Officials hope to sell the site and find one closer to FAU.
By Chuck Mcginess
Palm Beach Post Staffwriter
Saturday, April 27, 2002
Tri-Rail all but abandoned plans Friday for a new station on property it owns near Glades Road in Boca Raton, agreeing to work with city and community leaders to find another site for a new mass transit depot.
Boca Raton Mayor Steven Abrams said the city would like a train station at T-Rex Technology Center on Yamato Road, but some Tri-Rail board members aren’t sold on that location.
Chairman James Cummings said he would like a spot closer to Florida Atlantic University, where the commuter rail could seek new riders among the thousands of students and staff members, who drive to the campus, Cummings wants to involve FAU representatives in the site search.
“To me, that will have a lot of bearing on where we put the station,” Cummings said.
For years, Tri-Rail has contemplated having a station along Military Trail, just south of Glades Road as the centerpiece of a mixed-use development. Fort Lauderdale developer Sapphire Properties was awarded a 30-year lease in 1999 to build apartments, offices, a hotel and two restaurants around a station that would be a replica of the historic CSX Seaboard Coast Line station in Tampa.
But the project fell apart because of problems with access to the 12-acre site and the city’s reluctance to approve such a large development near already congested Glades Road.
Last year Sapphire began talks with Tri-Rail about scaling back the size of the project. At the time, Tri-Rail talked about finding the money needed to build a station at the site.
Now Sapphire has proposed renegotiating the lease to include partners Codina Development Corp. of Coral Gables and Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association owner of the neighboring Boca Center. The group would build two 100,000-square foot office buildings.
Board members, however, aren’t sure whether they want to be involved in a project that would not include a station. They agreed to talk with the developers, but not until $75,000 in late rent is paid.
At the same time, Tri-Rail will ask the Federal Transit Administration if it can sell the 12 acres and use the money for operational improvements. The land was bought with 3.2 million in federal money.
“Our whole purpose is to provide service that fits the needs of our customers,” board member Allen Harper said. “Putting a station where if does the most good is the best plan.”
Tri-Rail intends to close its Boca station on Yamato Road and build a new station at the Congress Avenue park-and-ride lot next to interstate 95 as part of a $451 million expansion program.
The work includes the completion of a second track on the 71-mile rail corridor, renovation of nine stations, reconstruction of the Boynton Beach station and safety improvements at more than 70-rail crossings
Chuck_ Mcginess@pbpost.com