Atlantic Avenue is essentially divided into two distinct communities: East Atlantic Avenue and West Atlantic Avenue. Over the past 8 years, the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (Delray Beach CRA) and the City have poured millions into the revitalization of East Atlantic Avenue. Today, East Atlantic is a vibrant downtown with several specialty retail stores, restaurants, boutiques and newly renovated office spaces. East Atlantic Avenue has undergone a complete renaissance, much to the credit of the Community Redevelopment Agency. Currently, East Atlantic Avenue has a less than 5%
vacancy rate in the retail/office market. However, the West Atlantic Avenue, a historically African-American community benefits very little from the revitalization process of Downtown Delray. The West Atlantic Avenue corridor lacks the basic business infrastructure that makes a viable business corridor. Although there have been some major public investments including the Delray Beach Fire and the Police Departments constructed over the past five years in the area, there have been no significant private investments. The limited commercial space available in the area is in fair to poor conditions. The area businesses are typically “check cashing stores,” “fast food” restaurants and “liquor stores,” which contribute more to the deterioration of the area than to its economy. The residents of the community lack the basic retail, food and entertainment services. Existing services in downtown Delray Beach, only a few blocks away, serve a more upscale market and do not meet the needs of the West Atlantic Avenue community residents Conversely, the housing stock on West Atlantic Avenue consisted mainly of older, smaller units built in the 1950's. Four years ago, the City of Delray Beach and the Delray Beach CRA joined the two CDCs, Delray Beach Community Development Corporation and the TED Center to create the Renaissance Program, a mechanism by which low- and very low households could purchase their first homes. The two CDCs have since constructed and rehabilitated 220 single- family units through the renaissance program. The program has been quite successful and currently, moderate- income families, not eligible for government assistance, are building market price houses in the target area. Currently, the housing stock has been upgraded and the CDCs' units are selling in the high 90s. However, there has been little done to stimulate investments, or to create jobs for the neighborhood residents. Household income and per capital income for individuals living in the target area still lag behind.
Based on the community profile below, this project will benefit direct or indirectly everyone in the community. Based on the analysis done by LISC and the City, 151 jobs will be created and based on the nature of the project, 50% to 60% will go to low-income households. The TED Center and Delray Beach CDC are prepared to partner with Workforce Development or any training organization to offer job skills training seminar or workshops to local residents to access these jobs. The emphasis in this project is the economic component. We want to bring jobs and services to the community and this exactly what Atlantic Grove will do. The African-American population is about one quarter of Delray Beach's overall population of about 60,000. Most are concentrated in the target area for this project. Even though the area has been the heart of the African-American community, it has not kept pace with the rest of Delray Beach in terms of the income levels and distressed factors.
