Holiday Inn on Yamato will become 125 apartments after 4–1 council vote
A 4–1 council vote turns a Yamato Road Holiday Inn into apartments, the city queues up a hurricane prep night at the downtown library, and Spanish River Park Beach earns another...
Holiday Inn on Yamato will become 125 apartments after 4–1 council vote
to housing. The 4–1 vote clears the way to turn 183 hotel rooms into 125 apartments, with 13 units set aside as affordable and seven reserved as workforce housing for residents earning below set income thresholds.
The project moves under the city's Commercial Industrial Multifamily Development designation, or CIMD, which requires 10% affordable units and 5% workforce units. That ratio sits well below Florida's Live Local Act, which mandates 40% affordable units in qualifying projects. Council Member Jon Pearlman cast the lone no vote, arguing the city is leaving deeper affordability on the table by routing developers through CIMD instead of Live Local.
"Had these seven CIMD projects been Live Local projects, we would have four times the amount of affordable housing across these seven projects right now," Pearlman said, referring to the seven CIMD approvals since the designation was adopted in 2024. Supporters of Tuesday's vote framed the conversion differently: an existing building repurposed for full-time residents. The Holiday Inn site is now part of Boca's broader debate over local zoning tools and the state's affordability mandate.
Hurricane prep night at the downtown library, May 26
esday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. WPTV meteorologists will appear alongside Boca Raton's Emergency Manager, Fire Rescue Services, Police Services, and Palm Beach County Emergency Management to walk through what to do before, during, and after a storm.
The format includes questions and answers, so residents can raise practical issues such as evacuation zones, generator rules, shutter permits, or flood-prone streets with the agencies involved in storm response. Sanitation Services is also running its annual Clean & Cut bulk and vegetation pickup program ahead of the first named storm; check your pickup date before trimming trees or dragging vegetation to the curb.
If you haven't already, sign up for AlertBoca text notifications. That's the channel the city uses to push warnings during storms and other emergencies.
Tall Boy returns to Spanish River Boulevard
The former Whistle Stop on Northeast Spanish River Boulevard has been redesigned and reopened under its original 1981 name, Tall Boy.
The dive bar at 395 N.E. Spanish River Blvd. takes its name from the double-stack freight trains that run behind the property and is rolling out seasonal cocktails, live music, karaoke, and game nights. For longtime regulars, it is the same address with a new version of the old name.
Free yoga and Pilates at Wildflower Park keep running through summer
The city's Wildflower in Bloom series continues at Wildflower Park, 551 East Palmetto Park Road, with free morning sessions by the Intracoastal.
Pilates in the Park runs Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. through August 29, and yoga runs Sundays from 9 to 10 a.m. through August 30. No registration is required — bring your own mat and water bottle.
For anyone who'd rather walk than stretch, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center at 1801 North Ocean Boulevard is running Island Treks at 10 a.m. today, an Outdoor Marine Aquarium Feeding at 12:30 p.m., and a Resident Sea Turtle Talk at 1 p.m. — all free and all under the hammock canopy.
Planning & Zoning Board meeting canceled Thursday
The Planning & Zoning Board meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m.
at the 6500 Building, 6500 Congress Avenue, has been canceled. If you were planning to weigh in on an agenda item, watch the city's meeting calendar — agendas are typically posted the Thursday before a scheduled meeting, and the next opportunity for public comment will be whenever the board reconvenes.
What to watch this week
Memorial Day weekend lands Monday, May 25, with the city's Commemorative Ceremony and a Memorial Park plaque unveiling from 9 to 10 a.m.
Wednesday, May 27 brings Special Magistrate parking hearings at City Hall, 201 W. Palmetto Park Road, starting at 9 a.m. — useful to know if you've been contesting a ticket. And the Marcus King Band plays Mizner Park Amphitheater on Saturday, May 31, with doors at 7 p.m.
Spanish River Park beach gets Blue Flag again — but rip currents are high today
Spanish River Park Beach has earned the international Blue Flag Beach Award for a second consecutive year, the city announced.
The award recognizes water quality, safety, environmental management, and education standards at participating beaches worldwide.
The timing is a bit ironic: a High Rip Current Risk is in effect for local Atlantic beaches through this evening and is expected to continue through at least Wednesday evening. Forecasters call for mostly sunny and breezy conditions today with a high near 85 and about a 20% chance of a quick shower or thunderstorm after mid-morning. East winds around 15 mph will gust over 20 mph at times. For beachgoers, that means checking conditions before getting in the water.
One more thing the city reiterated this week: bonfires and fire pits are not allowed at beach parks. The city notes fire pits can smolder for up to 24 hours even when covered with sand, posing risks to sea turtles, wildlife, and people on the sand the next morning.