Boca Raton redevelopment board approves amendment for downtown 42‑unit 'Concierge' building

The Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency on Wednesday approved an amendment to IDA CRP‑17‑01R2 to convert a previously approved adult congregate living facility into a nine‑story, 42‑unit multifamily building at 22 Southeast 6th Street.

Susan Lesser, senior planner in the city’s Development Services Department, told the agency the project would total about 125,841 square feet of residential area with 20,893 square feet of structured parking and 60 double‑stack mechanical valet spaces. The revised plan increases building height to roughly 100 feet (116 feet including architectural features) and seeks a 12‑month extension to the commencement date.

Why it matters: The amendment reduces the number of residential units from the previously approved 88 to 42 while changing unit sizes and maintaining the project’s compliance with downtown DDRI zoning, staff said. The change alters previously approved parking and transfer calculations for Downtown Sub‑Areas F and G and will affect remaining office‑equivalent development in those subareas.

Staff, presentation and code compliance

“For the record, Susan Lesser, senior planner,” Lesser said while outlining the site plan, required parking counts and the project’s review history. She said the Planning and Zoning Board and the Community Appearance Board had recommended approval and that Traffic Division had no objection to the modest traffic impacts staff estimated—about 191 additional daily trips with roughly 16 AM and 16 PM peak‑hour trips.

Ellie Zacharides, representing the applicant, showed facade and ground‑floor activation images and said staff recommended approval. When a commissioner asked about electric‑vehicle parking, Mr. Brown responded: “The proposal before us complies with the existing code requirements.” The plan provides six EV spaces out of 74 total parking spaces, staff said.

Public concerns and cross‑examination

Resident Jonathan Anjane, who spoke during the public hearing and again during open‑floor comment, questioned whether the downtown project would meet the city’s Live Local goals and whether the units‑per‑acre outcome was consistent with the ordinance. “What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander,” Anjane said, arguing that the downtown parcel’s density should not be treated differently than other parts of the city. He also criticized what he described as inadequate public notice for a related city council matter.

Lesser and staff confirmed the application’s zoning and procedural history, noting prior 2018 proceedings and subsequent approvals that changed unit counts and technical deviations. The project eliminates a previously approved DDRI deviation that had reduced required parking and instead supplies mechanical valet parking to meet the city’s minimum parking standards.

Board action

A motion to approve IDA CRP‑17‑01R2 was made, seconded and approved by a 5‑0 roll call vote.

What happens next

Staff will incorporate the approved amendment and the 12‑month commencement extension into the IDA. Any building permits or additional technical reviews will proceed under the approved site plan and applicable codes. The applicant and staff said they remain available to respond to follow‑up questions about EV infrastructure and Live Local applicability.

Closing note

The agency’s approval ends the public hearing on this IDA amendment and allows the applicant to move forward under the amended site plan; the board did not adopt additional conditions during the hearing.