Plans to redevelop the Rybovich Marina are officially moving forward, with the Huizenga family and Integra Investments securing approval from the West Palm Beach Planning Board. Reviewed on September 16, the proposal outlines a multi-billion-dollar transformation of the 19-acre waterfront property, centered around four condominium towers and a mix of commercial and recreational space.
The first phase, approved at the recent meeting, calls for two multifamily towers totaling 259 units. The taller of the pair will rise 36 stories and reach 461 feet, becoming the tallest building in West Palm Beach. It is planned to contain 112 condominiums and 181 parking spaces. Adjacent to it, a 34-story, 422-foot tower will house 147 units and a larger parking garage with capacity for 681 vehicles. The remaining two towers, planned for a later phase, are expected to stand 418 and 374 feet, together adding 401 units.
Credit: KIASM Studio.
In total, the revised development program allows for 660 residential units across the four towers. The site plan also introduces 20,691 square feet of office space, 37,445 square feet of retail, 14,376 square feet of restaurants, 12,750 square feet of crew amenities, 3,355 square feet of marine storage, and 60,937 square feet for a private club with the option for non-resident memberships.
A defining feature of the project is its expansive waterfront promenade, designed to enhance walkability along the Intracoastal Waterway. The pedestrian-focused realm extends onto North Flagler Drive with widened sidewalks, podium setbacks, and extensive landscaping. Additional mobility features include electric vehicle charging stations, carpooling areas, bicycle and golf cart parking, a bus stop, and a bike-share station. Parking garages have also been scaled down, with the tallest now planned to rise 50 feet, reduced from the original 75 feet.
Despite the approval, city staff raised concerns about several aspects of the plan. Recommendations for denial centered on the increased building heights, the relocation of all retail frontage from North Flagler Drive to the waterfront promenade, and the high share of active uses allocated to private marina facilities. City requirements call for at least 25 percent of North Flagler to include active use, a standard the current plan does not meet.
The redevelopment, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, marks one of the most ambitious projects in West Palm Beach. The proposal now advances to the City Commission for review.
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To be fair, retail makes no sense along North Flagler Drive across from a single-family home neighborhood. Focus on Broadway for that instead, but for this development focus on its architecture… I’m surprised KPF came up with something so mediocre I would expect from Arquitectonica or Kobi Karp. Glass boxes and cylinders with bizarre alternating protrusions? This is West Palm Beach, not Miami!
What is the address of the project??
This project sounds like a vertical village with way too many towers and parking garages. Who needs 660 units when you can have zero walking distance between buildings? The waterfront promenade is cute, but its just a giant sidewalk for people to look at the water they cant afford to swim in. Maybe focus on less height and more affordability next time?
Affordability at this location? Dream on…