Nora District shops, eateries, hotel progressing in West Palm Beach
The Nora District construction is progressing for the new dining, shopping and entertainment section north of downtown West Palm Beach.
- Billionaire Paul Tudor Jones seeks to buy a portion of a West Palm Beach street for $220,000, raising concerns among neighbors.
- While Jones has agreed to forgo a security gate for now, the proposal allows for future gate installation pending city approval.
- Neighbors worry about limited access for emergency vehicles and reduced parking, fearing the current compromise is temporary.
- The city commission will vote on the proposal on May 12th, with some residents concerned about setting a precedent for private road ownership.
Billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones has sweetened his unusual request to buy part of a public street in West Palm Beach, agreeing to forgo the installation of a security gate for now.
But neighbors remain concerned by a stipulation in the proposal that would allow a gate in the future as long as it was permitted, approved by the city and that nearby homeowners were notified. Jones, a resident of Palm Beach who is building two massive homes along West Palm Beach’s waterfront, has a thumbs-up from city planners to take over about 65 feet of Essex Court for a payment of $220,000.
There has been only one previous request by a residential property owner to buy a public road, according to city officials, who were fuzzy on those details. Jones’ request, which is technically an abandonment of property by the city, is scheduled to go before the City Commission for a vote May 12.
Neighbors who live on tree-lined Essex Lane, which connects to Essex Court, are worried that emergency vehicles and large trucks will be unable to maneuver on the street if part of the road is closed. They also worry that there will be fewer parking spots on an already cramped street.
The lack of a gate would alleviate the concern over maneuverability, but some fear it is only a temporary acquiescence.
“Read between the lines,” said Bob Marell, whose home is directly south of the Jones compound of three adjacent properties. “If the city approves this, then two months down the road when they file for a permit, they will say that they own the property and can do whatever they want with it.”
Jones bought the two waterfront parcels under construction between Plymouth Road and Bunker Ranch Road for $9.87 million in 2021. They total about 2.3 acres. His holdings grew last year when he added another contiguous property at 215 Essex Lane for $6.4 million.
With the three properties, and the unusual configuration of Essex Lane, which dead ends into a T at Essex Court, also a dead end, a portion of Essex Court could be closed without blocking other homes’ driveways.
The request was originally to be voted on during a March 17 City Commission meeting but was postponed to allow neighbors to work on a compromise with Jones. One neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified for fear of retaliation, said there’s been very little communication between the two sides.
Brian Cheguis, a planner with iPlan and Design, who is representing Jones, did not return requests for comment. In a March interview, he said the plan was vetted by the city’s fire department and that city planners signed off on engineering reports that found no problems with the road closure.
“It’s unique because you really have to control a lot of the property for it to become a viable option,” Chenguis said. “Because (Jones) owns everything around it, he can assume that part of the road.”
Still, some neighbors said it would be setting a precedent for more road purchases by private residents, and they believe the city has already bent the rules for Jones.
The two homes, which are nearly completed, will have the longest residential docks in the Intracoastal Waterway south of Southern Boulevard, and possibly citywide, after an August 2024 Planning Board vote approved two 205-foot piers. That’s 105 feet longer than what’s allowed.
Chenguis, who also represented Jones in the dock requests, said the shape of the coastline in that area of Flagler Drive and the shallow water depths forces the longer length for boat access. He said the Jones family is expecting to dock boats between 24 and 36 feet long, not large “ocean-going yachts.”
“Longer docks don’t mean bigger boats,” Chenguis said at the August meeting.
Seven homeowners in the area sent letters of support for the longer docks, but one said she’s concerned it will obstruct the view of the water and give rise to more lengthy piers.
“We don’t know if it sets a precedent that might be bad for the rest of the houses, who then can say, ‘Oh, he got one, we can get one,’” said Plymouth Road resident Susan Morgan at the August meeting. “You hate to see it almost commercialized.”
West Palm Beach City Commissioner Christina Lambert, who represents the south end, wouldn’t comment on the plan to sell part of Essex Court to Jones ahead of the May 12 vote. But during a May 8 meeting to review the agenda, she questioned why Jones would want to buy the road if he’s not installing a gate.
Commissioner Cathleen Ward, who represents areas north of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, said she met with Jones’ representative. He said if Jones bought the road, it could be marked as private property, which would forbid parking and loitering on it, regardless of whether there is a gate.
Another question raised is how the road would be divided if one of Jones’ three properties eventually is sold separately.
Marell said he hasn’t been contacted by anyone in the city to discuss his concerns, although he has spoken with Lambert and sent emails to the other commissioners.
He had suggested that the city require a deed restriction be put on the property in perpetuity barring the installation of a gate. He called the current plan requiring only a permit and city permission a “slippery slope.”
“This is just another postponement, but they are gaining the advantage during the postponement,” Marell said. “If the city approves this, they are prioritizing the wants of the few to the detriment of the many.”
Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism: Subscribe today.
