HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 1960s are boom times for NPB196 's are boom
for N.P.B.
The Transition Period
Normally, a very sensitive gap exists between the
ownership of a developer and the sale to the public,
but this one ran very smoothly. This was largely due
to the honorable performance of the Ross group and
their ability to pick excellent men for key jobs. While
they controlled the Council, in the absence of resi-
dents, their actions were invariably right and in the
best. interests of the future home owners. As the
months passed, Jack Schwencke, handling sales to
builders and individuals, saw to it that agreements
were kept and relationships were harmonious.
A great deal of responsibility fell on the shoulders
of Al Olson, the Village Manager. In the beginning, he
wore several hats: Village Clerk, Village Tax Assessor,
and Village Tax Collector. Until the Village Hall was
completed, he had a desk in a small room upstairs in
the Winter Club. One of the first things he had to do
was set up a tax roll. This was fairly simple on the
surface, as there were only two taxpayers; North Palm
Beach Properties(the Ross operating enti ) andP ty
John MacArthur. There was one other, however, that
turned up in the person of a French Duke who owned
Little Munyon Island. It seems that he had inherited
the.islandand had never seen it. When Olson sent
hire a tax bill, a very polite letter came back from a
Southern France with a check for the taxes due
$23.00.
The School
The developers donated 10 acres of land to the
Palm Beach County Board of Education for the erec-
tion of a $294,000 elementary school. According to
the Post Times, "Developers of North Palm Beach
have been congratulated by county officials as well as
parents in the entire area for the generosity and fore-
sight which prompted them to donate 10 acres of the
most valuable land for school purposes." This school
opened for classes September 1958 and the first
Principal was Marian Metcalf.
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Recreation
The Village Marina was completed in December
1957. This is located on the North Palm Beach water-
way
in rear of the water tower and consists of a
concrete boat -launching ramp, an electric hoist
capable of handling boats up to 20 feet in length, and
a large dry -storage area, fenced in. There is wet
dockage for 30 boats. Nominal charges are made for
g,
both wet and dry storage, and keys are available for
the hoist.
The shuffle -board courts were completed in 1961.
These ar
e located next to the library and have turned
out to be very- popular.
The privately owned North Palm Beach Marina,
created by the Rosses, is located east of the country
club on the Intracoastal Waterway. This is a large
installation, capable of handling yachts, has 68 con-
cretep 63
slips and an office building. Completed in 19 ,
it is considered one of the finer marinas in Florida.
Director Russell Ruskay says that as of January
1981 the village has the following recreational
facilities:
14 tennis courts •
2 paddle ball courts
3 volley ball courts
5 outdoor basketball courts
6 ball diamonds
6 racquet ball courts
3 tot lots
This is, of course, in addition to the 18-hole golf
course.
The Library
in 1968, a revenue bond issue was arranged in the
amount of $325,000. $200,000 of this amount plus
another $100,000 from the government created the
library. The other $125,000 provided for two additions
to the village hall. The bond issue was secured by utility
franchise revenues and was purchased in its entirety by
the First American Bank. Mayor Lewis and Village Clerk
Dolores Walker had to sign 325 bond certificates. The
interest rate was 5 1/8%. and, the final payment will be
made in 1986.
The Village Hall
What is called one of the most attractive town halls
in Florida was completed in 1957. For a time, it was
jointly North Palm Beach Properties, Inc.,
used by
and
the small village government. In 1958 it was
to the village at the developers'actual
turned over g cons
truction cost, together with the land which was
P
appraised by
two independent realtors. The total
price was
$206,213. This was financed by a munici-
pal bond, the final payment on which was made in
January ofyear, this 1981. Two additions to the buildingwere made in 1969. On the north end, a
wing containing offices and council chamber was
built and another on the south end containing a
p
police complex and a two -bay fire station.
The Parks
In 1961, what is
now Osborn Park was a sandy lot with a
tall television tower in its center owned by
p Channel 5.
The company had plans to build a new
on
e in another location, and upon learning this the
and the result was that this large desir-
ablewasurchased at a very nominal
p
council acted, figure and
g
lot
gradually developed into a sports center.
g y Anchorage Park was do-
natedThe land which became g as
to the village by the Rosses at the same time
g
the marina, 1957. located at
e Park,the entrance to which hich is theeasterly is a strip end of Lighthouse Drive,
ofn
shaded lawn running south along Lake Worth to
• It is certainlyone of the prettiest spots
Atlantic Road.
in Florida. The Post ice
Ground was
broken on February 27,1964, and the
building was completed later that year.
Political
When North Palm Beach became a legal village,
there were no residents, and in the absence of any
voters a village council was appointed by the devel-
opers. The law called for the first election to be held in
March of 1959, three years after the village received
its charter. Two elected candidates would replace two
of the appointed members. The first two elected
councilmen were Walter Thomas and William
Young. The next year, three new members were
elected, thus filling out a completely elected council
of five members. These three eThe Mayorsello,
a e
Frank J. Hahn and Emery Newell
elected by the council, and the following served in
that capacity over the years: 1956 and 1 �57
Charles Cunningham 1958
Richard E. Ross 1959
Jay H. White
Walter E. Thomas 1960 and 1961
Warren B. Tatoul 1962 and 1963
Harold Beery 1964
Thomas F. Lewis 1965 thru 1971
H. Mallory Privet Jr. 1972 and 1973
Walter N. Colbath Jr. 1974
M.C. Love Jr. 1975 and 9/76 to 3/78
Ronald L. Heraty 3/16/76 to 6.24/76
Al Moore 3/23/78 to 3/22/79
W.H. Brown 3/22/79 to 3/27/80
V.A. Marks, M.D. 3/27/80 to
111
I . valor,.
IdoCQrte
Comm w R!
, Center
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41
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Artist's rendition of the planned $600,000 Delacorte center to be constructed on Prosperity Farms Rd.
The Country Club
After the Rosses bought the North Palm Beach
land area in 1956, extensive improvements were
made in the 18-hole golf course. Several new holes
were created, fairways widened, and greens rebuilt.
The result was a more playable course. The old
Winter Club was refurbished, kitchen equipment
installed, and meals served. In late 1959, informal
talks between the owners and the village council
indicateda possible
ossible sale of the entire property, and
the given village the first refusal in that event. in
January1961, notice was given of the intention to
to make a studyof
sell, and the village was given time
the question.
The council spent considerable time investigating
the advisabilityof purchasing the property and was
.. .
assisted by a seven -member citizen committee
ap-
pointed bythe North Palm Beach Civic Association. It
was decided to hire the Charles M. Graves organiza-
tion of Atlanta to prepare a feasibility study, a plan of
P P
development, and a schedule of anticipated income and operation costs. This was done, and it was
unanimously decided that the village should go
ahead and develop the area into a recreation center.
$1,015,000 was set as the price for the existing
country club of 145 acres plus all buildings, golf
carts, sprinkler systems, trucks, equipment, and
including attorneys' fees, bonds, and marketing
expense. An additional $415,000 covered the swim-
ming pool, dressing, shower and clothes check
building,golf shop, locker rooms, dining room facili-
ties P � a total
and an expanded parking area. This made
o, f $1 430 000. The council took great pains to in-
form the residents at each step of the process; all
questions were answered. The next step was to put it
up to the people. A special referendum election was
called for July 25th to determine the matter of issuing
$1 430,000 of general obligation bonds to purchase
and develop the North Palm Beach Country Club.
The result was 601 FOR and 80 AGAINST. The
bond issue was duly validated by the Circuit Court of
Palm Beach
Countyand the Supreme Court of
Florida. The bonds were sold at an interest rate of
4.07335 per cent and the last payment will be made
in 1988.
Puttinga value on the property today in 1981
would indeed be a classic exercise for a team of
appraisers. The pleasure for generations of old and
young is beyond estimation.
Acc.0 re0/9z1
The Delacorte Building
In April of 1980, a very nice thing happened to the
Village of North Palm Beach. Mr. George Delacorte,
publisher of Dell Books, offered to fund a general-
purpose recreation center in the amount of $600000.
The only conditions attached to the gift were that the
building be named the Delacorte Building after Valerie
Delacorte and that no fee ever be levied for the use of
the building. The Village Council happily accepted this offer and proceeded to retain the architectural firm of
Yeches and Luchner to go ahead with plans. Also, an
option has been taken on 10 acres of land along the
east side of Prosperity Farms Road. The building
would have a stage with seats for 800, plus facilities for
basketball.
Delacorte's fine gesture will go far in rouhding out
the recreational and cultural aspects of the village
and give an added reason for celebrating our 25th
anniversary. Landmarks
THE TWIN CITY MALL
In
1957,North Palm Beach Properties sold 40
acres to Food Fair Properties, Inc., and the market
now called Pantry Pride was built early in 1958. This
was followed by the J.M. Fields store, now known as
Jefferson's. The mall and Sears construction came
alongin Mayof 1971. As the land for the Sears
building was being cleared, the bulldozer flushed a
familyof foxes, last seen racing in a westerly direc-
tion. As the building neared completion, letion, bystanders
standers
watched a helicopter lift the air-conditioning units