A rooftop helipad atop the Hibiscus Street garage in CityPlace and a plan to include the Jaguar dealership site in the Downtown Master Plan both received separate backing from West Palm Beach’s Planning Board, which unanimously recommended that the broader plan move forward. The board’s vote sends both proposals to the City Commission, which holds its own hearings and makes the final call.
The helipad proposal, as reported by WPBF 25 News, envisions electric helicopters shuttling passengers between Miami and West Palm Beach from a pad built on top of the Hibiscus Street garage, which is owned by Stephen Ross. One planning board member reportedly called the application exciting during Tuesday’s meeting. Planning Board Chairman Steve Mayans, for his part, was careful to note the limits of what the board’s vote actually means.
“We are only a recommending board,” Mayans said, according to WPBF 25 News investigative reporter Terri Parker’s reporting, stressing that the City Commission will hold its own hearings and reach its own conclusions on both the helipad and the broader master plan. Mayans also said West Palm Beach’s growth will happen regardless of how the debate plays out.
Jaguar Dealership Site Could Rise Up To 25 Stories
The board recommended folding the Jaguar dealership property at Okeechobee Boulevard and South Dixie Highway into the Downtown Master Plan, a move made at the property owner’s request, but did not authorize construction. Under downtown zoning, the site could accommodate a residential high-rise of up to 25 stories, or possibly higher, according to WPBF 25 News…