Just off of South Florida’s A1A is Atlantic Avenue, a popular street filled with upscale boutiques and pricey restaurants – a hub where tourists and locals can be found wining and dining with friends and family.
Yet, separated by just a letter, the Avenue shares two worlds. The street, divided by a police station and a courthouse, transitions from “W Atlantic Ave” to “E Atlantic Ave.” This seemingly harmless addition reveals much more than a label for a changing intersection.
To the east are lofty apartments and upscale restaurants. Just one block west is home to small businesses owned and occupied mainly by Black residents, many of whom have been here for decades. The buzz over Delray Beach, while exciting for many restaurateurs and entrepreneurs, has others questioning whether the rush to develop has led to a gentrification trend, in which many local residents cannot afford their neighborhood.
For years, the Community Redevelopment Agency of Delray Beach has worked to redevelop many areas across the city of Delray Beach, with Atlantic Avenue being a prime location. Their mission, said Renee Jadusingh, Executive Director of the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, is “to eliminate slum and blight,” a notable statement to address a long-standing community with primarily minority residents.
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