12/19/2014 - Paving the way to growth in Riviera Beach
On Thursday, December 18th, the City of Riviera Beach
celebrated a new “road to opportunity” for local businesses as officials
talked about amazing things to come.
“Riviera Beach is where it is at,” said City
Manager Ruth Jones as she, Councilman Cedrick Thomas, Council Vice
Chairwoman Dawn Pardo and Baron Signs Manufacturing owner Sadie Foland
cut the ribbon dedicating the rebuilt and improved section of West 13th
Street west of Old Dixie Highway.
The City spent $2.1 million to repave and
rebuild the roadway with new side-walks, curbs and gutters, drainage
swales and new underground water and sewer lines.
Councilman Cedrick Thomas, whose district
includes the area of 13th Street that was rebuilt, talked about how it
took a partnership between council members, city officials and the state
to make the project happen. Part of the funding came from a $500,000
grant from the state after the city and business leaders urged Gov. Rick
Scott to help rebuild the road.
Foland, a strong advocate for business
development in Riviera Beach and all of northern Palm Beach County,
talked about how that stretch of 13th Street used to have potholes and
other problems so bad that the City was in danger of losing some of the
businesses on the street a few years ago. Now, Foland, said almost all
the available business space along the new stretch of road has been
leased.
Pardo said Thursday’s ribbon cutting is just
the first of many good things residents will start to see completed in
Riviera Beach in the coming months and years. She said several projects
are under-way to improve the infrastructure for businesses and thus
improve the quality of life for all Riviera Beach residents and as those
upgrades are completed the city will celebrate the accomplishments with
more ribbon cuttings to let the world know about the new Riviera Beach.
PHOTO GALLERY HERE