Amara Shrine Temple could be replaced by senior living facility
South Florida Business Journal
SUBSCRIBER CONTENT: Oct 10, 2017, 6:41am EDT
The site of a Shriners temple in Palm Beach Gardens could be redeveloped into an independent living facility for seniors.
The city received a zoning application in August concerning the 11.1-acre site at 3650 RCA Blvd., just east of Alternative A1A. It’s owned by Amara Temple Holding Corp. and has the 17,084-square-foot Amara Shrine Temple, which was developed in 1980. It would be demolished.
The property is under contract to the applicant RCA Medical Owners. The developer is a joint venture between Troy, New York-based the United Group of Cos. and Palm Beach Gardens-based Sina Cos., led by Malcolm S. Sina.
The project would total 432,354 square feet with 220 independent living units, containing 304 beds. It would have 286 parking spaces.
Two residential buildings, each of them four stories, would surround a 15,194-square-foot clubhouse featuring a dining room, community kitchen, a piano bar, a bistro bar, a movie theater, a fitness center, a yoga room, a beauty salon and a massage room. Other on-site amenities would include a pool, a croquet court, a pickleball court, a bocce ball court and several gardens.
“There is a huge demand in Palm Beach Gardens for this type of senior housing development,” said Michael Uccellini, president and CEO of the United Group of Cos. “There are many individuals in their 60s, 70s and 80s who are ready to transition into an independent living environment that is an active 55-plus age-restricted apartment community. These individuals are eager to move on from the burdens of homeownership and are looking forward to enjoying the lifestyle and services that the United Group’s signature SUN Program and the state-of-the-art clubhouse will provide to residents.”
United Group owns 13 senior living facilities. Its SUN Program offers residents benefits such as wellness services, finance and legal assistance, lifelong learning, recreational activities and social events.
Construction of the senior living facility would create about 200 jobs. The center would have seven to 10 permanent employees.
The project was designed by architect Geheber Lewis Associates. Anne Booth of Urban Design Kilday Studios represents the developer in the application.
NEW: Independent living facility proposed on RCA Boulevard in Gardens
Palm Beach Post
Sarah Peters, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
A health care developer wants to build a 220-unit independent living community on the Amara Shrine Center property on RCA Boulevard.
RCA Medical Owners LLC submitted an application to rezone the 11-acre property from commercial to residential and redevelop it.
State business records list Robert and Malcolm Sina as managers of RCA Medical Owners. They are the principal and executive chairman, respectively, of Sina Companies on Hood Road in Palm Beach Gardens.
The Amara Temple Holding Corporation owns the land the company wants to buy and develop on the south side of RCA Boulevard just east of Alternate A1A. The property is home to the Amara Shrine and auto/RV storage.
Malcolm Sina said the company will buy and close on the property for an undisclosed price after getting approval from the city. He expects that to be in the second quarter of next year.
The Shriners want to move to a smaller property, the center’s recorder has said.
The Amara Shriners usually host a big circus in April to raise money for children’s hospitals. The Shriners had to cancel the circus this year because they didn’t want to plan the event, only to sell the land before the circus’ arrival.
The proposed independent living facility will be for “healthy, active seniors” older than 55 who want to downsize from their homes without paying for services they don’t need, such as meals or linens, that are usually part of the package at continuing care retirement communities, according to the developer’s application.
The developer wants to build one-bedroom units with 711 square feet to penthouses with 2,231 square feet. Average rents for the one- to two-bedroom units will be less than $2,500 a month, according to the developer. Residents can buy meals and housekeeping services separately.
Four stories of residences top ground-level parking in the developer’s plan.
If the community is approved, the developer expects to finish building by the end of 2021. No road improvements will be required, according to a traffic analysis.
Croquet, a community garden, dog park and outdoor kitchen are among the proposed amenities.
Palm Beach Gardens planning staff, the Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board and the City Council will need to review and sign off on the plans before the developer can proceed.