master plan update - City of Boca Raton

CITY HALL QUARTERThe key anchors for this civic heart ofDowntown are separated from the mostactive areas by the double barriers of therailroad tracks and roads. The proposedchanges to the roads and improvedpedestrian crossings are intended to providea better linkage between the twosides of these barriers. The boundariesof the City Hall Quarter straddle thesebarriers. Buildings of large scale alongthe tracks and lining the portions ofPalmetto Park Road, Federal Highway,and NW Second Street can be used totame the scale of the roads and provide astrong visual center for the Downtown.The scale should decrease to the west,especially at the edge of the neighborhoodsand around a potential new civicsquare in the center of the City HallComplex. The addition of a new library,parking, mixed-use buildings and additionalpublic buildings can create a trulyunique part of Downtown. A largeamount of the land is publicly owned,which should be a way of introducing awider range of housing types and pricesto encourage a more diverse Downtownpopulation.The key to the future of this areais the proposed commuter rail stationalong the FEC tracks and a circulatorbus system connecting it with the restof Downtown.The City Hall Quarter wouldbecome a community place that is welcoming,informative, inclusionary andcaring. It is the address where peoplecan meet and connect with other communitymembers through a variety ofrecreational activities, meetings, andfun social experiences throughout theday and evening.NW Boca Raton RoadPalmetto Park RoadCity Hall Quarter illustrative planAn example of the pedestrian environmentDixie HighwayFederal Highway49