Riviera Beach is experiencing significant growth in its residential development sector, with nearly 2,000 condos and apartments currently in the pipeline. The city, located just north of West Palm Beach and home to the Port of Palm Beach, is also seeking developers for the 90-acre Marina Village project. This redevelopment initiative focuses on revitalizing the waterfront corridor.
The Riviera Beach City Council is reviewing proposals from two developers for the Marina Village project: Sonnenblick Development, based in Los Angeles and led by Bob Sonnenblick, and Forest Development from North Palm Beach, headed by Peter Baytarian. Both proposals include residential components.
Forest Development is also competing with Kenco Communities from West Palm Beach and Frontier Development & Hospitality Group from Washington, D.C., for a separate 2.2-acre city-owned site that could add hundreds more residential units.
Several major projects are underway or have received approval:
– The Related Group, based in Miami and owned by the Pérez family, plans an eight-story apartment complex called Residences at Marina Village at 57 East 12th Street. The project will have 149 units aimed at households earning between 30 percent and 110 percent of Palm Beach County’s area median income ($104,000 in 2024). Construction financing of $100.3 million was secured in September after project approval in June.
– Adjacent to this site is Gallery at Marina Village at 1300 Broadway. Related Group has partnered with BH Group and Tezral Partners—led by Tony Brown and Ezra Saffold—for a two-tower, 20-story project featuring 418 apartments, retail space, offices, and a parking garage with 648 spaces.
– O’Connor Capital Partners from New York is developing Marina Annex at 251 West 11th Street along with Urban Farmers and the Riviera Beach Housing Authority. This mixed-use project includes 175 apartments, retail space, and a community center named after Edward Rodgers. The developers acquired the site for $2 million in February.
– SobelCo of Boca Raton is moving forward with a mixed-use condo development at 1117 Broadway on a former boat yard purchased for $12 million in March. The plan features two buildings of 20 stories each and two buildings of 13 stories each, totaling 508 condos as well as retail space and over one thousand parking spaces. The city gave final approval this week.
– Estate Companies from South Miami plans Soleste on the Trail at 7920 North Military Trail—a four-story building with 255 apartments. Estate Companies bought the land for $8 million in 2021 and secured a $60 million construction loan from BB Americas Bank this September.
– At 3700 Broadway, Forest Development’s Peter Baytarian has proposed Oculina: two mixed-use towers reaching up to 25 stories with a total of 399 condos plus commercial space for restaurants, offices, and retail outlets. In exchange for increased height and density allowances on this former Winn-Dixie site (purchased for $4.9 million), Baytarian agreed to contribute to the city’s affordable housing fund.
These projects reflect ongoing efforts by Riviera Beach officials to attract investment while addressing housing needs across various income levels.
