Mary Kate Leming's Blog Posts Tagged 'Lantana' (39)

Lantana/South Palm Beach: Imperial House’s beach stairs approved

By Mary Thurwachter

   The Imperial House lost its beach stairs to Hurricane Sandy in October and has plans to replace them. But first, the South Palm Beach co-op needed — and received — a go-ahead from the Lantana Town Council.

   A six-story, 58-unit building adjacent to Lantana’s public beach, the Imperial House has been fighting a slowly encroaching ocean for years, and the stairs are just the latest wound.

   The stairs are being moved to the west…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on January 30, 2013 at 5:38pm — No Comments

Lantana’s Fourth celebration returns to avenue

Budget cuts put the kibosh on Fourth of July fireworks in Lantana last year, but that won’t be the case this year. Last month, the Town Council approved a $25,000 contract with Zambelli Fireworks Manufacturing to put on a 22-minute display set to music.

The fireworks, set to go off at 9 p.m. July 4, will be launched on the Intracoastal Waterway from a barge supplied by GLF Construction of Miami. GLF, the contractor working on the $33.2 million Ocean Avenue bridge project, agreed to…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on April 5, 2012 at 9:36am — No Comments

Lantana: Demolition to begin March 19 on 62-year-old span

The 1950 Lantana Bridge will be replaced with a taller, wider span. The first bridge on the site was built in 1911. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Inconvenience ahead;…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on March 1, 2012 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Inconvenience ahead; might as well throw a party

By Tim O’Meilia



Whaddaya do when the danged guvmint closes the bridge to the beach for 19 months and promises to build a nice, new, tall shiny replacement?

   Why, ya throw a party of course.

   The East Ocean Avenue bridge in Lantana officially closes to automobile traffic sometime after midnight March 19.

   But the town of Lantana will close it a day early — March 18 — and throw a Demolition Day party at Bicentennial Park on the west bank of…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on March 1, 2012 at 1:25pm — No Comments

Lantana: Optimism, worry mark merchants’ view of bridge closing

By Jan Norris

   Two years is a long time to go without Pamela’s grapefruit pie, or a plate of Peruvian fish and pepper cream sauce or George’s famous chicken salad.

   Once the Ocean Avenue bridge closes, shutting off Lantana from the coastal residents, it will mean a longer drive to get to the businesses lon the other side of the bridge.

   But the business owners say it’s worth it — especially for things you just can’t get elsewhere.

   That includes the…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on March 1, 2012 at 12:01pm — No Comments

Lantana: Expect minimal information from bridge work signs

By Tim O’Meilia



Out-of-towners traveling I-95 and headed for the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Manalapan or Grandma and Grandpa’s condo in South Palm Beach better have an updated GPS system.

   When the Ocean Avenue bridge is closed in March for replacement, visitors won’t learn that until they reach the U.S. 1 and Lantana Road intersection.

   Even locals driving up or down U.S. 1 won’t know the bridge is out until they reach another sign at U.S. 1 and Ocean Avenue.…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on January 4, 2012 at 5:00pm — No Comments

Lantana: Parks’ lease agreement puts spark into fireworks budget

By Margie Plunkett

and Tim O’Meilia



Lantana’s Ocean Avenue bridge closed for two years — bummer.

    Lantana’s lease of sections of two parks for two years — cause for fireworks. Literally.

    The new $33.2 million Ocean Avenue bridge will not only be wider and safer for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and fishermen, it will also stuff cash into Lantana’s bank account and make the Fourth of July more spectacular.

    The town will pocket $654,000 over the…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on November 30, 2011 at 1:33pm — No Comments

Lantana: Parking spaces will be limited, but merchant space already emptying

By Tim O’Meilia

A rainy late afternoon in mid-October on East Ocean Avenue in Lantana. The orange valet parking cones are out in front of Bar Italia, but it’s early and little need for them yet.

Down the street cars are beginning to pull into the Old Key Lime House lot. Along the south side of the street, the parking spaces are beginning to fill. On the north side, not so much.

See Bicentennial Park with 33 mostly empty parking spaces. Look at Sportsman’s Park with a… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on November 2, 2011 at 3:33pm — No Comments

Lantana: Budget direction aims to reward employees, restore fireworks

By Margie Plunkett

Fireworks may return to Lantana next year and, after three years of flat salaries, Lantana employees could get extra money — both expenses the town is trying to shoehorn into a tight budget without raising the tax rate.

Council members set the preliminary tax rate at $3.24 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value at their July 25 meeting, which if finally approved will have been unchanged for 10 years. Council can still lower the rate at this juncture, but… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on August 4, 2011 at 8:59am — No Comments

Lantana: Town wants old bridge to have future under water

By Tim O’Meilia

From bridge to rubble … to reef? Maybe, if financing can be found.

The town of Lantana is trying to persuade county officials to spend an additional $300,000 and use the crumbled parts of the soon-to-be demolished Ocean Avenue Bridge as an artificial reef.

Lantana doesn’t have the cash, but Town Manager Michael Bornstein wants Palm Beach County to take on the extra expense.

“We are going to encourage the County Commission to keep the old bridge in… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on August 3, 2011 at 12:33pm — No Comments

Towns rejoice: Ocean Ave. bridge to remain open much of next winter

By Tim O’Meilia

The closing of the East Ocean Avenue Bridge to begin construction of its replacement has been pushed back to March, giving oceanside residents and avenue merchants an extra winter without detours.

“That will be wonderful. At least we can get through the season,” said South Palm Beach Mayor Donald Clayman. “It will be a two-year disaster as it is.” Palm Beach County engineers said they didn’t want the start of demolition on the deteriorating 61-year-old… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on June 29, 2011 at 3:20pm — No Comments

Lantana: Budget reveals less bad news than last year

By Margie Plunkett

Lantana kicked off its budget process with the prospect of further drops in property tax revenue and other income that could once again force it to grapple with cost cutting. But as one council member put it, the glass is looking more like it’s half full.

Soon after the town’s May 23 budget workshop, the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser released figures estimating Lantana’s property values dropped 4.3 percent to $692 million. That’s still a vast… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on June 1, 2011 at 1:08pm — No Comments

Lantana: Fishing Pier added to bridge plan

By Tim O’Meilia

Hoping to shoo fishermen off the soon-to-be-rebuilt East Ocean Avenue bridge in Lantana, the Town Council approved construction of a $500,000 concrete fishing pier on the west end of the span.

Palm Beach County will build the 8-foot-wide pier in conjunction with the construction of the new bridge, which is expected to begin in November and last two years.

The 400-foot pier will jut into the Intracoastal Waterway from Bicentennial Park on the north side of the… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on May 4, 2011 at 2:27pm — No Comments

Lantana: Cenacle zoning sparks discussion, reversal

By Margie Plunkett

Lantana Council has dubbed the Cenacle property on Dixie Highway commercial, reversing an earlier vote that returned it to residential following a failed deal to sell it to a luxury hotel developer.

Council members reconsidered the issue at their April 11 meeting, in the wake of an administrative action taken by the attorneys of the Intracoastal property’s owner, the Cenacle Sisters. The retreat site had been changed to commercial to prepare for the hotel deal,… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on May 4, 2011 at 12:53pm — No Comments

Lantana swearing in

Councilman Tom Deringer won re-election in Group 3 with 68.3 percent of the vote. Challenger Joseph Ferrell earned 31.7 percent.

In Group 4, Philip Aridas won election with 52.2 percent of the vote, with challenger Susan McCreery gaining 47.8 percent.

Council members are elected… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on March 30, 2011 at 1:40pm — No Comments

Lantana Election: Town Council Group 4

Election Results

Lantana Group 4

Philip Aridas - 325 votes, 52.17%

Susan McCreery - 298 votes, 47.83%

Lantana Election: Town Council Group 3

Lantana: Candidates volley ideas and pass pop…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on March 3, 2011 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Lantana: Candidates volley ideas and pass pop quiz

Lantana Election Candidates: Town Council Group 3 | Town Council Group 4

By Tim O’Meilia

Trolleys, festivals and leasing park land to a bridge contractor were ideas suggested by Lantana Town Council candidates to help businesses survive when…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on March 3, 2011 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Lantana Election: Town Council Group 3

Election Results

Lantana Group #3

Tom Deringer - 417 votes, 68.25%

Joseph Ferrell - 194 votes, 31.75%

Lantana Election: Town Council Group 4

Lantana: Candidates volley ideas and pass…

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Added by Mary Kate Leming on March 3, 2011 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Lantana: Pavilion deal permits outdoor bar

By Margie Plunkett

Lantana has reached a lease deal with the Dune Deck Café that will give the town control of the beach pavilion in exchange for letting the restaurant build and run an outdoor bar.

The town intends to rent out the pavilion, which it restored five or six years ago, for events such as birthdays, weddings and picnics, Town Manager Mike Bornstein said.

The Dune Deck Café’s outdoor bar would be in the area south of the restaurant between the Marine Safety… Continue

Added by Mary Kate Leming on March 2, 2011 at 5:15pm — No Comments

Lantana: Bridge closing expected to be 'very traumatic' — Construction will affect residents, businesses, motorists and boaters

By Tim O’Meilia

Start saving your change for extra gas money. Not because gas prices may reach $4 a gallon this summer, but because the round trip from South Palm Beach, Hypoluxo Island or Manalapan to the mainland will be six to 10 miles longer by Thanksgiving.

Replacement of the…