50 / 62
Delray Central // Page 50
DELRAY CENTRAL | DELRAY BEACH OVERVIEW
DELRAY BEACH , A V I LLAGE BY THE SEA
In the southeast corner of Palm Beach County on the Atlantic seashore, a village
by the sea that began as an agricultural community in 1895 has become one
of Florida’s most popular destinations for visitors, new families and seasonal
residents. The City of Delray Beach encompasses slightly over 16 square miles with
a permanent population of nearly 65,000 and growing. Over the past decade,
renewal and re-development efforts in Delray Beach have resulted in recognition
as the All-America City in 1993 and 2001, the Blue Wave designation for their clean
and beautiful beaches and hailed by city planners around the nation as a model
for growth management. These accolades can be attributed to the significant
involvement of the residents of Delray Beach, who can claim authorship to an
unparalleled quality of life in a very diverse community.
Delray Beach is renowed locally for its ambitious gentrification centered on
Atlantic Avenue, Downtown’s main east-west thoroughfare. “The Avenue,” as it
is often called, is home to some of the best nightlife in South Florida and offers
a myriad of wonderful shopping and dining options. Beach-goers have access to
two miles of public beachfront for sunbathing, recreational events and swimming,
and a variety of other activities are offered at Delray Beach’s wide array of parks.
Today, history plays a large role in the city’s identity and future direction, with
Delray Beach being a lead figure in the state’s growing historic preservation
movement. The city has designated several neighborhoods as historic districts,
and the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, which serves as the centerpiece of the
historic downtown shopping district, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Completed in 2002, the Old School Square Entertainment Pavilion is located next
to this historic building and is a state-of-the-art performance facility that hosts
festivals and events year-round.
In the same general area is the emerging artists’ district named Pineapple Grove.
The district is adorned with sculptures designed by local artists and boasts
numerous art galleries and artists’ studios. Delray Beach offers many additional
cultural destinations, including the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. One
of the county’s top attractions, the 200-acre park features a beautiful 32,000
SF museum facility complete with a library, classrooms, 230-seat auditorium
and exhibit space. The luscious, meticulously landscaped garden was ranked 8th
among more than 300 Japanese Gardens outside of Japan by The Journal of
Japanese Gardening. Within a 30-minute drive, Delray Beach residents can visit
dozens of other theaters, museums and art galleries.