Currents November 2019 Nov 2019 _Currents web | Page 8

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Currents
November 2019
> continued from page 7
Arboreal Retreat
The existing ficus tree, a prominent feature of the
plaza, has been incorporated into the design. It will
get a support group by way of a live oak tree, on the
current grounds of the historic McNab House, which
will be replanted in the plaza.
The project still needs to go through the site plan
approval process, and to be put out to bid.
The new restaurant, tentatively named Wood &
Wire, is anticipated to open in about a year.
The CRA has plans to lease two other spaces in
Old Town to restaurants. One space is located at 11
NE First Street, in what was formerly a laundromat,
and the other is at 44 NE First Street.
In addition, the owner of the historic building at 61
NE 1st Street, which housed Pompano’s first bank in
the 1920s, has plans to carry out renovations and
use the space as a restaurant. Outdoor seating for
the restaurant would be to the north of the building in
an area called “Artists Alley,” which is known for its
colorful murals.
Another Retreat
Along with the beach construction consisting of
hotels and large condominiums with many amenities
will compete against the newly planned resort and
entertainment retreat at Atlantic and Powerline road,
Live! and its accompanying amenities. But if the
Florida tourist trade continues and the trend of Mil-
lennials moving to smaller places, combined with the
exodus from high property tax states to purchase
real estate in low property tax states like Florida,
there will be plenty of buyers and consumers.
How Palm-Aire deals with the traffic from con-
struction and eventually, the tourists will be interest-
ing.
Someone will have to pay for highway construc-
tion along with dual turn lanes and other traffic ease-
ments. After the major win in Tallahassee and the
courts, developers can no longer be forced to pay for
the livability improvements. That leaves the city,
county and state and federal grants and generosity.
Gene Suppell
Editor & Publisher