12-2-09 PBD News
Preserve Palm Beach seeks stay of Royal Poinciana Playhouse referendum ruling
The political action committee campaigning to get a referendum on the ballot that would protect the Royal Poinciana Playhouse from demolition filed a motion Monday asking a lower court judge to stay his order forbidding the vote until an appeals court can rule. •
The Debate over Royal Poinciana Plaza and Playhouse
Daily News Photo by Lee Hershfield
Palm Beach Town Council has landmarked Royal Poinciana Plaza, which includes the Royal Poinciana Playhouse.
Daily News Photo by Jeffrey Langlois
An aerial photograph of the Royal Poinciana Plaza shows the current layout of the shopping center.
A model shows the proposal for the current location. Commissioners praised the plan to more than double the amount of green space but also voiced concern about the mass and height of two five-story condominiums proposed for the west side of the property.
STERLING'S PLAN AT A GLANCE
Sterling Palm Beach's redevelopment plan for the Royal Poinciana Plaza calls for:
· Demolition of the Royal Poinciana Playhouse, adjacent celebrity room, Hibel Building, Slat House and Gucci building.
· The 878-seat Playhouse would be replaced with a 350-seat theater, but the facade would be retained as part of a small waterfront public park.
· Thirty condominiums ranging from 2,500 square feet to 8,000 square feet distributed among four buildings. Two waterfront buildings and another building would be five stories tall, with the top floor stepped back from the facade. The fourth building would be four stories tall.
· Restoration of the John Volk-designed commercial buildings to their original Regency-style appearance.
· A total of 6.7 acres of green space — up from the existing 3.2 acres. The green space would include a semicircular park where the Playhouse now stands, a park surrounding the mysore fig tree on the south side of the property, a circular park centered on the northern border of the site, an east-west bike path alongside Royal Poinciana Way, and an east-west alley down the center of the property culminating in an arcade carved from the east facade of the existing Playhouse.
· Fewer surface parking spaces, from 603 to 205. A total of 744 parking spaces: 205 surface, 225 underground and 314 in a five-deck parking garage east of the new theater.
· A waterfront restaurant on the first floor of the northern residential building.
· A vista through the center of the property extending from the circular park on the north to the new theater on the south.
STEPS TO DEMOLITION
In addition to these required steps, a lawsuit could be filed at any point.
1. Developer asks Landmarks Preservation Commission to review application to redevelop the plaza.
2. Commission must grant a conditional certificate of appropriateness.
3. Planning and Zoning Commission must approve zoning change and comprehensive land-use plan amendments. Changes to comprehensive plans require local and state approval.
4. Town Council rejects or adopts zoning recommendations as proposed or with modifications.
5. Developer must ask the council to renegotiate or cancel and replace the 1979 property-use agreement.
6. Developer must go back to the landmarks board for approval of aesthetic changes such as paint color and awnings.
7. Town Council would have to review site plan and possible zoning variances, and grant special exception approvals.
8. If all that were successful, and demolition of the Playhouse were still part of the plans, the developer could then apply for a demolition permit, which is typically the last step in the process.
Royal Poinciana Playhouse referendum ruling appealed by Preserve Palm Beach
A political action committee fighting to get a referendum placed on the ballot that would protect the Royal Poinciana Playhouse from demolition filed an appeal Friday of a judge's ruling blocking the drive.
• Royal Poinciana Playhouse, plaza referendum ruled unconstitutional
• Read the referendum ruling
• Sterling calls Royal Poinciana Plaza plans a work in progress at forum
RELATED ARTICLES
· Long-lost historic mural rediscovered by Royal Poinciana Plaza developers
· Civic Association forum Monday on Sterling Palm Beach plans for Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Royal Poinciana Playhouse hearing spotlights referendum constitutionality
· Judge to hear case regarding Royal Poinciana Playhouse referendum
· Landmarks Commission approves putnam ivory paint for Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Judge to review proposed Playhouse referendum on Oct. 14
· Pink paint proposal for Royal Poinciana Plaza has some tenants seeing red
· Playhouse ballot lawsuit can omit petition signers, judge rules
· Town seeks ruling on Royal Poinciana Playhouse referendum
· Royal Poinciana Playhouse ballot language likely flawed, Palm Beach attorney Randolph says in memo
· Town Council might set date for Royal Poinciana Playhouse referendum
· Landmarks Commission to review Sterling proposal for Royal Poinciana Plaza redevelopment
· Council wants Royal Poinciana Plaza plan to move forward for review
· Support for Sterling plan on Town Council agenda
· Royal Poinciana Plaza given code warning by town
· Royal Poinciana Playhouse petition signatures enough for charter amendment
· Vote on Royal Poinciana Plaza, Playhouse may be delayed
· Petition for Royal Poinciana Playhouse amendment submitted to Elections Office
· Palm Beach Theater Guild leaders won't tour Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· Town Council cancels Royal Poinciana Playhouse group tour
· Sterling: Royal Poinciana Playhouse tour for Town Council shouldn't be open to public
· Political action committee hopes petition spurs referendum to protect Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· Town Council members seek to resolve dispute about Royal Poinciana Playhouse's future
· Sterling Palm Beach: Royal Poinciana Playhouse repairs near end
· Residents debate future of Royal Poinciana Way area at Planning and Zoning workshop
· Royal Poinciana Plaza landlord Sterling Palm Beach draws fury and praise
· Commission lauds Sterling's Royal Poinciana Plaza plan
· Palm Beach Theater Guild worries approval of Playhouse razing near
· Palm Beach Towers steps up opposition
· Mayoral, Town Council candidates asked to back preservation of Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· Sterling seeks landmarks review of Royal Poinciana Plaza plan
· Theater Guild president seeks charter change to protect Playhouse
· Sterling Palm Beach unsure of next move after Town Council landmarks Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Royal Poinciana Plaza parking protest draws a scolding
· Civic Association Forum: Landmarking doesn't halt Royal Poinciana Plaza plan
· Civic Association forum to focus on plaza's future
· Royal Poinciana Plaza, Playhouse landmarked
· Council reaction to Sterling proposal mostly positive
· Council: Sterling must assure new theater before razing
· Kravis Center interested in running new theater venue
· Lobbying ushers in meeting on plaza
· Palm Beach Towers petitions against Royal Poinciana Plaza redevelopment
· Palm Beach Theater Guild hosts forum on Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· Developers discuss Royal Poinciana Plaza with Worth Avenue merchants
· Second panelist drops out of Palm Beach Theater Guild's Royal Poinciana Playhouse forum
· Sterling Palm Beach releases plans for Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Preservation panelist Ripley abandons Theater Guild forum on Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Palm Beach Theater Guild sets forum about Royal Poinciana Plaza, Playhouse
· Royal Poinciana Plaza officials' redesign plan aims to 'energize' gateway
· Royal Poinciana Plaza management proposal includes condos, parks, new theater
· Palm Beach Town Council OK of Royal Poinciana Way redevelopment plan uncertain
· Landmarks Preservation Commission chairman questions suggestion to alter Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· Consultant: Reopening Royal Poinciana Playhouse without expensive renovation isn't feasible
· Duncan Webb: Palm Beach Theater Guild plan for Royal Poinciana Playhouse 'too risky'
· Royal Poinciana Plaza owners to present redevelopment concept to Palm Beach groups
· Royal Poinciana Plaza owners hire more experts to study Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· Landmarks Preservation Commission OKs most of consultant's Royal Poinciana Way ideas, delays Plaza decision
· Royal Poinciana Plaza owners hire theater expert to assess Playhouse
· Royal Poinciana option gets high marks
· Palm Beach investors to rewrite plans for future of Royal Poinciana Plaza, Playhouse
· Investors to take control of Royal Poinciana Plaza to settle Playhouse impasse
• Search our paid archives for more coverage
EDITORIALS
Royal Poinciana Playhouse, Plaza drama is far from over
Change is coming to the Poinciana Plaza.
Town Council should not landmark Royal Poinciana Plaza, Playhouse
On Wednesday, the Palm Beach Town Council turns again to the question of landmarking the Royal Poinciana Plaza and Playhouse. This is not the first time the issue has been on the council agenda, but this time, its members are expected to make a decision.
LOCAL VOICES
· Munder plan for Royal Poinciana Plaza needs due process
· David Rosow's rudeness as grievous as Town Council's Royal Poinciana Playhouse vote
· Royal Poinciana Way, plaza rezoning would increase traffic, diminish ambience
· Playhouse theater PAC, stay out of Palm Beach affairs
· Landmarking Royal Poinciana Plaza protects Palm Beach interests
· Vote to landmark Royal Poinciana Plaza revitalized Palm Beach engine
· Regional subscription theater would succeed at Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· 'One-man band' Patrick Flynn deserves thanks from Palm Beach
· Right plan could make Royal Poinciana Plaza Palm Beach's third private icon
· Royal Poinciana Plaza revisions incorporate John Volk's style
· Palm Beach should landmark Royal Poinciana Plaza and let process proceed
· Use Royal Poinciana Plaza proposal to open negotiations with developer
· Cultural Council enthusiastic about Royal Poinciana Plaza proposal, arts venue
· Kosoy/Munder plan rewards Palm Beach Town Council patience on Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Embrace Munder/Wheelock plan for Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Delay landmarking of Royal Poinciana Plaza, Playhouse; work with new owners
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
· Patrick Flynn does not care for Town of Palm Beach, only himself
· Plaza paint pick ignored landmark status
· Citizens do get say on Royal Poinciana Plaza; attend Oct. 6 zoning meeting
· Coniglio-Munder photo revealing
· Bill Diamond only Town Council member keeping word on Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· New Royal Poinciana Plaza theater would be detrimental to Palm Beach Towers
· Sterling, Munders unlikely to beautify Royal Poinciana Plaza without condo OK
· Town Council ignoring will of people on Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· Araskog letter on Royal Poinciana Plaza misleading; Town Council did the right things
· Royal Poinciana Playhouse charter amendment ballot-worthy, law says
· Town Council drunk on power, disregarding will of citizens on Playhouse
· Royal Poinciana Playhouse restoration is clearly Town Council's duty
· Sterling Group clearly uninterested in leasing Royal Poinciana Playhouse to Theater Guild
· Like Henry Flagler, Royal Poinciana Playhouse's Frank Hale deserves a legacy
· Did Sterling Group eye overturning Royal Poinciana Playhouse covenant from get-go?
· Three reasons Sterling can't demolish Royal Poinciana Playhouse
· Royal Poinciana Playhouse renovation would boost Palm Beach's cultural prestige
· Attitude on Royal Poinciana Plaza runs roughshod over public interest
· 1979 agreement on Royal Poinciana Plaza, Playhouse must be upheld
· Headline on Sterling plan for Royal Poinciana Plaza misses key points
· Save Royal Poinciana Playhouse from political shenanigans over landmarking
· Royal Poinciana Playhouse offers great potential for theater
· Special tax could help save sites such as Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Town Council gave Royal Poinciana Playhouse second chance at splendor
· Help Royal Poinciana Playhouse become an arts venue again
· Town Council vote on Royal Poinciana Plaza a preservation win
· Redevelopment plan ignores character, history of Royal Poinciana Plaza
· Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce board likes Royal Poinciana Plaza plan
· Landmarking saved Whitehall; let it save Royal Poinciana Plaza, too
· Royal Poinciana Plaza owner Sterling knows nothing about historic theaters
· Citizens' Association of Palm Beach supports Royal Poinciana Plaza plan
· Condos at Royal Poinciana Plaza would violate Palm Beach master plan
· Don't let Palm Beach architectural gems die like L'Encantada, Parker house
· Give Palm Beach residents early look at Royal Poinciana Plaza, Playhouse plans