UPDATE: One Boca Failed
Boca Raton voters rejected One Boca on March 10, 2026, with 74.52% voting No. Save Boca candidates also won a majority on the city council. Read the full breakdown: Boca Raton Voters Reject One Boca: What's Next for Downtown?
A grassroots group forced Boca Raton's biggest redevelopment project to a public vote. On March 10, 2026, residents decided that downtown would not get a $4 billion transformation.
Key Takeaways
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Terra Group and Frisbie Group's One Boca project went to a public referendum on March 10, 2026, after an opposition group, Save Boca, gathered thousands of petition signatures.
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The revised plan included 765 apartments, a 182-unit condo building, 120,000 square feet of office, a hotel, and a grocery store on a 99-year lease, with projected revenue of $4 billion for the city.
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Voters rejected the project 74.52% to 25.48%, and Boca Raton now faces a 30-year-old city campus with flood damage and no clear funding path for upgrades without raising taxes or issuing bonds.
One Boca went to a public vote. On March 10, 2026, Boca Raton residents rejected a 538,000-square-foot mixed-use redevelopment at 201 West Palmetto Park Road, the city's aging government campus next to the Brightline station.
The referendum came after months of escalation between developers Terra Group and Frisbie Group and a grassroots opposition movement called Save Boca. What started as a city-led competitive bidding process became one of the most contentious local political fights in recent memory, complete with lawsuits, AI-generated protest videos, and a city council campaign.
The outcome will shape downtown Boca Raton for decades. With voters rejecting the project, redevelopment plans are now frozen while the city figures out how to fund the needed infrastructure upgrades on its own.
What was One Boca proposing?
Boca Raton's government campus at 201 West Palmetto Park Road is over 30 years old and has suffered flood damage and aging infrastructure. Terra Group and Frisbie Group won a competitive city bid (beating out Related Ross, the firm led by billionaire Steve Ross) to redevelop it.
After community backlash, the developers scaled down twice. The final plan covered 538,000 square feet on a 99-year lease: 765 apartments, a 182-unit condo building, 120,000 square feet of office, a 180-key hotel, a grocery store, and 2,100 parking spaces. Recreation and green space would have increased from 7.6 to 15.6 acres, and the city would have led the Memorial Park redesign.
Projections showed the project generating $4 billion in revenue for the city over the lease term. Kohn Pedersen Fox, the firm behind Hudson Yards in New York, designed it.
Who is Save Boca, and what did both sides say?
Jon Pearlman, a Boca Raton resident and investment manager with no prior organizing experience, launched Save Boca after learning the redevelopment would affect Memorial Park. The 17-acre park, named in 1947 to honor World War II veterans, includes a city hall, a community center, baseball fields, and six banyan trees.
Pearlman compared the project to destroying Central Park. Save Boca's YouTube channel featured an AI-generated video of bulldozers plowing down Memorial Park's banyan trees, which received more than 80,000 views. The group gathered thousands of petition signatures, and Pearlman launched a city council campaign against One Boca supporter Marc Widger.
After months of escalation, Terra, Frisbie, and the city council agreed to put One Boca directly to a public vote on March 10, 2026. Rob Frisbie acknowledged the concerns around parkland preservation and honoring veterans were "very serious concerns that would resonate with a lot of people." The developers cut the project nearly in half and handed control of the Memorial Park redesign to the city.
Save Boca remained opposed. Pearlman maintained the city had enough money (claiming $600 million in reserves) to handle redevelopment on its own. Mayor Scott Singer denied that figure, stating the city could not pay for the needed improvements without raising taxes or issuing bonds.
"The fate of this project could very well shape the entire future of this city," Pearlman said. Singer urged voters to "take the time to consider the facts and vote their conscience."
Own property near downtown Boca Raton? The referendum result will impact property values in the area. Talk to a real estate agent near Boca Raton who understands how large-scale redevelopment affects surrounding neighborhoods. Reach out to The Mastropieri Group or call (561) 544-7000.
What does this mean for Boca Raton property values?
The outcome of this referendum will affect homeowners and buyers across downtown Boca Raton.
With One Boca rejected: The city still faces a 30-year-old campus with flood damage and no clear path to fund the needed upgrades without raising taxes or issuing bonds. Redevelopment plans are now frozen while the city regroups.
What One Boca would have delivered: Boca Raton would have gotten a transit-oriented downtown redevelopment next to its Brightline station, with nearly a thousand new residential units, new retail, and a redesigned Memorial Park. That level of investment typically lifts surrounding property values. Boca Raton single-family home prices nearly doubled during the pandemic-era boom, and the city has become a magnet for high-net-worth individuals attracted to low taxes and private airport access.
As Larry Mastropieri explained on the Discover South Florida Podcast before the vote, "This will improve the real estate values in the surrounding areas. Without question. I don't think you can argue the other way."
On the challenge of the city handling a project this size alone, Mastropieri added, "A massive project like this is not for the people at the city to oversee and do on their own. You hire professionals like developers who do this and can execute. Because this stuff isn't easy. Even the pros screw this up sometimes. You want to leave it to the city to figure this out? You're going to have to hire a whole team just to manage that."
The broader signal matters too. This referendum tested whether South Florida communities would accept large-scale redevelopment through public-private partnerships or push back against the pace of change. The outcome could influence how developers approach future projects across Palm Beach County.
Who were the developers behind One Boca?
Terra Group is a Coconut Grove-based developer led by David Martin. The firm is experienced with large-scale mixed-use and public-private projects and is known for navigating community opposition.
Frisbie Group is a Palm Beach-based family firm founded by Rob Frisbie's father and uncles. Historically focused on spec homes, townhomes, and a boutique Florida Keys resort, the second generation (Rob Frisbie Jr. and Cody Crowell) is now pursuing larger-scale development. Frisbie Group partnered with 1789 Capital on a $1 billion real estate investment fund.
The two firms are also planning another project together: 1,000+ residential units at an undisclosed location.
What happened?
The referendum took place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Boca Raton residents voted on whether to approve the Master Partnership Agreement that would have allowed One Boca to proceed. They rejected it 74.52% to 25.48%.
For buyers and homeowners near downtown Boca, the vote determined that downtown will not get a $4 billion transformation over the coming decades. The city's aging campus remains unchanged while officials search for alternative funding.
The fight between One Boca and Save Boca changed the conversation about development in Boca Raton. Public-private partnerships that once moved through the city council with little fanfare now face organized opposition and public votes. Save Boca candidates won a majority on the city council, signaling that this dynamic will continue.
For the full breakdown of the results and what comes next, read: Boca Raton Voters Reject One Boca: What's Next for Downtown?
Watch More on This Topic
Watch: One Boca vs Save Boca Segment ・ Full Episode: DSF Live Ep. 63 ・ Last Week's Recap: Ep. 62
Frequently Asked Questions about the One Boca Referendum
What was One Boca?
One Boca was a proposed 538,000-square-foot mixed-use redevelopment of Boca Raton's aging city-owned campus at 201 West Palmetto Park Road. The project included 765 apartments, a 182-unit condo building, 120,000 square feet of office space, a 180-key hotel, a 30,000-square-foot grocery store, and a redesigned Memorial Park. Terra Group and Frisbie Group were the developers.
When was the One Boca referendum?
The referendum took place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Boca Raton residents voted on whether to approve the Master Partnership Agreement. They rejected it 74.52% to 25.48%.
What is Save Boca?
Save Boca is a grassroots opposition group led by resident Jon Pearlman. The group gathered thousands of petition signatures and forced the One Boca project to a public referendum. Pearlman argued the project would destroy Memorial Park and that the city had enough reserves to fund redevelopment on its own. Save Boca candidates won a majority on the city council in the same election.
How much revenue would One Boca have generated for the city?
Projections showed One Boca generating $4 billion in revenue for Boca Raton from rent and tax payments over the life of the 99-year lease. The developers had also agreed to maintain their contributions even if property taxes were abolished statewide.
What happens to Memorial Park now?
With One Boca rejected, Memorial Park remains unchanged. Under the rejected plan, the city (not the developers) would have led the redesign. Recreation and green space would have increased from 7.6 acres to 15.6 acres, including playgrounds, tennis courts, and a dedicated veterans memorial.
Local help for buyers and investors in Boca Raton
If you are buying, selling, or investing in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, or anywhere across Palm Beach County, understanding how large-scale redevelopment projects affect neighborhood values matters. Reach out to The Mastropieri Group, Realtors®.
For practical, hands-on support across Boca Raton, call (561) 544-7000.
Posted by Larry Mastropieri
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