WPB.news EXCLUSIVE: Downtown "Tent Site" back on the market - again!

What do they say? Three times a charm!

The city of West Palm Beach is hoping that's the case for one of the highest profile vacant properties in the entire city.

The "Tent Site" is back on the market - again. The lot at the gateway to the city on Okeechobee Boulevard is back in play, according to the city's Community Redevelopment Agency staff.

The property is located between Quadrille Boulevard and Dixie Highway in the middle of Okeechobee Boulevard. Its history includes being the proposed site for the FSU/Digital Domain project, and more recently the site for a failed developer plan to build a medical complex.

This time CRA staff are proposing a different approach to ensuring a signature project on the lot. Instead of opening up the process allowing any developer (regardless of whether they have any experience in similar projects) to submit a detailed plan, CRA staff are suggesting first vetting developers based on qualifications and their experience dealing with various challenges posed by the site.

"The best aspect of the Tent Site is also the most challenging. As the entrance to the city, it has unequalled exposure and is the perfect location for an iconic structure. But because it is located in the median of a huge thoroughfare, the issues of traffic flow and pedestrian walkability need to be addressed. Potential development partners should include how they would solve those challenges," said Jon Ward, Executive Director of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency.

The 'Tent Site" has been on the shelf since last May when the CRA Board nixed a plan to build a medical complex on the site. But since then, the CRA has continued to field calls from developers interested in the site. With the real estate market continuing to grow, the "Tent Site" remains one of the most desired properties in downtown West Palm Beach.

"When it comes to real estate, the Tent Site has the three most sought after qualities anyone looks for," said Ward. "Location, location, location."

The full CRA Board, which makes the final decision on the property, is expected to take up the issue on Monday.