the TED Center to create the
Renaissance Program, a mechanism by which low- and very low
households could purchase their first homes. The two CDCs have
since constructed and rehabilitated 220 single- family units
through the renaissance program. The program has been quite
successful and currently, moderate- income families, not
eligible for government assistance, are building market price
houses in the target area. Currently, the housing stock has been
upgraded and the CDCs' units are selling in the high 90s.
However, there has been little done to stimulate investments, or
to create jobs for the neighborhood residents. Household income
and per capital income for individuals living in the target area
still lag behind.
Benefits
Based on the community profile below, this project will benefit
direct or indirectly everyone in the community. Based on the
analysis done by LISC and the City, 151 jobs will be created and
based on the nature of the project, 50% to 60% will go to
low-income households. The TED Center and Delray Beach CDC are
prepared to partner with
Workforce Development or any training organization to offer
job skills training seminar or workshops to local residents to
access these jobs. The emphasis in this project is the economic
component. We want to bring jobs and services to the community
and this exactly what Atlantic Grove will do. The
African-American population is about one quarter of Delray
Beach's overall population of about 60,000. Most are
concentrated in the target area for this project. Even though
the area has been the heart of the African-American community,
it has not kept pace with the rest of Delray Beach in terms of
the income levels and distressed factor.
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