A 25-Story Wood Tower in West Palm Beach? Here's the Plan

Billionaire Jeff Greene is proposing Florida's tallest mass timber building on South Dixie Highway. The 366-unit tower would use the Live Local Act for administrative approval, but it raises real questions about long-term durability in South Florida's climate.

Key Takeaways

• Jeff Greene is proposing a 25-story, 366-unit mass timber tower at 120 S. Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach.
• The project uses the Live Local Act, with 40% of units designated as workforce housing.
• If approved, this would be Florida's tallest wood-framed building and among the tallest in the United States.

According to the South Florida Business Journal, billionaire developer Jeff Greene has filed plans for a 25-story apartment tower at 120 S. Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach. The project would be constructed using mass timber, a prefabricated wood system, making it Florida's tallest wood-framed building if completed.

Greene is West Palm Beach's largest single private landowner, with a 75-acre portfolio assembled over the past decade. The Plans and Plats Review Committee reviewed the proposal on May 14, 2026, and provided feedback. Greene is incorporating the recommendations and moving forward with the administrative approval process.

What is mass timber construction?

Mass timber refers to engineered wood products made by bonding layers of lumber together under pressure. The most common type is cross-laminated timber (CLT), which creates panels strong enough to serve as structural walls, floors, and roofs in multi-story buildings. Unlike traditional wood framing, mass timber is prefabricated off-site and assembled quickly on location.

Proponents argue that mass timber is more sustainable than concrete and steel because wood stores carbon rather than releasing it during production. The material also weighs less, which can reduce foundation costs. However, mass timber is relatively new to high-rise construction in humid climates like South Florida, where moisture, termites, and hurricanes present additional challenges.

Carlo Ratti Associati (Turin and NYC) is designing the building, with Nexus Systems providing the prefabricated mass timber system. Myk Murashko of Nexus Systems stated that the goal is to create a high-quality, efficient building that can accommodate a range of demographics living together.

What is being proposed?

The project spans 0.87 acres and includes 120 S. Dixie Highway plus parcels at 321, 324, 325, and 333 Datura Street. The building would contain 366 apartments, 7,557 square feet of ground-floor retail, and 236 parking spaces.

Unit mix: 75 studios, 199 one-bedrooms, 72 two-bedrooms, and 20 three-bedrooms ranging from 505 to 1,320 square feet.

Workforce housing: Under the Live Local Act, 40% of units (approximately 148) are designated for residents earning up to 120% of area median income ($104,000 in Palm Beach County). Workforce units occupy floors 2 through 4 and 6 through 11; market-rate units are on floors 12 through 25.

Amenity deck: The 5th floor includes a pool, fitness room, lounge, yoga room, private dining area, and grilling stations. Unlike most Live Local projects, which separate amenities by income level, Greene's design shares the lobby and amenity deck among all residents. Greene stated: "There's no reason to separate people because of the amount of money they have."

Historic preservation: The site currently houses a 1915 fire station no longer in use. Greene is preserving and incorporating the historic facades into the building's ground-floor frontage.

How does the Live Local approval process work?

The Live Local Act allows developers to bypass traditional zoning limits in exchange for including workforce housing. Projects that meet the statutory checklist receive administrative approval from city staff rather than requiring a vote from elected boards.

As Larry Mastropieri explained on the Discover South Florida Podcast: "The Live Local path is more about density, affordability, incentives, and fast-tracking certain approvals. It does not mean the building gets to skip safety or construction code requirements. The project still has to meet city and state building standards."

Greene acknowledged the political tension this creates: "No city likes to feel that zoning has been taken away from them by the state, but the other side is every city says we are desperate for workforce housing so this will be a huge plus."

What are the concerns about mass timber in South Florida?

Mass timber has a growing track record in cooler, drier climates like the Pacific Northwest and Northern Europe. South Florida presents unique challenges: year-round high humidity, aggressive termite populations (including Formosan termites), hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall.

As Larry Mastropieri noted: "The issue is not necessarily today; it is 25 or 50 years from now. If you do not maintain the building properly, water intrusion, termites, humidity, and pest problems could become serious issues. That is what people need to think about with this type of material in South Florida."

West Palm Beach's building department has already approved mass timber for a smaller project: the 4-story expansion of the Greene School, Greene's nonprofit K-12 school adjacent to this site. That approval gives the city familiarity with the construction method, though a 25-story tower is a significant scale jump from a 4-story school building.

How does this compare to other mass timber projects?

Mass timber is still rare in South Florida. The most notable comparison:

FAT Village T3 Office (Fort Lauderdale): Hines is constructing South Florida's first mass timber office building in Flagler Village. This is a commercial project, not residential, and shorter than Greene's proposed tower.

If the 120 S. Dixie tower is approved and built, it would be Florida's tallest mass timber building and one of the tallest in the United States. Greene has not decided whether the market-rate units on floors 12 through 25 will be condos or rentals, though he expects condos would be more profitable.

What does this mean for West Palm Beach?

Workforce housing supply: With 148 units reserved for residents earning up to $104,000, this project would add meaningful inventory to a market where housing costs have priced many workers out. The shared amenity model is also notable; most Live Local projects separate workforce and market-rate residents.

Construction innovation: If successful, this project could open the door for more mass timber development in Florida. The prefabricated system is faster to assemble and potentially more cost-efficient than concrete and steel.

Long-term questions: Buyers and renters should understand that mass timber is relatively untested at this scale in South Florida's climate. Maintenance, insurance, and resale value in 20 or 30 years are unknowns that the market has not yet priced.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Jeff Greene's mass timber tower in West Palm Beach?

Jeff Greene is proposing a 25-story, 366-unit apartment tower at 120 S. Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach. The building would use mass timber construction, making it Florida's tallest wood-framed building if completed. The project includes 40% workforce housing under the Live Local Act.

What is mass timber construction?

Mass timber refers to engineered wood products made by bonding layers of lumber together under pressure. The material is prefabricated off-site and assembled on location. It is lighter than concrete, stores carbon, and can be constructed faster, but it is relatively new to high-rise construction in humid climates like South Florida.

How does the Live Local Act affect this West Palm Beach project?

The Live Local Act allows developers to bypass traditional zoning limits in exchange for workforce housing. Projects that meet the statutory checklist receive administrative approval from city staff rather than requiring a vote from elected boards. Greene's project designates 40% of units for residents earning up to 120% of area median income.

What are the concerns about a mass timber tower in Florida?

South Florida's high humidity, aggressive termite populations, hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall present challenges for wood construction. Long-term maintenance, water intrusion, and pest control are concerns that buyers and renters should consider when evaluating mass timber buildings.

When will Jeff Greene's mass timber tower be built in West Palm Beach?

The Plans and Plats Review Committee reviewed the project on May 14, 2026, and provided feedback. Greene is incorporating the recommendations and moving forward with the administrative approval process. No construction timeline has been announced, and Greene has not decided whether the market-rate units will be condos or rentals.

Local help for buyers and investors in West Palm Beach

If you are buying, selling, or investing in West Palm Beach, understanding how new construction and Live Local projects affect the market matters. Reach out to The Mastropieri Group, Realtors®.

For practical, hands-on support across West Palm Beach, call (561) 556-9853.

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