Restaurants and Nightlife in Delray Beach and Boca Raton

When it comes to restaurants and nightlife few cities can compare to Delray Beach and Boca Raton.

Delray Beach was recently named the “Most Fun Town” in America by the Travel Channel and Rand McNally as a result of its incredible restaurant scene and vibrant downtown night life.

Atlantic Avenue has to be experienced to be believed. Very few streets in America have block after block of amazing restaurants, shops, galleries and nightclubs that appeal to all ages. Safe, with ample parking, downtown Delray ends at the ocean and is considered one of the finest Main Streets in America.

Boca Raton is also home to scores of incredible restaurants and has its own vibrant nightlife along Palmetto Park Road and in its renowned Mizner Park.

26 May, 2025 8 8 Comments

The Best of Us

May 26, 2025 By Jeff Perlman 8 Comments

Bound for College Founder Mark Sauer seen here with super volunteer Chuck Halberg.

In honor of Memorial Day: “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.” – President Harry S. Truman

I was sitting at the bar at the Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington when I got the news.

My friend, Mark Sauer had passed away.

I was in Washington on a business trip and stopped into the historic Off the Record bar to relax after several days of nonstop meetings when I got the news that literally took my breath away.

Mark was not only a friend, he was an inspiration and a personal hero of mine.

I got to know Mark when he founded Delray Students First which later became Bound for College.

The nonprofit is changing the lives of local students who without the help of Mark and the organization would never be able to go college. Many are the first in their families to get a higher education.

This effort is changing lives. This effort is saving lives and this effort is breaking the cycle of poverty. And it’s all because of Mark Sauer’s passionate and relentless work on behalf of young people who became his life.

He brought love, energy, ideas, grit, resilience and intellect to the cause. Mark’s dedication attracted a legion of donors, volunteers, tutors and students to the mission. Mark sparked a movement; losing him is simply devastating and beyond words.

Over the years, Mark and I became good friends. We adore his wife Donna who worked alongside him and helped Mark build something so beautiful and so special. That mission will go on.

The Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation is proud to support Bound for College. We knew that betting on Mark was a sure thing because he brought his heart to the work, making sure the kids had all they needed to make it. He spoke to teachers, coaches and employers. He handled dental and health issues, got involved with the families of those he served and led with love.

Mark and I had many conversations over the years. Usually at Granger’s where we discussed the great issues of the day and Mark’s plans for the kids he cared for so deeply. He was all about them.
He was all about changing the trajectory of their lives. I will miss our talks. He taught me, encouraged me and inspired me. And so many others can say the same thing.

His heart, his mindset was focused solely on the future. He wanted to help as many kids as possible and he was doing it.

Bound for College is spreading across the county and it’s making a difference.

Mark took on this work, this labor of love after a remarkable career in business which included running theme parks, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Blues. Mark was modest about his career, but he was very proud of his efforts on behalf of young children who needed a helping hand. He fell in love with Delray Beach and he changed this place for the better. He woke up everyday focused on his mission: helping kids who needed it.

His work will continue and the dividends of that work will last generations.

I will miss him terribly. We all will.

But I want to celebrate Mark’s many accomplishments. I want to remember and appreciate his heart for children who needed a helping hand for a chance at a better life. Mark was that hand and that heart for so so many. His influence will live on in the lives of these wonderful young people Mark discovered and nurtured. He saw them. He saw their limitless potential. He saw their promise and their need and he dedicated his life to meeting those needs. He gave them an opportunity, a hand-up, not a hand-out and they took it and ran with it to places we cannot yet imagine.

Their lives are better because of Mark and Bound for College. He was the best of America. He was the best of us and his heart will live on.

J&J’s

Last week we also learned that J&J’s Seafood was closing June 14 after 26 wonderful years.

John and Tina Hutchinson are terrific people and restaurateurs and this news saddened their fans—my wife and I among them.

It’s where we got engaged so J&J’s holds a special place in our hearts.

Along with Granger’s, J&J’s was a longtime go-to restaurant, a place where I can walk from my office and have a great meal and enjoy excellent and friendly service.

John is an immensely talented chef and his creativity is legendary.

This great, good place will be dearly missed. I hold out hope that they can find a place in our high rent town. Their team is precious and special and we need that kind of hospitality in our community. My heart goes out to the wonderful people who made this restaurant soar for a generation. Here’s looking at you Claudia and Courtney.
We wish for more.

16 May, 2025 6 6 Comments

Granger’s Was A Great, Good Place

May 16, 2025 By Jeff Perlman 6 Comments

Granger’s Grille.

Note: This is an early version of the blog. I’m traveling to our nation’s capital next week on business and won’t be at my desk to write and post Monday. I hope you don’t mind the intrusion in your inbox.

I’m going to miss Granger’s.

The iconic restaurant on Federal Highway closed its doors last week with a sad sign off on Facebook thanking patrons for their loyalty.

I’d like to thank Granger’s for their grilled cheese, their turkey burgers and their home-made chips—which were unparalleled. Granger’s Grille felt like the Delray version of “Cheers”—a place where everybody knew your name. We need these kinds of places; in fact we crave them.

It was interesting to see the reaction to the surprise announcement. Lots of regulars expressed genuine sadness at the news and lamented the loss of yet another local staple—and a relatively affordable one at that. Across the border in Boca, I watched a similar reaction to the news that Belzers Hardware announced that it was closing after many decades. Locals talked about shopping at Belzers in the 50s.

We feel these losses somewhere deep in our souls. These places are what make us feel that we’re home.

As for me, I’m still mourning the closure of The Annex in Pineapple Grove—but the loss of Granger’s stings even more.

Granger’s was my “go-to”, an easy answer for lunch, a place where it was easy to park, the wait staff was friendly, and best of all you can always count on finding at least six other friends among the tables.

I was a frequent flier at Granger’s for years—first at their old location near Rex’s Hair Salon (also gone but never forgotten) and later at the new location which was spacious and featured easy and ample parking. I was there at least 1-2 times a week, even during Covid, when they were a great place to pick-up some tasty take-out.

I finally mastered the credit card machine, a considerable accomplishment for a tech luddite such as myself. And while I never made it to rib night, I had planned too. But alas that opportunity has passed unless of course they find a new location and get the band back together. (One can hope).

My friends in the restaurant business tell me times are tough for independent proprietors. Food costs are high, insurance is expensive, the workforce can’t afford to live here and rents are astronomical. There’s also an immense amount of competition. It can’t be easy to fill seats on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and the summers are long, hot and devoid of snowbirds. It’s hard to know when and if our friends from Canada will return; who can blame them.

But all I know is that places like Granger’s are important.

Life is funny, you never know when your last time doing (fill in the blank) will be. We remember the first times, but we often don’t recognize last times.

My “last time” at Grangers was two weeks ago when I had a chance to have lunch with the legendary Tony Allerton and the soon to be legendary Steve English.

Tony is a long-time friend. He’s a local icon who has literally saved thousands of lives through his work at The Crossroads Club.

Tony is in his 90s now, sharp as a tack and still working.

We share a lot of history and a love for Granger’s, what I call a “great, good place” —a phrase I’m borrowing from Ray Oldenburg.

Mr. Oldenburg is gone now. But he made a great and lasting contribution to our culture. He was an urban sociologist who coined the term “third place” to describe the importance of informal gathering spaces—coffee shops, parks, bookstores, cultural venues and the like.

First place is the home, second place is the workplace, and third places are the anchors of community life where we find connection and community.

They are important civic assets.

Oldenburg’s ideas remain influential, and the best cities embrace his “Third Place” philosophy by encouraging and supporting these gathering spots.

According to experts, there are several characteristics of a third place.

A third place accepts people from all walks of life.

Conversation is the focus.

They are accessible and accommodating.

There are regulars who hang out.

They tend to be low profile.

They are playful, fun and casual.

They are “a home away from home.”

Granger’s ticked most if not all those boxes.

Sadly, third places are declining.

We don’t go to the movies anymore, we don’t join bowling leagues like we used to do and service clubs are struggling to attract young members.

We do play pickleball, so that’s a plus.

Anyway, Grangers was a great, good place. I sure hope they find another location. But if they don’t, I will cherish the memories. I’m already wistful when I drive by….

This week, I was honored to eulogize my friend Nancy Stewart-Franczak, who passed away recently. A huge crowd turned out on a rainy night at the Delray Beach Golf Club to pay tribute to a woman who meant so much to so many. Nancy’s loss leaves a huge void in the lives of her husband, her family, her friends, work colleagues and the communities she served with her outstanding special events.

I got several requests to share my remarks so here they are…

Delray Beach has lost a true friend.

There are no words to adequately describe what Nancy meant to her family, her friends, her community.

We loved her.

She loved all of us, touched all of us, inspired all of us and led by example.

She was tough and soft. Resilient and loving. Determined and sensitive. She was fun and funny, warm and wise.

She put this town on the map with her vision and grit. She was a force —full of ideas and the rare visionary who not only dreamed big but had the skill to execute on those dreams.

She made so much happen. So much. It’s staggering what she accomplished with a small but powerful team. But she was always humble. Always willing to listen and always open to new things. Nancy never stopped growing. She never stopped learning, and she never stopped dreaming. She set an example for all of us.

I’ve had a few days to reflect on my friend Nancy and I’m left with a bunch of emotions: I feel deep sadness over this loss, I’m in awe of her legacy and like you I’m absolutely heartbroken. We were not prepared to let Nancy go… Somehow, we thought that Nancy was indestructible.

But while she is no longer here with us, she will always be with us in spirit. And the seeds she planted, the dreams she realized, will long endure.

She touched so many, so deeply. And I think I know why.

It’s because she was genuine.

In a fast-moving transactional world, our Nancy was real and rooted.

She wore her passion on her sleeve, spoke her mind and loved this place. She loved Delray Beach, even when the powers that be didn’t love her back.

What I’ve seen in the past few weeks is a tremendous outpouring of love from people in this community that Nancy touched. They never went away. They never left her side. Nancy’s community never left her. And she never left our side either. She never stopped taking pride in a community she helped to build.

I saw Nancy weather a lot in recent years. Illness. Pain. Toxic politics.

I debated whether to mention what Nancy and her team at FMG went through relative to the Garlic Fest.

But I think the story is essential to Nancy’s story and a testament to her strength and character.

It’s also a teachable moment. And it has a happy ending because after 9 years, Garlic Festival is coming back. And Nancy knew that. Her pride and joy is coming back to Delray; where she wanted it to be, and where it belongs.

I was mayor when Nancy asked me and Diane, then the CRA Director to travel with her to Gilroy California to show us what a Garlic Festival can mean to a community.

She wanted me to see her vision. She was going to build a festival that gave back to Delray. And she did. Because when Nancy set out to do something it got done.

When the powers that be sent her away, she stood her ground. She told her story. She stood up and spoke truth to power.

It was during this time that we grew closer. Being forced to take Garlic Festival to a new location was hard for Nancy and her team. But they made it work, and the festival grew. But she never gave up on bringing it home.

This is where we saw Nancy’s strength. We saw her faith. Her ability to pivot like all great entrepreneurs and her ability to reinvent and grow her business with other signature events.

She led by example, and she set an example.

When our community learned of Nancy’s passing, we saw a tremendous outpouring of love and respect.

Words like icon, visionary, resilience and kindness were used to describe Nancy.

I can add many: honest, loving, passionate and courageous are just a few that come to mind. Nancy was something else; she was truly remarkable.

I hope we have learned to appreciate and respect these special people in our midst. That’s the teachable moment.

Cities are cities. It’s the special people who show up, roll up their sleeves and get to work that make them special. It’s people like Nancy who make our hometowns feel like home.

Nancy’s life was devoted to building community, she benefited several cities in the area but none more than Delray.

We need to cherish people like Nancy. The people in this room certainly do. We need to insist that the visionaries in our midst are treated with grace and compassion. That’s what makes or breaks a village. Nancy knew that. She got up every day and worked hard to strengthen the village. And she succeeded. With kindness, humor and a fierce determination that made her uniquely our Nancy.

I’ll conclude by saying that I felt very close to Nancy. She was easy to talk to; we laughed together and cried a few times too. She was a loyal friend. A trusted confidant and someone I deeply respected. I loved her. We all did.

Her memory will be a blessing to all of us…she’ll live forever in our hearts.

Last week, during a visit to Maine, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was in a storm with winds so strong that bricks were flying.

In the dream, I was dodging the bricks.

When I awoke, I thought about the dream and what it may have meant.

I think I figured it out, I was listening to a song the day before by Willie Nelson, it’s called “It’s Open Season on my Heart.” There’s a line in the song that I think may have prompted my dream. Here’s the line.

The days go by like flying bricks

Leave gaping holes too deep to fix.

When we reach a certain stage of life, we start to lose people who are essential to us.

Every day the bricks are flying and sometimes they hit us and leave gaping holes too deep to fix.

Losing Nancy leaves a gaping hole to deep to fix. But while the loss hurts, we wouldn’t trade a moment, because the love we’ve experienced transcends the loss.

To Nancy’s husband John, I’m so sorry for your loss. You’ve shared with me your faith that she is with G-d. We wish you peace during this difficult time.

To Nancy’s family. Thank you for sharing Nancy with us. She enriched our lives immensely.

To Nancy’s family at FMG…I know how hard this has been for you. I hope you feel the support of an appreciative community who very much want you to continue Nancy’s remarkable work. We love the FMG team. And we love Nancy…

4 November, 2024 2 2 Comments

Decisions

November 4, 2024 By Jeff Perlman 2 Comments

There’s too much “pluribus” and not enough “unum” these days.

I heard that line listening to a podcast that featured documentarian Ken Burns last week and it left an impression.

As we head to the polls tomorrow, we do so as a divided nation. Healthy debate is just that, healthy. But what we are experiencing is division and that’s something different.

Division weakens, unity strengthens.

There are consequences to consider and I’m afraid we aren’t thinking this through.

Niall Ferguson, the provocative Scottish historian, predicts that America will lose Cold War 2.0 against China because we are divided and that the world will pine for the time when American power shaped the world.

Let’s hope that day doesn’t come. But we are at risk. As Abe Lincoln famously said: “a house divided against itself will not stand.” So if we don’t find a way to unite or at least reconcile we risk opening the door to some really bad actors.

This strives to be a hyper local blog and a space for personal reflection, so I won’t belabor the point other than to note that “story” plays a big role in destiny.

What’s our narrative? As a city, as a county as a state and as a nation?

It’s an important question. Good stories inspire, sad stories drag us down.

Are we the All America City? The Village by the Sea? The city that can solve any problem or the one that is mired in dysfunction?

Is Palm Beach County “Wall Street South”? Or something else.

Is Florida, paradise or Floriduh? Is America the shining city on the hill or a divided mess?

It’s our choice.

All of it.

We shape our destiny if we choose to.

Our voice is our vote.

Odds and ends

Mayo Research

The Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation is supporting Alzheimer’s research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Jacksonville.

Last week, we caught up with our friends at the Mayo Clinic who were in town to share some promising results including a non-invasive test for Alzheimer’s that does not require a procedure to extract fluid or a costly scan.

It was exciting to hear the news. For the first time ever, there is a drug that can be taken to alter the course of the disease. It’s not a cure, but it buys some time. The infusion actually removes amyloid plaque which causes Alzheimer’s.

The disease is a plague on families and society. Any ray of light is good news.

But I was struck by the fact that the average age in which people are diagnosed is 65. That’s young, younger than I thought.

We remain committed to doing our part as a philanthropy to help researchers cure this terrible disease. We are supporting an effort at Florida Atlantic to help families affected by Alzheimer’s and we are funding a researcher at the Max Planck Florida Research Institute who is doing remarkable work.

We are in this for the long haul but hopefully we will see progress in the short term.

A Local Treasure

On a much lighter note, I feel compelled to give a shout out to J & J Seafood, an Atlantic Avenue staple.

The food is just fantastic, the service always awesome and it’s a great place to take a friend to have a conversation. It feels like home.

It’s good to see J & J survive and thrive in a crowded, challenging and competitive landscape. J & J’s presence makes our city a warmer place.

Making a Mark

Congratulations also to the Pulte Family Foundation which is doing some great work providing housing for adults with developmental challenges.

The Boca-based foundation is doing amazing things. They’ve been extremely supportive and generous with advice as we grow our Foundation. They’ve become a role model for our work and we are deeply appreciative of their friendship.

A Good Life, A Big Loss

Finally, we mourn the loss of a beloved friend. Richard Hasner passed last week.

Richard and his wonderful brothers Lloyd and Jay have left their mark on Delray and beyond through decades of community involvement. Their company, Castle Florida, has been one of the most prominent general contractors in our region for more than 50 years. Their work is everywhere—residential, commercial you name it. Over five decades, Richard and his family built more than 6,000 homes, numerous office buildings, medical offices, restaurants and retail locations.

With an unparalleled work ethic, Richard went on to become an owner and President of Castle Florida.

I’ve enjoyed running into the Hasner’s at their favorite lunch spots over the years. Most recently, we’ve seen each other regularly at Granger’s.

Richard was always kind, always quick with a joke and always smiling. I will miss him very much.

He was a mensch in a world that sorely needs more people like him. May his memory be a blessing.

23 September, 2024 3 3 Comments

Looking at Boca…

September 23, 2024 By Jeff Perlman 3 Comments

From left, Mayor Singer, Boca Chamber President Troy McClellan and Councilman Andy Thomson.

Last week, I wrote about some of the amazing things happening in West Palm Beach.

I touched briefly on Boca Raton, but I realized that there is more to talk about when it comes to Boca.

It’s funny, when you’ve been the mayor of a neighboring city, people get antsy when you say something nice about another community. One time– way past my “sell by” date— I rode on a float with the Mayor of Lake Worth Beach in the Delray holiday parade.

On the float, I was given a t-shirt touting Lake Worth. It read something like this: “Lake Worth, Making Delray Nervous for 100 years.” I thought the message was cute and complimentary of Delray because it hints that our town is an ideal that others strive to match.

But apparently I hit a nerve and a local gadfly went after me on Facebook as if I defected to Cuba and declared my love for communism. Oh well…

As they say in NY…tough noogies. I like Lake Worth Beach. Always have, always will.

Anyway, Boca has been a friendly rival of Delray for years—with the emphasis on friendly.

Way back when, I debated then Boca Mayor Steven Abrams about the merits of both cities. We squared off in the atrium of a Boca office building and had a great time. The Boca News (rest in peace) even put us on the cover in boxing gear.

It’s always good when we can approach life with a sense of humor. National politicians should take note: just like Boca and Delray aren’t enemies, Americans shouldn’t be at war with each other either.

But let’s avoid the national mess and revisit Boca Raton, which is nearing its 100^th birthday as a city in 2025.

I had the pleasure of attending a half-day CityLead leadership conference recently at Boca Raton Community Church. CityLead is a monthly event that attracts a wide variety of local leaders. Pastor Bill Mitchell has been leading this effort for a decade and it’s wonderful. Check it out, I promise you won’t regret it: https://citylead.com/boca/

Once a year, they do a half-day conference and I was finally able to attend as a guest of 4Kids of South Florida, a wonderful nonprofit that partners with the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation.

It was a great day with lots of highlights and lots of takeaways that I’m still processing.

But one segment I got right away.

It was a 15-minute panel featuring Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, City Councilman Andy Thomson and Boca Chamber CEO Troy McClellan.

In that short period of time, these three civic leaders touted why they love Boca Raton. They talked about the city’s business development efforts (39 publicly traded companies call Boca home), the quality of life, the fact that young people are flocking to the city for jobs (the median age of Boca is getting younger and is now 47) and how the city seems to have “aspiration” in its DNA. From Addison Mizner’s dream, to the brave soldiers who once called Boca home during World War II, from the IBM era to today’s thriving economy Boca Raton has it going on and these leaders were beaming with civic pride.

But they talked about the “soft stuff” too. Councilman Thomson spoke passionately about an effort to promote neighborliness and how he plans to work with homeowner associations and community organizations to encourage people to check in with their neighbors. Mayor Singer talked about the people who come to Boca and find ways to serve and engage. My friend Troy talked about community institutions such as the 75-year-old chamber, trusted nonprofits like the George Snow Scholarship Fund and the fact that even with 103,000 people Boca still feels like a community.

Pastor Mitchell noted that the speakers filled the air with positivity about Boca and never talked about the wonderful beaches, beautiful parks and A-rated schools. In other words, Boca has lots of good stuff.

I felt the civic pride and during a break I caught up with Mayor Singer. He was approached by several people who expressed their love of Boca, including one young woman who graduated from Boca High, went to the University of Florida and came home to work in advertising. She told the mayor she wanted to be the next generation of leadership in the city.

That short conversation captured everything—the holy grail of community building. You want young people to feel excited about their hometown. You want people to fall in love with a place and dedicate themselves to making it better.

Troy, Andy, Scott and Bill Mitchell all mentioned being stewards of their special city. They showed respect to past leaders who built an awesome place, and they saw their roles as making their city better.

Now I’m sure some don’t like growth; others can’t stand the traffic and still others lament the changes that have occurred. No place is perfect, and no place is perfect for everyone. But cities are not museums, they change, they evolve and if you work hard and are intentional they change for the better. But some things should never change: respect for the past, nurturing a sense of community, caring for others and creating opportunity for future generations.

What I saw at CityLead and what I know from watching and doing business in Boca for a long time is that it’s a strong city with lots of valuable assets and anchors. All those anchors and assets matter—the universities, the businesses, the parks, the beach, the schools, the nonprofits and the places of worship—but the most valuable resource is always the people who call a place home.

People provide leadership, pride of place and aspiration.

Boca has it. And they appreciate what they have.

Mercury Morris

Dolphins great Mercury Morris died over the weekend at the age of 77.

Mr. Morris was a talented running back who won two Super Bowls with the Dolphins in the 70s and was on the team that had the “perfect season.”

Post football he had some legal issues that were eventually tossed and he became a well-traveled public speaker. As a rookie journalist in Binghamton N.Y. in the mid 80s, I had a chance to interview Mr. Morris when he visited Broome County Community College. He was my first “celebrity” interview and I was really nervous to meet him. In short order, I had a chance to meet and interview MASH actor Mike Farrell and Watergate figure G. Gordon Liddy. Farrell was wonderful, Liddy was… let’s say… colorful. But Mercury Morris helped to put these interviews in perspective for me. I remember him as being kind, intelligent and determined to share his story with young people.

I am a football fan so that was common ground and I got to ask him about the famed back field he was part of alongside Jim Kiick and Larry Csonka.

I still have the “clip” from that interview and I used the piece as part of my collection of clips to apply for jobs in South Florida. I liked how the interview turned out and I figured that editors would me more interested in the NFL than my stories about whether there should be a solid waste facility in Vestal, N.Y. or rural Conklin.

Rest well Mercury and thanks for the memories. What a football player. He was electric.

6 September, 2024 2 2 Comments

Cities (Updated)

September 6, 2024 By Jeff Perlman 2 Comments

The Block 40 Food Hall In downtown Hollywood.

We took a brief staycation recently after a hectic few weeks and I have to say it does your soul a favor to take a break from it all. Even for a day.
We went to Hollywood Beach, a 45 minute drive from Delray and spent a day and a night at the Diplomat Resort on the ocean.
It’s fairly reasonable this time of year, despite the $17 drinks.
Hollywood is an interesting city with “good bones” as they say courtesy of its visionary founder Joe Young. There’s a walkable downtown, a magnificent beach and a few traffic circles that will keep you on your toes if you’re driving.
We checked out the new Block 40 Food Hall, a good example of adaptive reuse. The food hall occupies the building that once housed the historic Great Southern Hotel, built by Young 100 years ago to house workers who were building his dream. If you’re a film buff, you may recognize the hotel from its appearance in “Midnight Cowboy.”
We dined at Lux Burger, watched Delray’s Coco Gauff play at the U.S. Open and then took a walk around town.
My wife Diane was a young planner who worked for the City of Hollywood at the start of her career so it was interesting to hear her talk about the changes that have occurred since the 80s.
There’s lots of development happening in Hollywood—high rises..a very different vision than Delray’s.
I like our scale, but there’s room for different styles and visions.
I believe cities need their own visions and “positioning” so to speak. Variety is truly the spice of life. It’s nice that South Florida has a wide variety of cities.
I’ve always been fascinated by Hollywood, Pompano Beach and Lake Worth Beach…Boca, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm too.
I see those cities as places with lots of potential. It’s been interesting to see their progress or lack thereof. It’s been interesting to see the changes that have occurred since I discovered these cities after moving to South Florida in 1987.
I like cities that have “grids”, traditional downtowns, lots of amenities and natural gifts such as beautiful beaches or lakes like Lake Ida. Lake Ida is so underrated.
Which in a roundabout way, brings me back to Hollywood.
We spoke to a bartender who lives downtown and she thinks the city will become the “new” Miami.
Maybe. I don’t know.
I don’t know enough about the politics to understand the contours of Hollywood’s aspirations.
But walking around the downtown I felt the potential, but also saw the challenges of creating a vibrant downtown.
It’s not an easy endeavor.
There are some formulas—events to bring people downtown, accessible parking, decorative street lights, culture, a good mix of restaurants and retail—but you need some magic too. You need some chemistry: I can’t quite explain it. But I have seen it!
Delray managed to make it happen—the result of a lot of years, a lot of investment and a lot of people rowing in the same direction and taking risks.
Sometimes those risks work, and sometimes they don’t. But if you learn from the experiments that fail, you’ll find a way forward.
Years ago, when Delray was striving mightily to revive the downtown, someone —I can’t remember who— said something that stuck with me.
“Downtown will never be done.”
In other words, you can’t ever declare victory; you have to keep at it.
It’s a simple statement but profound nonetheless. There is a tendency to get complacent when you achieve a certain level of success.
But you can’t. Complacency is a killer. In every aspect of life.
The second statement I remember from those days was that “downtown is the heart of the city, without a healthy heart, the city will struggle.”
How true.
The third statement from that era I can attribute to retired City Manager David Harden. He told us that our biggest challenge would be surviving success.
Truth is, I wasn’t sure what he meant at the time. I thought success would breed more success. And it does, for a while.
But success can also breed complacency and contempt. How much is too much? What fits and what doesn’t?
Does the success include everyone? Has the success priced out people who want to live here or who do live here and may be forced to leave?
I believe change is inevitable and can be healthy. I also believe that change is never easy or straightforward.
How do you change and keep your soul? How do you aspire and ensure that you are inclusive?
All of these thoughts flooded my mind as I looked out at the ocean from our room at the Diplomat.
The last time I was here, I was a mayor attending a League of Cities convention or was it a Florida Redevelopment Association meeting? I don’t remember.
But I’m still thinking about those very same questions. Still wrestling with the riddle of cities. Still fascinated about what it takes to succeed and what the definition of success for a city actually means

20 November, 2023 13 13 Comments

The Good Stuff…

November 20, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 13 Comments

Thankfulness is the quickest path to joy.

I love Thanksgiving.

I can take or leave the turkey, but I thrive on gratitude.

I think being thankful is essential to life; as essential as the air we breathe.

Think that’s an exaggeration?

Well, there’s enough negativity in our world that if we focused exclusively on that, we would find it hard to move.

A friend of mine once told me that a recipe for unhappiness is to fixate on what we don’t have. Conversely, the key to happiness is to appreciate what’s good in our lives.

Yes my friends, if we count our blessings, we can find happiness.

That may be an oversimplification, but you get the drift.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving. Here are a few things to be grateful for.

Love.

Family.

Friends.

Health.

Sunshine.

Cooler temperatures.

Dogs (always dogs).

The love of a beloved partner.

The grilled cheese on multi -grain at Granger’s.

Hey, it’s the little things that count.

In fact, the little things may be the big things.

Let me explain.

Every day I come home and get an amazing greeting from two beautiful dogs and a sweet little bird who whistles at me.

The dogs pin me on the couch, and we wrestle and play and right then and there I can shake the day’s stressors and transition to an oasis I call home.

I live in a beautiful neighborhood where people wave, the kids are polite, and we look out for each other. That’s pretty cool in 2023.

Every morning I wake up and look forward to seeing the same two dogs (and my wife of course). One little guy jumps on my chair (which has become his chair) and the other bursts through the door wagging her tail and looking for a sock she can steal.

You fill up on these little things.

I’m sure you have your own small joys. They are to be savored.

In the spirit of the season, here are 10 things to be thankful for.

Teachers- they don’t do it for the money. But if you’ve had a great teacher you’ve been given a lifelong gift more valuable than anything money can buy.

My daughter is a special education teacher in Wake County, North Carolina. She was recently chosen to mentor other teachers, and we couldn’t be prouder. If she can transfer her passion for children to younger teachers, she will become an even bigger force multiplier. As for me, I’m still in touch with my 4th grade teacher through the magic of Facebook. Every day, I’m boosted by his positive posts, and reminded of his influence on generations of students. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a Giants and Yankees fan. Wink 😉.

Great police officers and firefighters- I just read an article about how police chiefs are reimagining the culture of law enforcement to emphasize a mission of service. While I was reading, all I could think about was how the Delray Beach Police Department has been doing that for more than 30 years. We are so fortunate to have an excellent PD and FD. It’s been a game changer for this community. I’m grateful to remain close to several officers and firefighters. Many are now retired, but they remain active and involved. Their work built the foundation for our success and their stellar service will ensure our future. I’m so grateful. Most people I know feel the same way.

3. Cool mornings at Lake Ida Park—there’s not enough of them, but when you catch the right day, and you see the birds and wildlife it centers you.

4. Gallagher’s finally opened up in Boca–If you’re from New York, you know about the legendary steakhouse. We now have our own version on Glades Road. My best friend’s uncle— we called him “Uncle T” —used to work at Gallagher’s in NYC. So now I get to think about that great guy every time I visit or drive by.

5. We have a bookstore in town! Welcome Barnes and Noble. If you get a chance, pick up Commissioner Rob Long’s new children’s book “The Great Weather Diviner” written with Andrew Dolberg. Oh, and ask them to stock “Adventures in Local Politics” by that guy..I can’t remember his name but the book was pretty good. The new store in the Delray Plaza is a welcome addition.

6. The movies– Don’t miss The Holdovers with the amazing Paul Giamatti. And see it on a big screen if you can. It was playing at Cinemark in Boca. There’s still something magical about the movies.

7. Impact 100– based in Boca Raton, this innovative philanthropic initiative started a new program to inspire the next generation of young women to become philanthropists. It’s called NextGen and it’s a brilliant idea.

8. Amanda Perna- I’m grateful for Amanda Perna. The talented co-host of Delray Morning Live is also a gifted entrepreneur and designer. She recently ran into some adversity when she lost an entire collection to a fire. But in true Amanda fashion, she’s going to find a way forward. You can support her by visiting her this holiday season in the Arts Warehouse. She’s on the second floor.

9. New Beatles stuff- here we are in 2023, and the world is still talking about The Beatles. There’s a wonderful podcast McCartney: A Life in Lyrics, a book of the same name, a new AI enabled song and two new remastered albums to savor. I’m enjoying it all! Oh, and the Rolling Stones just released a great new album called Hackney Diamonds. It’s 2023 and we are talking about new Stones and Beatles music! I’m thankful.

10. The concept of a next season–This is kind of a life lesson. There’s usually a new season to look forward too if things are a little awry in your world. Which makes me think of my New York Giants—there’s always next year. I’ll be grateful when this season ends.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Thanks for reading, be safe, I’m grateful for all of you. But especially Randy because he reads to the end and always says nice things. And my friend Scott in Virginia who always takes the time to comment. Nothing made me smile more than seeing him on our recent Zoom call with his grandson William. He’s a grandpa! Where did the time go? My friend wears the years well. I knew he would.

10 October, 2022 0 Comments

Odds & Ends & Leadership Podcasts

October 10, 2022 By Jeff Perlman Leave a Comment

A slice of life from Delray-Boca.

News, notes and impressions.

Every now and again, I like to do a round-up.

I hope you enjoy.

Leader Gov

I’m a fan of the Leader Gov podcast, so I was thrilled when my publisher said they were interested in talking to me about my book “Adventures in Local Politics.”Leader Gov co-founder Bill Stark works with local government leaders across the country and understands what it takes to be an effective leader. He’s a wonderful guy and a treasure trove of knowledge.Here’s a link to the podcast. I hope you enjoy it.https://www.leadergov.com/podcast/

If you like the podcast, check out the book (shameless plug) https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Local-Politics-Jeff-Perlman/dp/1736105167/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y9SKHF377Z61&keywords=jeff+perlman+adventures+in+local+politics&qid=1665404198&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjg1IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=adventures+in+local%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-1

Off the Beaten Path Dining

We are blessed to have a vast array of excellent restaurants to chose from in Boca Raton and Delray Beach.Here’s three you may want to check out.Wood and Fire in west Delray is home to my favorite salad in town aptly named the Delray salad. They also have great margaritas as well.

Fries to Caviar in Boca features an inventive menu, great service and an atmosphere conducive to conversation.There’s no better polenta on the planet and the bar has charm. Finally, we checked out the Palm Trail Grill on Saturday night and loved it.The service was stellar, the food and cocktails delicious and the atmosphere lively. It’s nice to see restaurants “off the ave” doing well.

Amy and Noreen: Delray’s Dream Team

We went to a gathering at the Delray Market last week hosted by Amy Stark Snook and Noreen Payne, the famous Amy and Noreen Team at Lang Realty.

Those two are so special.

The party exuded the warmth and attention to detail that have made them beloved realtors (and people) in town.

There was no specific occasion for the party, just a celebration of their success in a highly competitive market during a crazy time. Amy and Noreen just wanted to say thanks to clients, friends and colleagues.

We were honored to be included and we loved seeing everyone at the event because they were so many people there that make Delray Beach the unique place that it is.

We sometimes lose sight that it’s the people that make a community desirable (or not). The bullies and B.S. get our attention and we need to be vigilant, but it’s the quiet contributors, the good peeps that make a place sing.

Amy and Noreen are incredibly devoted citizens and super nice people. I saw firsthand how clients become friends. It was a powerful and inspiring dynamic to experience.

There are not too many good things in this town that you won’t find this team involved in; from organizations and charities to events and business they touch a lot of lives.

We are lucky to have these two and while they celebrated us (their friends) I couldn’t help but see how much they are appreciated by a grateful community.

Like a Rolling Stone

I just finished the Jann Wenner biography “Like a Rolling Stone.”
It’s a tome, 556 action packed pages of music, politics. history and journalism—the story of our times.

But an absolute thrill ride if you love rock and roll.

From Bono to Bowie, from Bruce to Bon Jovi—the book has it all.

So if you like rock and roll, dig popular culture and want to get the inside scoop on the golden age of magazine journalism this is the book for you.

And at 556 pages plus photos, it will make a good door stop when you finish.

Wenner is a talented writer and there isn’t anyone of cultural consequence since the 60s that he has hasn’t met, written about or partied with.

15 September, 2022 24 24 Comments

A Birthday To Savor

September 15, 2022 By Jeff Perlman 24 Comments

Scott Porten enjoying a past birthday and a cake made by Diane.

A good friend of mine sent me a nice text after last week’s blog.

It’s nice to hear from people who take the time out of their busy lives to spend a few minutes reading what you have to say.

My friend asked whether I write the blog in advance or the night before and the truth is I do both—it all depends on when and where the muse (or the news) strikes me.

He also said that he found inspiration in some of the tributes I have written to special people who have passed. All of this is good, and I am very thankful that my friend likes what I write, especially because he happens to be among the most well-read and curious people I’ve ever met. And I have met some curious and well- read people!

But it also struck me that I should write more about people before they pass on. We should show our admiration for those who enrich us while they are still here to appreciate us. In other words, if someone makes you happy tell them.

Which is a long-winded way of saying happy birthday to my friend Scott Porten.

I won’t say how old Scott is, but this birthday is a big one and it’s starts with an s. Hint: he’s not 70.

Inspired by our mutual friend Randy, I’m going to tell you about a very special person my family has come to know and love.

I met Scott 20 plus years ago when he was a young developer in a still redeveloping Delray Beach. Scott and his company did some landmark projects: The Estuary near Palm Trail and City Walk in Pineapple Grove are among the most memorable.

I admired both projects, not only for their quality and design but for the vision he exhibited.

Back in those days, Delray was not the no-brainer “sure thing” it would soon become, but a city trying to revitalize itself in the shadow of a successful neighbor—Boca Raton.

Scott’s two signature Delray projects showed faith in the future. The Estuary was in a part of town nobody wanted to touch in those days and City Walk was on a secondary street that was trying to forge an identity separate and distinct from Atlantic Avenue.

City Walk gave us Brule’ and Joseph’s and later Yama three excellent restaurants and several cool boutiques as well. The project featured beautiful residential units and replaced a coin-operated car wash in a part of Delray crying out for investment.

The building had a distinctive design and I think still looks good all these years later. I remember someone commenting at the time that the building didn’t have a pool or other traditional amenities and Scott saying that the street itself would be an amenity. That was a bold statement. But he was right.

I think Pineapple Grove may be my favorite street in all of Delray Beach—it seems to be a perfect blend of vibrant without being overwhelming, which come to think of it, describes my friend Scott.

Over the years, Scott and I have grown very close. He’s the kind of friend I’d call in the middle of the night not only because you can take his advice to the bank but also because he’s a night owl and he’ll take my call.

Scott is honest, intense (but in a good way), a devoted husband and father, a proud son and an all-around good guy. He has a terrific sense of humor, is scary smart and is fun to talk to about a wide array of subjects. And I mean a wide array: from politics and prostates to real estate and relationships, Scott can hold his own with just about anyone including our mutual friend Randy who is such a whirlwind of activity, learning and adventures that I would get tired typing up his itinerary for a given month. (If it’s Tuesday he must be mastering the guitar or sailing the Greek Isles).

They say you are a product of the five people you hang out with the most and if that’s true, I have a decent shot at a good life because Scott is easily in the top five.

They also say that you make the strongest friendships in childhood when you have the time and space to hang out. Many of you know that I still enjoy the friends I made as a kid growing up in Long Island. But I’ve been truly blessed to make such good friends in middle age. Scott is at the top of that list.

I enjoy people who care about things deeply…who are passionate about what they are passionate about.

Scott and I share a love for business, real estate, Delray Beach, local organizations, sports, and music. We also love restaurants that have great bars where you can sit and debate the day’s events.

We enjoy and practice the art of conversation and like to talk about our lives, children, past adventures and future hopes and aspirations. Dare I say it, but we also like to talk about how we feel about things. The old stereotype is men don’t like to “emote” or share. But guess what? Real men do—within reason of course— because we are not above calling each other out or poking fun at our weaknesses. Friends are also adept at making sure we keep our feet on the ground. Scott is good at keeping our circle anchored.

I admire so much about him but especially his desire to take care of people. He’s sincere, caring and consistently goes the extra mile. He does so many things so well.
He’s also a convener and has lunch clubs, happy hour groups and breakfast clubs that serve to keep disparate groups of friends together.

About the best thing I can say is that Scott Porten is a mensch, which is the highest compliment you can pay someone. A mensch is a person of integrity and honor. According to the great American humorist Leo Rosten, a mensch is “someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character.”

That’s my friend to a T.

Happy birthday Scott and a tip of the hat to the legendary Randy Smith for the inspiration to write about our buddy.

28 March, 2022 10 10 Comments

Here’s To The Game Changers

March 28, 2022 By Jeff Perlman 10 Comments

Akira Back is the newest addition to Pineapple Grove’s Ray Hotel. It’s special.

I’m intrigued by my friends at Menin Development.

I’m not alone.

Led by founder Craig Menin and President Jordana Jarjura, Menin Development is doing some truly extraordinary things in our village by the sea.

I’m interested and curious about all of it.

But I’m especially fascinated with some of their more unique projects.

The Ray Hotel in Pineapple Grove is a next level boutique property with a gorgeous 22,000 square foot rooftop amenity featuring an incredible pool, three cutting edge restaurants and a design aesthetic that has reshaped the look and feel of the block.
The Delray Beach Market is the largest food hall in Florida, a whopping 150,000 square feet featuring 27 chefs and operators.
Lionfish restaurant brings a west coast sensibility to Atlantic Avenue. It just feels very different from what we’ve seen before.

So what’s next?

We went to the soft opening of Menin Development’s latest creation, Akira Back last week. It’s special. Located in The Ray Hotel, Akira Back is the namesake of a Michelin starred chef who was gracious enough to greet his guests last week as the staff served dish after dish of creative cuisine.

The food was in a word: magnificent.

Mr. Back brings a interesting back story to Delray Beach.

Born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Aspen, Colorado, Akira moved to the Rocky Mountain state at the age of 15. He picked up snowboarding as a hobby and eventually turned pro. He was so good, he appeared in a handful of extreme sports movies. During this time, Back began working at a local Japanese restaurant to supplement his income. After seven years on the pro-snowboarding circuit, Back realized that he felt the same thrill in the kitchen as he did on his board, shaping his decision to pursue a full-time culinary career.

Back attended the International Culinary School at The Art Institute based in Colorado, where he established the framework of his technique and amplified his knowledge of Asian cooking, allowing him to incorporate his artistic vision and Korean heritage.

The rest is the stuff of culinary history—award winning restaurants inside the Bellagio in Vegas and locations in Dubai, London, Paris, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Riyadh and now Delray Beach.

Sitting inside Akira Back, we couldn’t help but marvel at what’s happening to Delray.

We were at the event with former City Commissioner Jon Levinson and his wife Lori. We moved here in ’87, I think the Levinson’s arrived in 79-80. We’ve seen a lot of change.

And while a generation of civic leaders, planned for, worked toward and hoped for sustainable vibrancy and economic success—it’s still hard to fathom what has happened here.

Delray is a rare story.

It really is and I sometimes feel like we take it for granted.

Now I get that not everyone is thrilled with the changes or change itself, but I like a lot of it. So do others, as witnessed by the year- round crowds, rising property values and now national reputation of Delray.

We told our server— a nice young man, from Salt Lake City—that the street we were sitting on was once anchored by a McCrory’s department store and a Piggly Wiggly. We pointed to Citywalk across the street and told him parts of that project used to be a coin operated car wash. He said that was hard to imagine.

When we cut the ribbon on Pineapple Grove Village 20 years ago, the photos showed that there was nothing to the north of us.

Those of us who were around in the 80s remember Norm Radin (who coined the term Pineapple Grove), Tom Fleming (who led the Mainstreet approach to revitalizing the street) and architect Bob Currie talking about transforming four blocks of Second Avenue from Atlantic to Lake Ida Road. Some thought they were nuts. Nice people, but nutty. After all, at that time the city was struggling to get Atlantic Avenue going.

But you know what? Ya gotta believe (as Mets fans know). First you must see, and then you have to believe, and more importantly you have to act on those beliefs.

This blog is a paradox of sorts because I am a believer and a champion of change. I think it’s inevitable.

Our responsibility is to shape that change, but I don’t believe we can arrest it. At the same time, I cling to some things from the past that I feel are vital to our future. There are projects and buildings and values that define who we are—they identify our civic soul. Lose those things and we lose that soul and once lost….well you know the rest.

So yeah, there’s a paradox and a dance that goes on. Let’s celebrate the good changes but let’s also hold on to the tried, the true and the important pieces of our community’s fabric.

Which is why Craig Menin intrigues me. He’s showing us a new future, he’s shaking it up and making it happen. And I deeply admire that kind of drive.

I think Mr. Menin is a visionary. I know he’s an entrepreneur and I have a soft spot for both.

So, I’m rooting for him.

He sees something here and he’s willing to take big time risks to test that vision.

It’s the visionaries and the risk-taking entrepreneurs who change our world and our cities too.

They create opportunities for others; jobs, a broader tax base, a brand, a vibe and an ethos.

Those are extremely valuable assets for a city.

Mr. Menin has always been complimentary of the civic work that attracted him to Delray.

I really appreciate that about him, because I feel a lot of that work and a lot of those people have been demonized for ushering in an era of change and for failing to get out of the way.

But as the late Madeleine Albright once said, it takes a long time to discover your voice and once you find it you don’t want to give it up. Same with your community. When you find your home, you want to do all you can to make it better and sometimes that means speaking your mind.

That’s why I write these weekly messages. Thank you for reading them.

Personally, I never envisioned quite what Craig Menin and company are doing…but I did envision and hope that the work so many engaged in over the years would attract people like Craig. And Akira Back too.

Beginning in the 80s our city committed to citizen driven visioning.

It worked.

We didn’t have to offer incentives like so many other cities. We didn’t have to build or finance a major project that would “save” us.

We just asked stakeholders to come to the table to dream and we encouraged them to aspire then we got busy getting it done. That sent a message to the entrepreneurs: this is the best place to be. The best place to invest.

It’s not a perfect process.

Some stuff works better than you could have imagined and some stuff fails miserably. But you keep going. You keep working together, you keep promoting, you keep inviting people to participate and you hope that the entrepreneurs show up and take you places you could never imagine.

By the way, those entrepreneurs come in all kinds of styles. Some, like Mr. Menin, invest tens of millions of dollars and do things that make you say “wow”, others like Mark Sauer– who visited our table during the opening—start non-profits to help kids find a future. Some like Jeff and Julia Kadel make it possible for children to play baseball (see the Miracle League) and others like C. Ron Allen and Emmanuel “Dupree” Jackson devote their lives to creating the next generation of game changers.

In Delray, we also had entrepreneurs working at City Hall designing innovative programs and policies. Some of our best civic entrepreneurs wear uniforms and serve as police officers and firefighters figuring out ways to protect and serve us while making it safe for investment.

Thank goodness for all of them.

One might ask, where’s it all going?
Who knows.

I attended a webinar by a futurist last week and he said the 2020s would be the most consequential decade in human history. That’s quite a statement. We are off to an interesting start with a pandemic and war raging in Europe.

Here at home, I hope we remain safe and stay healthy. One thing we can bank on is more change. Let’s shape it, let’s embrace it but let’s not forget the values that created the opportunities we enjoy and remember to do what we can for those who need our help the most.

20 September, 2021 3 3 Comments

Eleven Signs Your City Will Succeed

September 20, 2021 By Jeff Perlman 3 Comments

The city won a second All America City Award in 2001. So much has changed since, with many of the values that made Delray special abandoned.

Five years ago, award winning journalist James Fallows wrote a groundbreaking article in The Atlantic entitled “Eleven Signs a City Will Succeed.”
The article was a summation of James and Deb Fallows’s 54,000-mile journey around America in a single engine plane. The trip became a best-selling book “Our Towns” and a compelling series on HBO. I highly recommend both.

Considering the tumult in Delray Beach, I thought it would be interesting to revisit the article to see how many signs of success we can check off.

Sadly, even if we grade with a curve, we are not scoring too high these days. But sometimes a poor grade will force you to buck up and do better. We’re still a great town. We just have lousy politics and that can be corrected by electing better leaders. Take the test yourself and let me know what you find.

Here’s a list of Fallows’ 11 traits of successful towns:

Divisive national politics seem a distant concern.

Grade: The City Commission in Delray Beach is a non-partisan body. Partisan politics has no place in city government. But the last two election cycles were highly partisan affairs, and I would argue that the results turned on party affiliation and not on ideas about how to make Delray a better place. This is not a healthy development. For the record, my party happens to have a majority of voters in Delray, and I still don’t like partisanship on the city level or anywhere frankly. The divisiveness is endangering our Republic and it has hurt Delray too.

You can pick out the local patriots. A standard question the Fallows would ask when they landed in a town was “Who makes this town go?” The answers varied widely. Sometimes it was a mayor or a city-council member. Sometimes it was a local business leader or influential real-estate developer. Sometimes a university president or a civic activist, an artist, a historian, or a radio personality. So, who makes our town go?

Grade: As noted in a recent blog, I would suggest that the volunteer and donor class in Delray have been told to pack their bags. Example: Old School Square eviction. When you lose the patriots, the people who roll up their sleeves and get it done, you risk shredding the civic fabric.

“Public-private partnerships” are real.

In successful towns, people can point to something specific and say, “this is what a partnership means.”

Grade: In our town, that project was Old School Square. But after 32 years, OSS was treated as a tenant not a partner and shown the door. Other opportunities to partner are being ignored or bitterly rejected. Example: The Set Transformation Plan has languished because the city refuses to engage the residents in the northwest and southwest neighborhoods. This is in stark contrast to the Southwest Plan, which was done with city commissioners and the CRA at the table with the community.

What resulted was a citizen driven plan that the city and CRA helped to fund with millions of dollars in improvements ranging from a gateway feature and a new streetscape on Northwest/Southwest 5^th Avenue to the new Catherine Strong Park and an expansion of the Village Academy.

Today, we don’t see these types of efforts. As noted earlier, the Set Transformation Plan and Congress Avenue plan sit on a shelf gathering dust despite the best efforts of citizens.

People know the civic story. America has a “story,” which everyone understands even if some challenge it. A few states have their guiding stories—California is either the ever-promising or the sadly spoiled frontier, Vermont is known as its own separate Eden.

Successful cities have their stories too. New York is the Big Apple, always resilient and always at the center of the national conversation, Chicago is the Windy City, the capital of the Midwest and a place where bold visions come true.

Grade: Who is sharing and teaching our civic story? The local press corps has been deeply affected by changes to the industry and new methods of delivering and consuming the news and many of our past civic heroes have been sidelined by personalities who don’t want to hear from the old timers. That’s a big mistake. There’s a place for elders in every community and if they are silenced or ignored or in some cases disparaged it’s not healthy. That’s what happening in Delray.

They have a downtown.

Grade: We have a downtown and it’s robust. However, I would argue that we need to diversify beyond food and beverage and add offices, creative spaces and other uses that will sustain us as a regional activities center. Who is having this conversation?

They are near a research university.

Grade: Our proximity to FAU is a plus, so is our closeness to Lynn University and Palm Beach State College. But the question is are we taking advantage of that proximity and are there programs and initiatives that involve the local universities?

They have, and care about, a community college. See above.

They have unusual schools.

Grade: Village Academy and Spady are “unusual” in that the former is a deregulated public school that has the authority to innovate, and the latter offers a Montessori program. Atlantic’s International Baccalaureate Program has always been impressive and important to Delray Beach.

They make themselves open. Trying to attract and include new people.

Grade: Here’s where I see our biggest deficit. There was a time when the entirety of city government was designed around the notion of civic engagement, involvement and education. We had charrettes, visioning conferences, neighborhood dinners, town hall meetings, citizen goal setting sessions, citizen academies, police academies, a robust volunteer effort (1,200 police volunteers at the height of the program) and a Youth Council. We sent neighborhood leaders to school so they could become better leaders, we held training sessions for neighborhood associations, supported a race relations initiative and held regular mayoral roundtables. It worked. And then a lot of it, maybe even most of it, was abandoned (and well before Covid). This has been a crippling development. When your involvement is limited to social media, you don’t get good outcomes.

They have big plans.

Grade: I will argue that no city of any size had bigger aspirations than Delray did. We dared to dream, and we executed as well. Yes, we have a state mandated Comprehensive Plan, but I would argue that it’s not a vision and the process— which included citizens— was not citizen driven. There’s a difference. A big difference. The magic happens when the community is involved.

Another lesson I learned along the way is that the journey needs to be as fun or more so than achieving the destination. Today, there’s little fun and a lot of division.

They have craft breweries

Grade: One final marker, perhaps the most reliable, according to Fallows: A city on the way back will have one or more craft breweries, and probably some small distilleries too, according to Fallows.

“A town that has craft breweries also has a certain kind of entrepreneur, and a critical mass of mainly young (except for me) customers,” Fallows wrote. “You may think I’m joking, but just try to find an exception.”

This one I struggle with. I love craft breweries and I can see where they are important and send a message but I’m not sure they are an essential trait of a thriving city. Anyway, I love Saltwater Brewery and wish we had more.

Conclusion…we have some serious storm clouds to deal with.

And if you think we’re invulnerable because Atlantic Avenue is busy, well there’s no such thing.