A new townhome community is coming to life in the center of Boca Raton, with models now open. Located at the busy corner of Military Trail and Spanish River Boulevard, Kolter’s Moderne Boca will have 75 luxury three-story townhomes in a gated community with price points between $589,000 to $849,000. There will be two- and three-bedroom options ranging from 2,128 to 2,794 square feet. Many of the units will have elevators, expansive open living areas, and two-car garages. The community will include a swimming pool and fitness center, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
What makes this location especially unique is that it sits next to the Pondhawk Natural Area, environmentally sensitive land owned and managed by Palm Beach County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management. These 78.7 acres were set aside in 2002 to prevent impacts associated with industrial development and to preserve and restore mesic flatwoods, hydric hammock, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, and basin marsh vegetation communities and their associated wildlife populations. Pondhawk was also created to provide for passive recreation, environmental education, and scientific research.
With the Spanish River Library and recreational areas, this location provides an attractive option for urban living in walking distance from educational, athletic, and outdoors amenities, which are highlighted on Moderne Boca’s website. In addition to hiking and biking trails, there is an informational kiosk and observation platform to view the natural area. According to Lee Lietzke, Pondhawk’s site manager, “The county encourages the public to enjoy this natural oasis in the middle of an urban context. This positive passive recreation is a way to educate the public about their local natural environment.”
Given its close proximity to protected land, it is important to understand how this development might impact the environment. When Pondhawk Natural Area was acquired, the 6-acre parcel of land in the southwest corner of land where Moderne Boca is located was never part the natural area; it was always designated for either residential or commercial use. The Department of Environmental Resources Management did object to the development on this corner, but it was eventually approved for townhomes.
There are a few environmental concerns now that the community is being built:
- Traffic. With 75 new homes, there will certainly be more traffic. This also affects pollution associated with more cars on the road.
- Noise. With more local traffic, noise levels will rise, which will impact the serenity of the natural area.
- Dumping. There is some concern that residents could dump trash into the natural area.
- Controlled Burns Curtailed. Lee Lietzke explained that in order to sufficiently manage the species found in Pondhawk, controlled fires by the county are needed. However, it will be extremely challenging to do controlled burns with the new residents living right next door. This could impact the current vegetation and wildlife living in the natural area, and even lead to a devastating wildfire in the future. The county will use mechanical vegetation reduction as an alternative, although it is not as effective.