Tag: Press Releases

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (November 5, 2021) – The Florida Redevelopment Association (FRA) has recognized the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) for its unique approach to outdoor dining amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Dining on the Spot”, a program launched by the DDA to help downtown restaurants to continue generating revenues while providing a safe environment to serve patrons outdoors, was named winner of the 2021 ‘Out of the Box’ Award by the FRA at its annual awards ceremony. 

While the concept of outdoor seating was already prominent in downtown West Palm Beach, the Dining on the Spot project was created when health and safety protocols limited indoor dining. It extended the seating availability and transformed alleyways, sidewalks, and parking lots into seating areas for West Palm Beach residents to enjoy their favorite downtown spots. For participating restaurants, the program also provided funding for equipment rental and marketing kits.  

The program was created and led by DDA Manager of Urban Placemaking Sherryl Muriente, who accepted the award at the FRA’s Annual Conference in Tampa.  

Even as concerns surrounding indoor dining ease, the success of the program is still alive in Downtown West Palm Beach, as various business continues to utilize the space and funding that Dining on the Spot provides.  

About the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority 

The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873. 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (October 12, 2021) – It’s never been easier to visit your favorite spots in Downtown West Palm Beach. Beginning Monday, October 18, the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is launching a three-month pilot project sponsorship of the Circuit on-demand electric shuttle, which will offer free rides throughout downtown and the Town of Palm Beach through January 16, 2022.  

“We’re constantly looking for opportunities to reduce congestion and get people out of their cars,” said DDA Executive Director Raphael Clemente. “Through both the Circuit shuttle and Downtown Trolley, we’re giving resident and visitors multiple options to make it easier to enjoy what downtown has to offer.” 

Rides can be scheduled through the Circuit smartphone app available at ridecircuit.com. The service is available 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Sunday. 

The Circuit shuttle uses 100-percent electric vehicles, promoting better air quality while offering a first-mile/last-mile transportation option that is convenient and easy to use. Free rides are available between any two locations within the Circuit zone, available at DowntownWPB.com/Circuit. Gratuities for Circuit drivers are appreciated but never required. 

“As a business owner and resident of downtown West Palm Beach, I couldn’t be more excited about expanding Circuit’s services,” said Alexander Esposito, co-founder and CEO of Circuit.  “With the help of the DDA, our amazing team of local drivers and a growing list of loyal riders, we’re excited to help make downtown West Palm Beach an easier place to get around, while reducing congestion and emissions along the way.” 

The Circuit shuttle and Downtown Trolley are just two of many DDA initiatives aimed at improving downtown life and supporting downtown businesses. Other programs include the Downtown Clean Team, the Security Ambassadors, a homeless outreach program, and business development grants.  

About the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority 

The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873. 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (September 23, 2021) – The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) was the recipient of nine awards at the Florida Festivals & Events Association 2021 Sunsational Awards ceremony. The awards program recognizes achievements in event marketing, programming, service and innovation.  

The DDA brought home three first-place wins, including two for its programming and promotional mailer for the 9th Annual Pairings Food & Wine Event in Downtown West Palm Beach. The event also garnered a second-place win in the Promotional Item category. The DDA also won first place in the Best Instagram category for its West Palm Beach Arts & Entertainment District account. 

“These programs are an example of the high standards we strive to achieve when implementing our mission to enhance quality of life, support cultural initiatives, and drive economic development in Downtown West Palm Beach, said DDA Associate Executive Director Teneka James-Feaman.” 

Additional Sunsational Awards for the DDA include three second place wins and four third places for newly created programs Dining on the Spot, Black Arts Matter, and Esperanza Day.  

About the Downtown Development Authority  

The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities.  

For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (September 21, 2021) – West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Manager of Urban Placemaking Sherryl Muriente has been selected as one of just 25 placemaking leaders across the country to share their expertise during this year’s Placemaking Week conference in Flint, MI. The event, taking place this week, is produced by What’s Up Downtown Flint and PlacemakingUS.   

Muriente will be a featured speaker during a panel on managing downtowns and will facilitate a week-long workshop to create placemaking solutions for Flint.  The city, known as the crucible of the car, was one of the first communities to be designed around the automobile, and now Flint is refocusing its energy to reinvent the city around people and places for a brighter urban future. The goal of PlacemakingUS is to elevate Flint’s ground game, share techniques and learn from this unique city’s history and future. 

The Placemaking Week conference will be filled with workshops, discussions and idea-sharing centered around topics including connecting neighborhoods, placemaking and the local economy, creative placemaking, streets for people, healthy placemaking and downtown management. “I look forward to connecting with the visiting placemakers and exploring the opportunities we have here in Flint with their base of knowledge,” said Kiaira May, executive director of the City of Flint Downtown Development Authority.  

In her role with the DDA, Muriente guides projects and programs focused on placemaking, community engagement and residential programs, capturing the vitality of downtown’s creative community to enhance the appeal of downtown. She’s overseen award-winning projects including Dining on the Spot, pop-up vendor shopping location Thoroughfare, and community outdoor wellness hour classes.  

About the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority 

The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873. 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (August 2, 2021) – The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) announces the appointment of Richard V. Reikenis as president and William P. Jacobson as vice-chair of the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors. Attorney Varisa Lall Dass will also be joining the board following her appointment by West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James.  

Reikenis previously served as vice-chair of the DDA Board. He also serves on the Advisory Council of The LeMieux Center for Public Policy at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He was city commissioner and mayor of West Palm Beach between 1985 to 1989. He also served on the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority and the Florida League of Cities Board of Directors and Executive Board. Reikenis, who has more than 40 years of infrastructure and environmental engineering experience, is currently active on projects and initiatives in Florida, Africa, and Central America. 

Jacobson is a member of the Florida Bar Association. He has lived and practiced law in Palm Beach County since 1973 when he started his legal career as an assistant county attorney for Palm Beach County. Jacobson specializes in the areas of real estate, zoning and land development, and governmental coordination. Mr. Jacobson has served as a member of the DDA Board twice and has been on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches.  

Dass is a practicing attorney at Kelley Kronenberg, P.A. where she focuses on homeowner and first-party property cases. She serves as membership co-committee chair of the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, the National Organization for Women, the Palm Beach County chapter and is a member of the West Palm Beach Downtown Neighborhood Association. 

About the Downtown Development Authority 

The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873. 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (July 28, 2021) – The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and West Palm Beach Arts & Entertainment District are partnering with Sub-Culture Group and Street Art Revolution to bring a powerful new mural to Camelot at 114 S. Narcissus Ave in Downtown West Palm Beach.  

Titled “The Revolution of the Groove,” the 100 ft. wide by 80 ft. tall mural will portray six revolutionary African American artists who utilized their music to challenge entrenched ways of thinking about social injustice and racism. Featured musicians include Miles Davis, Nina Simone, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, and Billie Holiday. Several of these artists performed in West Palm Beach’s Historic Northwest neighborhood. Work will begin the week of July 12 and completion is expected by August 15. 

The Revolution of the Groove mural is a collaboration between local Street Art Revolution artists Anthony Hernandez and Caron Bowman. Street Art Revolution is a Black-owned artist-led public art collective and firm, one of the few firms of its kind in the United States that specializes in providing highly curated and culturally sensitive public art, civic design, and sculptures. 

“The power of music and its ability to communicate was a vital part of the civil rights movement,” said artist Caron Bowman. “Blues music tells the story of life’s difficulties and takes the hardest realities of black life and puts them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph.” 

Street Art Revolution and its artists have been behind a number of murals in Downtown West Palm Beach, including the recent “Icons of the Civil Rights Movement” on display at Respectable Street at 518 Clematis St.    

“These new murals not only bring new vibrancy to Downtown West Palm Beach but also honor the history and legacy that influence our future,” said Teneka James-Feaman, Associate Executive Director of the DDA. “We’re proud to partner with Sub-Culture and Street Art Revolution to further enhance the downtown experience.”  

For more information on Street Art Revolution, please visit their website at streetartrevolution.org.  

About the Downtown Development Authority 

The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873. 

About the West Palm Beach Arts & Entertainment District 

The West Palm Beach A&E District is a centralized collection of inspiring arts and entertainment venues; art and history museums; galleries; libraries; performing arts companies; and art education institutions. Situated in the heart of South Florida’s most progressive city, the District includes more than 20 distinct and distinguished cultural destinations that form a defining industry cluster. The A&E District enhances the appeal of West Palm Beach as a visitor destination, drawing attention to its status as a vibrant city illuminated by its beauty and range of creative expression. 

For more information about the West Palm Beach Arts and Entertainment District, please visit downtownwpbarts.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873. 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (July 15, 2021) – The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the City of West Palm Beach, and the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) today announced that applications for the lease of retail space at 407 Clematis Street will open on Monday, July 19. This premiere space on the ground floor of the Mandel Public Library was previously home to a Dunkin Donuts store.  

The desired business to fill this opening will have an innovative and creative approach that complements West Palm Beach’s Downtown Clematis District. Qualified applicants must be a small business with a minimum of two years’ experience in food service operations, an ability to open within 120 days of signing of the lease and have no more than one current downtown location.  

“This is a prime space with 900 square feet of interior space and an outdoor patio that will attract a high volume of qualified applicants,” said DDA Executive Director Raphael Clemente.  “We look forward to helping our small business community grow and supporting the success of the next addition to downtown by making grants available to the selected business to aid in covering interior and exterior improvements.”      

“Located inside the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, this space is a very attractive location in which to do business,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “The City of West Palm Beach, together with the Downtown Development Authority and Community Redevelopment Agency, remain committed to supporting our business community and to the continued vibrancy of the Downtown. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply through the Downtown Development Authority.” 

Once the application period has closed on August 17, a committee composed of Downtown stakeholders as well as leadership from the DDA, CRA, and Mandell Public Library will review and narrow proposals to the top five. The DDA Board will then select the top three candidates who will be ranked and presented to the CRA Board for final review and award. Final selection will be made by November. 

Further information on the application and selection process can be found at www.DowntownWPB.com/Work.   

About the Downtown Development Authority 

The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873. 

About the City of West Palm Beach 

In partnership with our communities, the City of West Palm Beach delivers exceptional customer service that enhances quality of life. West Palm Beach is a vibrant world-class city.  

About the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency: 

Nationally recognized as one of the most innovative CRAs in the country, the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (WPB CRA) sets the standard for redevelopment through award-winning marketing and branding campaigns, events and attractive business incentive programs. The mission of the WPB CRA is to enhance the viability, long‐term stability and the overall economic health of the Downtown City Center and Northwood/Pleasant City districts, core areas in the City of West Palm Beach. For more about the WPB Community Redevelopment Agency, visit wpb.org/cra. 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (June 29, 2021) – The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has selected West Palm Beach-based Image Companies as its new partner for the Downtown Clean Team, which provides cleaning and litter removal throughout the Downtown District. The contract takes effect on July 1, 2021.  

The new contract extends services across the entire Downtown, from 6th St. south to Okeechobee Blvd., and west to Australian Avenue including the Tri-Rail Station. Downtown Clean Team services include removing litter and debris from all public rights of way, cleaning of public benches and trash can exteriors, and power washing in cases of spills that happen between regularly scheduled pressure washing services. In the Downtown Core, service hours have been extended, with cleaning beginning daily at 5:30 a.m. seven days a week and continuing throughout the day. 

The DDA and Image Companies will use the Virtual Badge app to log work completed, report graffiti, maintenance needs, and other items that need to be addressed but do not fall under the Clean Team duties.  The app instantly maps the location of items as they are reported and allows photos to be included when needed. 

“The DDA has been steadily increasing the level of service for public realm maintenance each year. This past year we’ve had lots of business activity downtown, particularly outside dining, which is one of the reasons we’ve had an increase in litter,” said DDA executive director Raphael Clemente. “We are constantly working on maintaining the best appearance for our residents and visitors. That is our priority, and this new contract reflects that with a nearly 250% increase in scope and budget over previous programs.” 

“We’ve been in business in West Palm Beach for 35 years, and both as a business and as local residents ourselves we are deeply vested in the success of West Palm Beach and look forward to making the Downtown District shine,” said Image Companies president Tim Wilson.  

For further information, visit DowntownWPB.com or call 561-833-8873.  

About the Downtown Development Authority 

The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873.