Delray Beach homes for sale
West Settlers Historic District - In The Path of Development
Delray Beach’s West Settlers Historic District is in the crosshairs of development.
In the past the 1,000-acre area has been off the radar for home buyers and investors. No one gave it the time of day… until now.
You see, the natural progression in real estate is to develop the prime areas first. These are areas that have the top location, where big investors scoop up property at a blistering pace.
But when investors can no longer find “A Game” properties, they begin looking to the fringes. These are the areas where value remains, where most folks would be nervous to place their money and where a new set of visionaries create the next big thing.
This situation is playing out textbook perfect in downtown Delray Beach.
Delray Investment Is Happening In A BIG Way
Investors already bought the prime properties near Atlantic Avenue. Over the last five years, they built large Condo developments. The popularity of “The Ave” is secure. A handful of new hotels came onto the market and doing business. Two more are under construction right now. And prices are ripping higher.
So where do investors go from here? The logical place is on the West side of downtown.
If you don’t know the geography of Delray Beach, it’s simple. Streets here are east-west and north-south. Locals consider anything east of the 95 highway as beachside. This are is what we call prime location.
But West Settlers Historic District is on the west side of prime. It’s the area where settlers from Haiti came back in the 1930’s. Families homesteaded here. They built their community with friends and families. It’s a lovely part of town that gives Delray its character and culture.
And a great place to begin learning about the city’s culture, it’s root’s and what makes it so special, head over to Spady Museum for a deep dive of local history.
More Development on the way
Mixed-Use, Condos, and Retail
And today it’s where investors are flocking.
The city recognizes the challenge of investors buying up land along Atlantic Ave on the north and south sides. There are city Townhall meetings to listen to local concerns.
A big issue is about the rising cost of living for residents in the area. They talk about jobs and the need for their families to relocate out of their community. Their concerns are about new construction projects, new businesses that may not fit their local needs and higher costs of goods. It’s not an easy solution and the challenges are evident.
But West Settlers Historic District will remain a focal and important neighborhood in Delray Beach… one that must maintain its historical integrity.
At the center of Delray – Swinton Ave and Atlantic Avenue – a developer bought a 7-acre historic property for $40 million. They will create a historic walk-about with retail, mixed-use, restaurants and commercial. You can learn all about Sundy Village here.
The west side of Atlantic Avenue, between 6th and 8th Avenues, are plans for a mixed-use retail – condo – parking development. That will be two blocks east of the Fairfield hotel built in 2015. Construction is on hold now while contracts with the developer are re-established.
And in the heart of West Settlers Historic District is Pompey Park. Complete with baseball fields, tennis, bike paths, teen center for after school education and other youth programs. But the park is old. So the City of Delray Beach has completed the architectural and community approval process to revamp Pompey Park. Construction may begin in late 2022 and completion by 2025. I will include technology room, be powered with solar energy, have large pools, complete with hurricane building protection and will become the “new” spot to enjoy.
All while there are places for kids to enjoy like Frog Alley:
West Settlers Historic District
Good Caribbean and Local Flavors To Enjoy
Delray Beach Welcomes A New Decade For West Settlers Historic District
These are just the beginning of what will be a decade of new development in Delray Beach. With it will bring home speculators, AirBnB opportunities, hundreds if not thousands of new jobs and plenty of room for creative entrepreneurs to provide new services.
While this is going on, today you can enjoy a plethora of cultural food and flavors at our local establishments. Please check out Caesars World Famous Ribs. Or Sweet’s Sensational Cuisine & Catering located at 25 SW 5th Ave – it’s delicious!
While the challenge of retaining Delray’s culture is evident, approvals for more investment and development is here to stay.
The 2020-decade will bring a new look and feel to Delray Beach. If you have vision and know how to position your portfolio in the path of development… investing in the Delray Beach’s West Settlers Historic District could be a winning strategy.
I live in this neighborhood. I walk the streets daily. I ride my bike from here to downtown and around on a regular basis. I know this area well. If I can help you gain useful insight about West Settlers Historic District – call or text me.
