Betty Resch, Mayor, City of Lake Worth Beach

Betty Resch, mayor of the city of Lake Worth Beach, spoke with Invest: about growing the town without losing its unique charm. “We need people to come into our downtown and bring income into the city. The local flavor is very important to our residents. We have to find a balance in serving our diverse population,” she said.

What are your immediate priorities for Lake Worth Beach?
We have a couple of exciting things happening in Lake Worth Beach. There is a developer from New York City collecting glass and porcelain art to open a museum in our downtown. We are also working on over 90 market-rate apartments downtown. We will have 180 affordable senior housing units, the first new development in a neglected area of the city. The Gulf Stream Hotel was built in the 1920s and was open for many decades until it was abandoned about 15 years ago. We have a developer from St. Louis with a speciality in renovating historic hotels who will turn it into a high-end Marriott. They will renovate the old building and then build a second building on the adjacent empty lot for spas, meeting rooms, and a rooftop pool. The third space will have 90 rental apartments. The project will revitalize the entire block. Retail stores are struggling at the moment, but the museum and other projects will bring more people to the downtown area.
We’re pretty well built out, which is one of our challenges. We have historic districts with residential homes that are historically protected. We have a beautiful municipal golf course and interest from developers to partner with us to improve the course. We have to find a balance in serving our diverse population. When you’re an elected official, you’ll always face critics and people who oppose developments, but we have to change. We can’t be frozen in time. We need people to come into our downtown and bring income into the city.

What makes Lake Worth Beach an ideal place to live, work, and play in?
We are unique because we’re a small community with many neighborhood associations. Once a year, my neighborhood association holds an annual fundraiser called “Flolfing,” where nine homes turn their front yards into miniature golf holes. People sign up and pay to play and there’s a big party at the end. Over 250 people participated this year. Another neighborhood started a carnival event, where every house is a different carnival activity. There’s a feeling of community here, and we’re known as a party city. We just hosted a huge gay Pride parade during Pride weekend. We have a giant Fourth of July celebration with a raft race. We have bonfires on the beach with live music. There’s always something going on that brings our people together.

What are the main sectors or industries driving growth and employment in the city?
We are largely residential. There is an industrial area that was just redeveloped, and there’s more room for expansion there. Small businesses drive our city. We’re a small town, and when malls opened in the 1980s our downtown area suffered. We have a large Hispanic community, which is a driver of our economy, with lots of restaurants. The service industry is a big part of our economy. When the Gulf Stream is opened, we will see more jobs coming here.

What distinguishes Lake Worth Beach and gives it a competitive advantage compared to other cities in South Florida?
The demographics are changing. People are more affluent and moving in with their families, although we need to find a balance because we used to be affordable, but we aren’t affordable anymore. Affordable rent is hard to come by and housing prices have risen. We are close to West Palm, and development there has gone up and seen many tall condos. People who want to live in a small home with a yard are moving to Lake Worth.

What new amenities, services, or initiatives will help provide residents with the best quality of life?
We have six new pickleball courts. We have one of the most beautiful beaches in South Florida. It’s a small beach with a fishing pier, and the water is clear and warm. Lake Worth Beach is closest to the Gulf Stream, so the water is constantly moving and crystal clear. The beach is very popular and the parking lots are always filled. We are doing a study on how to improve the parks using input from residents. We installed a playground at the beach and upgraded the other playgrounds in the city.

To what extent are PPPs key in bringing economic development to the city?
This is a hot-button topic. The museum project is very exciting. It brings another level of the arts to the city, as well as new rental units downtown. We hosted a workshop to educate residents on the benefits of public-private partnerships.

What is on the agenda for the city in the near term?
Our staff has been talking to some developers who are interested in working in the city. We have to find a balance because nobody in the city wants us to become a corporate entity. The local flavor is very important to our residents, but at some point we have to give up a little bit to move forward. The affordable senior housing development will help keep residents in the city and bring new jobs.

How is Lake Worth Beach balancing economic growth while maintaining quality of life for its residents and citizens?
The town needs something new. Fortunately, many of our neighborhoods are historically protected and can’t be knocked down for new development.