master plan update - City of Boca Raton

SECTION EINITIATIVESINITIATIVE 1:CENTRAL PALMETTO PARKROAD AND PLAZA REAL SOUTHThe section of Palmetto Park Roadbetween Federal Highway and MiznerBoulevard is the heart of Downtown.Its current configuration is designed tomove traffic through it rather than createa sense of place. It is currently notpossible to cross the street as a pedestrianin the central section. Therefore,the first initiative should be to revise thestreetscapes in this area to provide a comfortablepedestrian crossing in the centerof Palmetto Park Road in alignmentwith Plaza Real South. As illustrated inthe before and after perspectives opposite,the existing raised median, whichis currently an obstacle for pedestrians,must be removed and a wide, graciouspedestrian crossing should be installedthat includes a pedestrian crossinglight. The streetscape should includepalm trees and decorative street lightsperpendicular to the street to emphasizethe crosswalk. Ideally, future developmenton the block to the North wouldinclude a vehicular as well as pedestrianconnection to this point.This should be done in collaborationwith the owners of the Merrill LynchBuilding to create a more pedestrianfriendlyand active ground floor withrestaurant and retail uses facing PlazaReal South (at a minimum) to the portionof Palmetto Park Road frontageclosest to the proposed crossing.On the north side of the street, thelow storefront buildings include a smallarcade which could provide the opportunityfor north/south connection.The next phase of development currentlyunder consideration is a hotel andoffice complex south of Palmetto ParkRoad. The design of this building asillustrated in the perspective drawingshould reinforce the pedestrian characterPalmetto Park RoadFederal HighwayFederal HighwayFramework diagram of the initiativePalmetto Park RoadDetail illustrative plan of the initiativePlaza Real SouthPlaza Real SouthSE First StreetSE First StreetMizner BoulevardMizner Boulevard54