About - History of Green Cay Village
Green Cay Village - 2003 - 2007 - In the Beginning
The Winsbergs planned to sell a part of their 300 acre property to build an affordable retirement community. Rezoning for this plan got blocked by the County. But the County accepted a plan to build affordable workforce housing.
So in 2003, the Winsbergs sold 43 acres (R1) for 4.2 million dollars or $97,500 an acre when similar land in the fast-growing western part of the county was selling for more than $150,000 an acre, with the stipulation that the land be used to create affordable housing for teachers, police officers and other workers priced out of homeownership in one of the most expensive housing markets in the nation.
Click on image for online topographical map.
The land was purchased by Randy Rieger, a principal of Miami-based Housing Trust Group in partnership with Jerry Goray, president of Goray Communities of Boca Raton, and Stuart Marcus. Together these three men put the plan in place to create Green Cay Village.
The original plan for the development was 100 moderately priced townhomes and 320 affordable rental units at a time when the 2003 construction cost in palm Beach county was approximately $64.07 per square foot.
When the surrounding communities found out about the plan to build affordable housing on the property, several of the surrounding homeowners groups expressed concern over the Development, specifically its affordable nature and interjected themselves into the site plan approval process and the bond approval process. Their actions resulted in the approval process coming to an abrupt halt while additional upgrades where negotiated, most notably requiring over 1.4 million dollars for elevators in the proposed three story apartment buildings. In addition, the delay of almost a year in getting the necessary approvals from Palm Beach County resulted in a revocation by the District County Commissioner of approximately $800,000 which had previously been committed for the construction of Flavor Pict Road.
In September 2004, when the site approval process was finally completed, the construction cost per square foot in Palm Beach County had risen to $89.89, an increase of over 40%. During the delay there were also major increases in basic material costs, especially concrete and steel. Overall, the actual construction costs for 320 units with a total of 315,000 square feet had risen over 7 million dollars since the Predevelopment Phase.
Together the cost increases and delays resulted in the Developer being forced to either not move forward with Green Cay Village Development or devise a creative solution to keep the Development economically feasible. In early 2005 the Developer decided to keep the same site plan, but reduce the number of rental units to 160. The remaining 160 of the heretofore rental units would be developed as affordable condominiums. The 100 moderately priced town homes would remain. The pricing of the condominiums would be approximately $65,000 less than the maximum price for the Palm Beach County SHIP Program. This proposed change to the Green Cay Village Development was approved by the original owners of the property, the Winsberg Family, Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, the Palm Beach County Housing Finance Authority and the surrounding homeowners groups.
Thus what started as a plan for an affordable retirement community evolved to a plan for an affordable workforce community consisting of 100 townhomes priced in the $250 - 300K range, 160 condos priced in the $200 - 250K range, and 160 rental apartments priced from $750/month for one bedroom units to $1000/month for three bedroom units, that are eligible for LIHTC tax assistance.
Source 2005-11-04 Petition for Waiver from Rule 67.48.004(14)
Click on image for a larger view.
| Editorial Comment Missing in all of these facts is the sprit with which Ted Winsberg and Jerry Goray approached the Green Cay Village project. Both had been advocates of affordable housing for over three decades and their dream was to build a community that would showcase all that they had learned and dreamed of over the years - a community that would be their legacy.
Today Green Cay Village stands as a monument to their vision. The 43-acre community features 160 condos, 100 townhomes and 160 apartments; a 6,325-square-foot clubhouse with children's play area, outdoor heated swimming pool, fitness center, splash pool with fountain, and a soccer-field-size play area.
Peter Schulz - Editor |
| Green Cay Village Features
Green Features - Winner of the 2007 Gold Coast Builders Association/Florida Power & Light BuildSmart® PRISM Award for the Energy Efficient Home category.
- R 30 insulation in attic space of top floor homes
- R 4.1 insulation on exterior and connecting walls
- High efficiency 13 SEER air conditioner
- Interior insulated air distribution system
- Programmable thermostat
- Ceiling fans
- Energy saving A. O. Smith Pro Max water heater
- GE "Energy Star" appliances
- Low-volatile organic compound carpets
- Native-plant landscaping
- Reclaimed water lawn irrigation
Together these features add up smart living ... saving money by living green.
Security Features – Green Cay Village is located west of I95 and Jog Road in an upscale residential and rural setting, on PBSO Sheriff designated private property, with a fire/rescue station directly across the street from the main entrance.
- Site security features include individually gated condominium and apartment parking lots, high intensity street and parking lot lighting, a vehicle registration and ID program, and video surveillance cameras located throughout the community.
- Unit security features include poured concrete and cinder block construction with wrapped steel entrance door frames and doors with deadbolts and 180 degree door viewers. In addition, all units have multiple smoke detectors and the condominium and apartment buildings have code compliant sprinkler systems.
To say that anyplace is safe today may be a stretch. But Green Cay Village's goal is to be known as a place to live that is as safe as it is green.
Hurricane Features – Green Cay Village is located west of I95, which is the dividing line for high risk windstorm insurance in Southeast Florida, and in a flood zone with a FEMA x500 annual probability of flooding of 0.2% to 1%.
The buildings are constructed according to the post-Hurricane Andrew statewide building code implemented March 1, 2002, that requires impact-resistant doors and windows that use laminated glass similar to that found in car windshields or window shutters plus a reinforced roof that won't blow off should wind enter the home.
Add to these features poured concrete and cinder block construction with tile roofs and the word "fortress" comes to mind.
Nature Features - In addition to having it's own 3.6 acre lake with native wetland plantings, Green Cay Village is located less than a mile away from two wetland parks that make it a bird watchers and nature photographers paradise.
Both Green Cay Wetlands and Wakodahatchee Wetlands are park like settings that are child friendly, handicap accessible, clean, and easy to visit. And admission is free.
While bird watching and nature photography is not for everyone, being outdoors with nature and other like minded people is a simple and inexpensive way to spend an afternoon ... or the rest of your life.
Handicap Features – Accidents happen and you could find yourself using a wheelchair or walker. And as you grow older, getting around your home may become more difficult.
To address these concerns, all common areas are handicap access compliant, the individual units feature wheel chair and walker friendly entrance doors with 35 1/2" openings and interior doors with 33 1/2" openings, and the condominium and apartment buildings are equipped with handicapped access compliant elevators.
Hopefully you will never have a need for these features. But if you do, it's nice to know your home is ready.
|
|
