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January 15, 2021, RIVIERA BEACH, FLORIDA – Smoothie Me Please is opening in the former Dairy Belle Location in Riviera Beach, thanks to the partnership with Riviera Beach CRA. The Riviera Beach CRA formulated an RFP to award a deserving emerging business with an opportunity to operate a 500 square foot storefront space. The program was designed to give small businesses a fighting chance to grow and be successful in the Riviera Beach community.

“This is especially special to me that I was given the opportunity to have this space to open Smoothie Me Please, as I grew up in Riviera Beach and frequently visited this building when it was an old ice cream shop.” said Ashley Walker, owner of Smoothie Me Please.

Ashley is honored to lead the city with its health and wellness initiatives by providing healthier food and beverage options. One of the items on the menu is called “The Monroe,” affectionately named after the Monroe Heights community in Riviera Beach. It’s an açaí berry smoothie bowl, topped with granola, peanut butter, sunflower kernels and fresh fruit. It is finished with a honey drizzle and coconut flakes. “The colorful presentation of our food and drinks speak to the energy and creativity housed in the spirit of the neighborhoods of Riviera Beach,” said Walker.

The soft opening took place on Thursday, January 14, 2021 from 5pm to 7pm for her invited guests at 2635 Broadway Avenue Riviera Beach, FL. The Grand Opening was held on Saturday, January 16, 2021 for the City of Riviera Beach residents to experience the newest small business in this iconic spot.

Click here to see story on WPTV.

Click here to see the Urban League story on WPTV.

Click here to read Toni Taste Buds’s review of Smoothie Me Please.

Click here to read the story on North Palm Beach Life.

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Although state and local beach-related ordinances continue to change frequently these days, at least one Riviera Beach CRA waterfront initiative continues to ramp up in popularity: floating wheelchairs and beach mats to assist beachgoers with disabilities.

January 11, 2021, RIVIERA BEACH, FLORIDA – The Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency – with its multifaceted mission to guide the redevelopment of the City of Riviera Beach – continues to make the waterfront more accessible to all who live, work, and play in the District. That means beachgoers who find it challenging to navigate the sand and water at the beach at the Marina Village too!

According to the 2019 American Community Survey, 13.4% of the Florida population suffers from some form of disability, with the highest percentage by disability type being those with ambulatory disabilities, 7.5% of the population at large and 32.8% of those over the age of 65. U.S. Census Bureau estimates report that 8.3% of Riviera Beach residents have a disability, excluding those over the age of 65. Many of these individuals are served by organizations such as Seagull Services, Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, Edward J. Healey Rehabilitation Center, The Arc of Palm Beach County, Lindsey Davis Community Center, and the numerous local churches with senior programming.

Unfortunately, though parking and existing buildings were constructed to meet ADA guidelines, the area lacks the specialized equipment needed to provide beach access. According to the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association’s Recreation Resource Database, there are currently only four oceanfront parks in Palm Beach County that offer beach accessibility resources for disabled visitors. These access points are located at Atlantic Dunes Park in Delray Beach (28.5 miles from Bicentennial Park), Jupiter Inlet Park in Jupiter (9.5 miles from BP), Oceanfront Park in Ocean Ridge (22.5 miles from BP) and South Inlet Park Beach in Boca Raton (35.5 miles from BP). Correcting the inaccessibility of Bicentennial Park’s beach will provide a waterfront recreation option that is currently deficient in Northeastern Palm Beach County.

The redevelopment of Marina Village has drawn residents and visitors to the area from all walks of life, and that does not exclude the disabled population, who are regular users of the watersport activities offered at the Marina and Bicentennial Park. One of the main people who advocated for this project was Lisa Lynch, who sustained serious injuries nine years ago while boating in the Palm Beach Inlet leaving her dependent on a wheelchair. She loves kayaking and the Riviera Beach Marina Village waterfront was nearly impossible to enjoy after the accident, because wheelchairs and sand do not make for a good combination.

Thanks to her efforts of bringing this item to light, the Riviera Beach CRA received $10,338 from the State of Florida to assist with this initiative from the Coastal Partnership Initiative Grants. The Coastal Partnership Initiative was created to promote the protection and effective management of Florida’s coastal resources in four specific priority areas: resilient communities, coastal resource stewardship, access to coastal resources, and working waterfronts.

In March, Phase I of the initiative saw the installation of the MOBI beach mats, which are compliant with the American with Disabilities Act. These 5-foot-wide mats are essentially walkways that extend from the sidewalk down and adjacent to the water. Beachgoers who rely on wheelchairs and other aids for their mobility, as well as families pushing kids in strollers, etc., are finding that traversing the sand is a lot less cumbersome now.

Phase II of the plan followed with MOBI floating wheelchairs that give people with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy the beach and the water in ways that they might not have experienced before.

This equipment and more provided by the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and the State of Florida Coastal Partnership Initiative Grant is available now. Marina Bash 2021 is being planned to introduce this program to the community in Riviera Beach. Please check with Marina Village and the CRA for updates about beach opening prior to visiting.

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In the CRA’s continued efforts to improve, enhance and beautify the District’s Broadway Corridor, “Connections” by Lugufelo has just been unveiled.

December 28, 2020, RIVIERA BEACH, FLORIDA – The Riviera Beach CRA has just unveiled the Broadway’s Corridor’s newest enhancement: a breathtaking sculpture by renowned artist Lugufelo located in front of the 2001 Building on Broadway Boulevard.

The sculpture is named “Connections” and, according to the artist, this piece symbolizes connectivity of social bonding by having communities coming together. Energy is exchanged between people who are paying attention to one another. The power to extend the moment to inspire change and build trust has been created. “Connections” is sculpted aluminum, stands 16 feet high, and is 4 feet wide by 7 feet in diameter.

Lugofelo is a South Florida resident who has notable pieces of public art on display including “Majestic Palm” and “Butterfly” at the James L. Knight International Center in Miami, “Diversitastic” in Orlando, and the “Eye” in Denver, Colorado. The artist is the recipient of numerous awards including First Place for Sculpture, Wynwood Arts District Juried Show. More about Lugufelo and his work can be learned by visiting: www.lugufelo.com.

This sculpture was made possible through the Riviera Beach CRA’s Commercial Grant Program. A grant of $40,000 was awarded to Millennium One, the building’s owner, who also provided a match of $30,856 to make the commission possible.

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Riviera Beach CRA Installs the First Riviera Beach Area Smart Home Tool Kits

December 28, 2020, RIVIERA BEACH, FLORIDA – Safety is an important factor in families choosing where they want to live. Smart Home coordinates and delivers items in a package that enhances safety for families in our community. A clean and safety strategy in neighborhoods is a proven way to encourage communities to work together as a team. Our goals are to increase safety and security, by reducing and preventing crime, and enhancing the Neighborhood Watch Program experience.

The resident or homeowner who applies for this program must live in the Riviera Beach CRA District, have internet service and a smartphone, willing to be an active participant in the installation of the service, and an active member of the Neighborhood Watch Program. Once the resident has completed the application and deemed eligible for the tool kit, they will receive free:

• Exterior Motion Sensor Lights – Strategically placed lighting makes your home more secure against burglars.
• Smoke Detector – Provided by our partnership with the Red Cross to supply the smoke detectors and the Riviera Beach Fire Department to help with installation.
• SmartWater – A traceable liquid applied to deter theft and identify offenders for prosecution.
• Ring Doorbell – Detects motion when people come to your home and notifies you on your smartphone
• Uniform Address Numbers – Code-compliant house numbers to enhance visibility for safety personnel.
• Yard/Window Signage – Visible deterrent to discourage burglars.

We are happy to partner with the American Red Cross for this program as they have donated over 100 smoke alarms to Riviera Beach CRA residents, plus fire escape planning materials, home fire checklists and more. These items will be given to them when all items are installed. The Riviera Beach Fire Department has also donated their time to this project as they will be assisting with installation of all smoke alarms and testing them to make sure they are ready to be used.

We are accepting new applications for this program online at rbcra.com. You can also pick up a paper copy at the Riviera Beach CRA office at 2001 Broadway, Suite 300 Riviera Beach, FL 33404 or at the Riviera Beach Marina Village Event Center at 190 East 13^th Street Riviera Beach, FL 33404.

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City of Riviera Beach and Riviera Beach CRA hold a Veterans Day Dedication Service

November 19, 2020, RIVIERA BEACH, FLORIDA – City of Riviera Beach and Riviera Beach CRA dedicated the Riviera Beach Tribute to Service Monument to our veterans, Gold Star families, and first responders to honor their service, sacrifice, and courage to our country and community. More than 100 people attended the ceremony at the Riviera Beach Marina Village in Riviera Beach.

The Posting of Flags was done by the Riviera Beach Honor Guard, Mayor Ronnie L. Felder, City of Riviera Beach, gave the invocation, and State Senator Bobby Powell, Jr. and Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard dedicated the State of Florida flag and City of Riviera Beach flag during the ceremony. Taps was played by Nathan Goldin, a student from The Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and a musical tribute was performed by Faith’s Place Center for Arts and Education. Commissioner KaShamba Miller-Anderson was the Mistress of Ceremonies for the event.

“This project has been one that I have been very passionate about in making sure we honor the veterans, Gold Star families, and our first responders in Riviera Beach. As the Gold Star daughter of Captain Joseph M. Berkson, US Army Ranger, who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam, I am grateful to have built a relationship with so many of our military heroes,” said Lauren Berkson Hurst.

Veterans Day as we know it was not always called “Veterans Day.” It began as a commemoration of Armistice Day, the day when fighting stopped during World War I. On June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. Later that year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first “Veterans Day Proclamation.”

Mayor Ronnie Felder from the City of Riviera Beach expressed his appreciation by saying, “To the men and women in uniform serving today and those who have served in the past, as the Mayor of the City of Riviera Beach, I express my appreciation for your service. We honor you today and every day. Our freedom and way of life is protected because of the critical service and heroism provided by our Veterans, First Responders, and Gold Star Members to our country and city. There is no way to thank you for everything you sacrifice for this but we have to try. So I take this opportunity, as we all should, to thank you all for your service both past and present.”

Gold Star families are those loved ones that paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom while serving in the United States military. Our first responders within our community work diligently every day to serve and protect our citizens and keep us safe at their own risk. We applaud and pay tribute to the sacrifices of these brave men and women and their families.