It’s difficult to imagine that Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach was once one of the most dangerous streets in South Florida.
Today, it attracts flocks of diners and shoppers just about every night. It has recently set retail real estate sales records. But in the 1980s and early 1990s, it was mired in blight.
Plenty of South Florida cities have laid renewal plans, but the plan Delray Beach’s civil and business leaders crafted has exploded into unparalleled success. The city was twice named an All-American City by the National Civic League and was lauded by USA Today as the most …