Delray Central OM

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.

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