One Boca Unveils Scaled-Back Downtown Plan with Major Park Expansion, City-Led Vision

by | Oct 27, 2025 · 5:24 pm | Politics & Government, Boca Raton Archive | 2 comments

One Boca Unveils Scaled-Back Downtown Plan with Major Park Expansion, City-Led Vision

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The actions described in this article relate to the Downtown Campus Redevelopment Project, including land use, zoning, and future planning steps tied to the adopted master framework. Readers can explore the full timeline and supporting documents here.


BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — After months of heated discussion and community feedback, the team behind One Boca has returned with a scaled-back proposal for the city’s downtown Government Campus — one they say now reflects the priorities of Boca Raton residents.

Unveiled on October 27, the revised plan reshapes the 50-acre district at the heart of downtown, placing renewed focus on civic use and green space rather than private development. The updated proposal emphasizes collaboration with residents and city leaders, framing the project as a “shared vision” that protects public land and honors Boca’s character.

Under the new plan, all land west of NW 2nd Avenue — including City Hall and the surrounding civic area — will remain 100 percent city-owned and dedicated to public, civic, and recreational use. That area, which will anchor a new Memorial Park, will include a rebuilt City Hall, community center, playground, multi-purpose fields, and tennis courts. The design also features “Banyan Village,” a nod to Boca’s iconic trees, and a “Garden Walk” connecting various amenities.

The park’s expansion is among the proposal’s most notable changes. Public recreational space would more than double, increasing from 7.6 acres to 15.4 acres. The leased development footprint, meanwhile, has been reduced by roughly 75 percent — from about 31 acres to less than 8 — all of it east of NW 2nd Avenue near the Brightline station.

Development on that eastern parcel would include residential, hotel, and retail components built on existing lots and defunct buildings, not on existing green space. The plan introduces new plazas and pedestrian corridors linking Palmetto Park Road to Brightline, aiming to connect the Government Campus with the rest of downtown.

“We are excited to unveil this new proposal and collaborate with the City of Boca Raton on a vision created by the community,” said Rob Frisbie, Managing Partner of Frisbie Group, one of the co-developers behind One Boca. “We are grateful to the City’s leadership and hundreds of residents who have shared their thoughts and comments, which has made this proposal stronger. The One Boca team is proud to commemorate and honor veterans by anchoring the proposal with a true Memorial Park and building world-class amenities and cultural institutions.”

The concept design — included in a 10/27/2025 master plan presentation — shows tree-lined promenades, a new city hall, and a central Eagle Statue marking the entrance to Memorial Park. Renderings depict basketball and tennis courts, a children’s museum, fitness lounge, and public pavilions surrounded by shaded pedestrian pathways.

Developers say the reimagined plan represents not only a more community-driven approach but also a significant economic opportunity. According to the project team, rent payments and tax revenue from the proposed development would generate more than $2 billion in long-term economic impact — funding that could help pay for city projects, including the construction of new civic facilities and ongoing programming.

The updated plan follows a series of open houses, council workshops, and meetings with residents and veterans’ groups. That feedback, One Boca representatives said, directly influenced the redesign and reduction in private development areas.

This proposal was unveiled and discussed at today’s Boca Raton City Council Workshop at 1:30 p.m. and will be discussed again during Tuesday’s City Council meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Pending Council review, the measure will ultimately go before voters for approval on the March 2026 ballot.

For now, One Boca says the team remains committed to continued dialogue with the city and its residents — a stance that marks a notable shift from earlier iterations of the project that drew sharp criticism for overreach and lack of transparency.

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2 Comments

  1. Please double check your notes – I had read elsewhere that the hotel idea had been scrapped…

    Reply
    • Scaled back, not scrapped. Per latest update from Frisbie Group as also presented in the 3rd workshop, “Leased Area Reduced by Approximately 75%: From ~31 acres to less than 8 acres, all east of NW 2nd Avenue near the Brightline station. Development, which is proposed to include residential, retail, commercial uses and a hotel, focuses on existing parking lots and defunct buildings, not green space.”

      Reply

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