Boynton Beach's East Ocean Avenue Is Rebuilding Without Losing Its Anchors

A couple once found a stuffed fish in their garage and brought it to Hurricane Alley. It ended up on the wall with the other ocean- and fish-themed pieces that patrons gave the restaurant over the years. When owner Kim Kelly talked to The Coastal Star in late September, that fish was part of her moving plan. "Anything that anyone gave us, we want to keep," she said.

The fish isn't going far. It's moving across East Ocean Avenue, and that short move sums up downtown Boynton Beach this fall. Cranes and demolition plans are taking over the north side of the street. The places people gather are moving onto the avenue or closer to it. A raw bar is moving to the south curb. A Sunday market has come from the Boynton Beach Mall to a lot beside the Schoolhouse Children's Museum. Pirate Fest, the city's big fall festival, falls on Halloween itself this year.

Thirty Years at 529, Then a Short Walk Across the Street

For about three decades, Hurricane Alley Raw Bar and Restaurant sat at 529 E. Ocean Ave. Its building is set to be torn down to make way for The Pierce. In late August, Kelly posted that the landlord had given a Sept. 30 deadline to vacate. For close to five years, the plan had been for the restaurant to move into The Pierce once it was built. On Sept. 3, Kelly announced a different plan. Hurricane Alley would take over the Paloma Mexican Restaurant space at 510 E. Ocean Ave., on the south side of the street, and keep its name.

Paloma has closed for good. Kelly told The Coastal Star that its owners are going back to legal careers. Her new deal is a five-year lease with options that can extend it to 15 years. If you know the block, it's the building with the orange, terra cotta facade.

Here's what Kelly has said about the new space so far:

• Timing: minor renovations, then a grand reopening "sometime around Thanksgiving," which is her goal, not a set date.
• Layout: no outside bar this time, but an additional bar inside.
• Menu: the same items, maybe with a few new ones. Prices may go up slightly because food and beverage costs have climbed.
• Staff: Hurricane Alley has 40 employees, and Kelly said most of them plan to come back.
• Walls: the memorabilia is coming along, though she said not all of it will fit.

Kelly credited the outpouring of support, including from the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, with persuading her to stay on the avenue. She also told The Coastal Star she has no plans to leave:

"This is my forever home. I don't plan on going anywhere."

Why the Move Came Before the New Building

The Pierce is a $105 million mixed-use project more than five years in the making, and it was finally cleared for construction. Tearing down the Hurricane Alley building is the first step. Affiliated Development is building it on the west side of Federal Highway. The site runs from Ocean Avenue to Boynton Beach Boulevard and back to the Florida East Coast Railway tracks.

The Pierce is one of three large projects within a few blocks of each other. The other two are already underway:

The Post's photo gallery of these projects still describes Hurricane Alley as a future anchor tenant of The Pierce. That caption dates from before the Sept. 3 announcement. The restaurant now plans to reopen on the south side of the street long before The Pierce, its original planned home, is built. The CRA's late-2028 estimate for Ocean One gives a sense of how long the north-side construction will run.

The Market That Moved In From the Mall

The street is gaining a Sunday stop while those projects go up. The Coastal Star reported that the Good Day Market has moved downtown from the Boynton Beach Mall. It now sets up at 129 E. Ocean Ave., in the lot next to the Schoolhouse Children's Museum.

More than 50 vendors sell farm-to-table foods, local honey, pet treats, baked goods, soaps, candles, clothing and handmade jewelry, with an emphasis on handmade goods. The market runs on select Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and parking is free in the lots next door. Upcoming dates are posted on the Good Day Market Boynton Beach Facebook page and at thegooddaymarket.com.

A Sunday morning on the west end of the avenue now has a market at the 100 block. Then, if Kelly's timeline holds, Hurricane Alley will be back at the 500 block later in the season.

Pirate Fest Moves to Halloween This Year

From 2023 through 2025, Pirate Fest ran on the last full weekend of October. In 2026 it falls on Saturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1, so the city's largest downtown festival lands on Halloween night. Boynton Beach Daily put together the details from the city's Pirate Fest page and its Know Before You Go page.

The city's list of attractions includes the Mermaid Grotto with Mermaid Jules and the Lil Scallywag Zone for kids, with face painting and games. There are also pirate encampments, sword fighting, archery, axe throwing, and a parade that leads into the costume contests. The kids' contest is at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday and the adult contest at 2:45 p.m. Shows run on several stages, including Main / Centennial, Railroad / Buccaneer Bay and Kraken / Seacrest. The city says the schedule may change.

Because the festival sits on Ocean Avenue, the street closes before the gates open. Full closures start at 7 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29:

1. East Ocean Avenue, from Seacrest Boulevard to Northeast Third Street
2. Southeast First Avenue, from Seacrest Boulevard to Southeast First Street
3. Northeast First Street, from Northeast First Avenue to Southeast First Avenue

The city hasn't said when the streets reopen. Residents along East Ocean Avenue can call the Events Division at 561-742-6024 about moving their cars during the closures.

Parking is free at Hester Community Center, Carolyn Sims Center, Dewey Park and the Boynton Beach Senior Center. Free shuttles run from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on two loops. Loop 1 serves Hester, Carolyn Sims and City Hall, and Loop 2 serves the Senior Center, Dewey Park and City Hall. All shuttles are wheelchair accessible, and ADA parking includes 20 spaces at the K-Pock lot.

The city's Pirate Fest Treasure Hunt has posted a new clue at 10 a.m. every Monday in October on Instagram at @cityofboyntonbeach and @bbpiratefest. The last clue comes out Oct. 26.

From Centennial Park to the Marina

After Pirate Fest, the rest of the fall moves east along the same street toward the Intracoastal. The CRA's business directory lists East Ocean Cafe at 412 E. Ocean Ave., open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Banana Boat is listed farther down at 739 E. Ocean Ave., with daily restaurant hours and separate weekend bar hours. It's a good idea to check current hours with either place before you go.

The season ends at the water. The city's Holiday Boat Parade is set for Friday, Dec. 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Boynton Harbor Marina, 735 Casa Loma Blvd. The listing names Hypoluxo, Lantana and Delray Beach as partners.

Here are the fall dates in order:

• Select Sundays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Good Day Market, 129 E. Ocean Ave.
• Thursday, Oct. 29, 7 a.m.: Pirate Fest road closures begin
• Saturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1: Pirate Fest at Centennial Park and East Ocean Avenue
• Around Thanksgiving, Kelly's goal: Hurricane Alley's grand reopening at 510 E. Ocean Ave.
• Friday, Dec. 11, 6 to 9 p.m.: Holiday Boat Parade, Boynton Harbor Marina

Three blocks of East Ocean Avenue will spend the next few years under construction. The raw bar, the Sunday market and the Halloween festival are all on that same stretch this fall.

If you're curious what all this construction downtown could mean for your home or your block, The Homeseeker Group follows the changes on East Ocean Avenue closely. We're happy to talk it through with you. Schedule a consultation whenever you're ready.