It’s tough to tell whether the notion of a Margate downtown is rewrapped in a different packaging or if elected officials this time can really pull it off. Since the mid-1990s the crossroads of State Road 7 and Margate Boulevard have been targeted for mixed-use development, to no avail. City commission after city commission has failed to make it happen.
Vacant land at the east end of Margate Boulevard and the surrounding has a storied history. Years ago, it used to be a thriving downtown until blight set in and the government began purchasing rundown properties, leveling buildings, and planting grass. Some recall the popular Margate Drive-In and Swap Shop, Lum’s, Eckerd’s, First National Bank, and Publix, to name just a few businesses that called the area home.
Since, the MCRA has courted developers to come to the city and build a downtown. Three in all. The first two, DeBartolo and Madison Marquette, came close to breaking ground before talks with city commissioners stalled. The third, New Urban Communities, ended up suing the City for what it perceived as a breach of contract. The lawsuit was recently settled in the city’s favor, but developers have appealed.
Now the city is going out again for a developer.
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