FBI agents are looking into the redevelopment of Marina Village at Riviera Beach, but that didn’t stop city officials from endorsing Related Urban’s plans to build two 20-story apartment buildings on the publicly owned land.
The Related Group affiliate and its partners BH Group and Tezral Partners cleared a hurdle with plans for 418 market-rate apartments with 6,300 square feet of commercial space on 2.5 acres at Broadway and East 12th Street.
The FBI subpoenaed records from Mayor Doug Lawson, City Council Chair Shirley Lanier and Councilmember Bruce Guyton related to Marina Village, WPBF reported earlier this month.
The subpoena, delivered Feb. 24, reportedly sought records from phones, computers and electronic devices related to the marina redevelopment.
The FBI hasn’t said what the inquiry is about. No criminal charges have been announced, and Related Urban hasn’t been mentioned.
But there was a glitch in the bidding process for a greater mixed-use project at the marina, which would include hotels and possibly a convention center.
Related Urban was deemed the only acceptable bidder in July, when the city’s purchasing department found that three other bids — from Sonnenblick Development, Forest Development and Bear Atlantic Development — were incomplete and effectively disqualified.
In the July discussion on whether to reopen bidding, Guyton said, “When there is no competition, it gives us less leverage. When we have more than one to consider, it puts us in a better negotiation posture.”
While Lanier said in the same meeting, “I still have some heartburn about moving forward with this after there is a process, and the process was not completed. And that is just what it is.”
Ultimately, bidding was reopened, and Related Urban, Forest Development and Sonnenblick Development are in the running.
The Community Redevelopment Agency, whose board is composed of the full city council, met the day after the subpoena was delivered, and Lanier postponed a voting item on Related Urban’s two apartment buildings, saying, “important information regarding the marina redevelopment project has come to our attention,” WPBF reported.
Guyton was absent from the CRA meeting Wednesday.
Related Urban’s two apartment buildings will be adjacent to the Residences at Marina Village, Related Urban and Tezral Partners’ eight-story, 139-unit affordable housing project that is under construction. Financed by $100.3 million in grants and loans, those apartments will be reserved for households who make between 30 percent and 110 percent of Palm Beach County’s area median income.
Both projects are being built on land that is being leased from the city for the next 99 years.
Although Gallery at Marina Village was originally intended to consist entirely of market-rate apartments, the city’s planning and zoning board encouraged Related Urban’s Albert Milo to include some workforce housing units.
However, workforce housing was not brought up during the Wednesday meeting. Related Urban, Merzius, and Tezral Partners’ Ezra Saffold did not immediately return requests for comment.
