Boca Raton-based Grover Corlew wants to build a 271-unit residential development at 1625 South Congress Avenue in Delray Beach. Dubbed Mayla Delray, the project would be the third in the developer’s portfolio under the Mayla Residences brand and is a response to fill in a need for residential housing as demand continues to grow. The proposal calls for an 8-story structure with Class-A residential units within an existing office complex that sits south of Linton Boulevard and west of the Interstate 95 and CSX train tracks. Of the 271 units, 55 will be set aside for workforce housing, and the development would also bring a string of landscaped plaza features along South Congress Avenue, including a transit stop, that would be linked to existing and proposed buildings.
Street view of 1625 South Congress Avenue. Photo from Google Maps.
General Contractor Kaufman Lynn Construction (KL), who moved their headquarters to Delray Beach from Boca Raton, is in full support of the proposed project. “We made a $20 million investment here, so we have a strong interest in making this a signature area of the city,” said CEO and Board Chair Mike Kaufman, whose company is 100% employee owned. “We understand why a project like Mayla Delray is important to our community because people need appropriate housing. We are a growing company with 250 employees and actively recruiting employees nationally, but we have lost some candidates because they could not find appropriate housing here.” KL has never worked with Grover Corlew before, but believes Mayla Delray is a step in the right direction for the area. “It’s a smart project that adds great value to the Congress Avenue corridor and provides a much-needed housing option for those who want to live here,” Kaufman added
The project plans are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and meet the applicable criteria set forth in the Land Development Regulations of Delray Beach. Mayla Delray will maintain the scale, density, intensity and enhances the character of the “surrounding neighborhood, district or corridor.” The resulting floor area ratio, which includes the parking garage, is also in compliance as the maximum allowed is 2.5 and approximately 1.31 will result with the proposed building. The height maximum is 85 feet. and this building is just over 80 feet. The maximum density is 40 dwelling units per acre, and this project is proposed with 22 dwelling units per acre. 27% of the property would be open space, where the minimum requirement is 25%.
Aerial view of 1625 South Congress Avenue. Photo from Google Maps.
Below are quotes included in a recent press release related to the announcement of the project.
“We would be meeting a critical housing need here in Delray Beach and increasing the supply of workforce housing with Mayla Delray,” said Partner Mark Corlew. “Our vision is to create more connected, pedestrian-friendly communities, where people can live, work and play. The employers surrounding Mayla within the office complex are excited about the possibility to have housing available to their employees. We have made the adjustments to our plans based on comments from the city Planning and Zoning Board and believe this is a tremendous addition to the beautiful city of Delray Beach.”
“Mayla Delray is well below Floor Area Ratio, density and height limits,” said Partner Anuj Grover. “The building is within the eight-story height limit and is compliant with the density maximums allowed per the Land Development Regulations and the Always Delray Comprehensive Plan. We care about our local communities. We live and work here and have several projects throughout Palm Beach County.”
“Housing units are much more important than landscape buffers,” said Steve Mackey, Sales & Acquisitions, Mack Industrial, Inc., a Delray Beach resident and local real estate investor. “Housing availability is a significant challenge in Delray Beach, just as it has been throughout South Florida. Mayla Delray is in line with what the original Congress Avenue task force requested and will certainly be an excellent addition to Delray.”
“Mayla Delray is well below Floor Area Ratio, density and height limits,” said Partner Anuj Grover. “The building is within the eight-story height limit and is compliant with the density maximums allowed per the Land Development Regulations and the Always Delray Comprehensive Plan. We care about our local communities. We live and work here and have several projects throughout Palm Beach County.”
“Housing units are much more important than landscape buffers,” said Steve Mackey, Sales & Acquisitions, Mack Industrial, Inc., a Delray Beach resident and local real estate investor. “Housing availability is a significant challenge in Delray Beach, just as it has been throughout South Florida. Mayla Delray is in line with what the original Congress Avenue task force requested and will certainly be an excellent addition to Delray.”
Mackey believes the city needs to be proactive in adding new housing units and finding solutions for the lack of housing options rather than building roadblocks which only exacerbates the affordability and shortage crisis. “They need to find ways to say yes instead of looking for reasons to say no,” he said. “Cities and municipalities should be providing incentives to get more housing units built and cannot expect developers to single handily fix the crisis. If they keep finding ways to say no, the gentrification will continue, and we will all get gentrified by richer people moving in from New York and California.”
Keith O’Donnell, Principal, Capital Markets with Avison Young, believes the reason the area struggles with housing supply and affordability is the influx of new residents, particularly from the northeast. “The private sector is taking risks envisioning new housing options to meet the significant needs of the market in locations like Congress Avenue in Delray Beach. That’s despite the batch plants, water treatment facilities, large powerlines and lack of a future road plan.”
O’Donnell adds that beautiful new residential buildings with amenities are needed to attract the workforce that will fill surrounding office buildings. “This also encourages local commercial neighborhoods to make improvements, which leads to a sense of community,” he said. “People need places to create community, and they will. Proactive governments partnering with the private sector will win the battle for talent and stability.”
The first of the Mayla-branded projects is currently under construction in Pompano Beach, and the second will soon be under construction in the Cypress Creek area of Fort Lauderdale. The architect for Mayla Delray has not been mentioned, but it will most likely be MSA Architects, who designed the first and second Mayla projects. A general contractor has not been selected, but considering KL is now located in Delray Beach, is in full support of the project, and has an extensive portfolio of large scale multifamily projects, the company poses as a great candidate for the job.
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