Riviera Beach is preparing to select a developer to lead the redevelopment of approximately 12-acres of waterfront land in the city’s Marina Village district. It will be the second phase of the full redevelopment of city-owned land along Broadway, which began in the early 2010s with the construction of Bicentennial Park and related public infrastructure.
Plans for Marina Village’s second phase have been in development for several years and have faced multiple setbacks. However, the effort now appears to be back on track. On August 27, 2025, the city issued a request for proposals seeking a qualified developer to design, finance, construct, operate, and maintain a mixed-use waterfront development. The solicitation marked a restart of the process following a 2024 setback, when a previously submitted letter from a prospective developer was later determined to be fraudulent, halting progress at the time.
Three development teams responded to the city’s request to enter into a public-private partnership (P3) by the November 17th deadline. The city is seeking a proposal that enhances public access to the waterfront while introducing employment opportunities, retail, and other investment-driven uses. The process is being led by the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, with the proposals scheduled for discussion at a board meeting on February 11th,
The three responding teams include Forest Development, which has led the planning and construction of several high-rise projects within the city, along with Related Urban Group and Sonnenblick Development. Related Urban is already advancing construction on the first phase of Marina Village, a project that includes public parking and three multifamily buildings, two of which are planned as high-rise structures.
Sonnenblick’s Proposal (Margaritaville):
Sonnenblick’s proposal envisions a mixed-use waterfront development featuring hotel, residential, retail, and entertainment components. The project is planned in multiple phases, with four high-rises sharing two podiums. Together, the buildings would deliver 270 residential units and a 300-room hotel anchored by the Margaritaville brand, complementing the area’s existing cruise ship activity. Retail and dining would total more than 100,000 SF, distributed across tower podiums, interior spaces, and outdoor stalls. A FlowRider surf complex is also planned, targeting families and local youth.
The development would provide approximately 1,300 parking spaces and 200 bicycle racks to support both private users and the public marina. Additional amenities include a proposed 20,000 SF aquarium on the property’s north side, further enhancing Riviera Beach’s public and recreational offerings.
Towers will range from 11 to 13 floors, with the tallest rising 25 stories. Because the site’s Downtown Mixed Use zoning does not allow buildings of that height by right, Sonneblick is acquiring air rights from the city to enable the 25-story tower.
Sonnenblick brings more than 133 years of combined real estate and finance experience across multiple states, collaborating with Kaufman & Lynn Construction (general contractor), Leo A. Daly (architect), Island Hospitality (hotel management), and other firms. The development team plans to partner with non-profit organizations, utilize local hiring and training programs, and pursue additional community-focused initiatives to benefit the Riviera Beach area.
Forest Development’s Proposal:
Forest Development, which is currently leading projects such as Nautilus 220 and Oculina, is proposing a mixed-use destination that combines residential development with extensive retail offerings, a convention center, boat storage, and significant infrastructure and public realm improvements.
The redevelopment is planned in four phases. Phase one would deliver 39,400 SF of restaurant space alongside 66,000 SF of office uses. Phase two would focus on public-facing components, including a convention center and improvements to Bicentennial Park, followed by phase three, which would introduce condominium residences (164 units) and dry boat storage.
The final phase would add roughly 43,680 SF of retail space and a new hotel fit with 270 rooms to the waterfront district. While Forest Development has described the current proposal as its preferred vision for the site, the firm has indicated it remains open to refinements as the review process moves forward.
The overall program is distributed across three primary buildings, with proposed heights of 10, 20, and 20 stories. To accommodate demand generated by the convention center, hotel, residential, office, and retail components, the plan calls for more than 2,000 parking spaces housed within multiple structured parking garages scattered throughout the site.
In addition to Forest Development, the project team includes architectural firms such as Adache and Dwell Design Studio, with planning and landscape design led by Insite Studio and WGI. Moss is listed as the project’s general contractor, alongside a broader group of consultants. Forest Development has stated it’s prepared to invest up to $10 million to advance the project to a shovel-ready stage prior to securing full financing. The team reports having capital commitments in place across multiple projects and brings a portfolio reflecting decades of development experience.
Related Urban Development Group’s Proposal:
The third proposal was submitted by Related Urban Development Group, which is already leading phase one of Marina Village and is responsible for three buildings currently planned on the site. Related’s new submission proposes redeveloping its portion of Marina Village in two distinct phases, expanding both public amenities and revenue-generating uses along the waterfront.
Phase one centers on the construction of a four-story parking garage with 578 spaces intended to serve Marina Village and surrounding businesses. The garage would include 9,800 SF ground-floor retail and a rooftop set with recreational amenities such as padel courts, soccer space, and additional active uses. Also included in the first phase are three waterfront retail bays totaling approximately 6,000 SF each, ten townhomes, and upgrades to the existing event center.
Phase two would introduce a combined hospitality building containing a 120-key hotel and 224 residential units, supported by an additional 528 parking spaces. Approximately 6,000 SF of waterfront retail is planned at the ground level, alongside substantial improvements to Bicentennial Park, including a children’s playground, expanded event space, and other public-facing upgrades.
Parking across the site will total 1,303 spaces, including on-street parking along several adjacent streets. On the south side of the property, 67 surface spaces are specifically designated for dock and marina-related parking.
Beyond Related Development includes BH Group, Pebb Enterprises, and Tezral Partners working on the project. Tezral had initially partnered with Atlanta-based APD Solutions Real Estate Group before the arrangement was dissolved following irregularities (fraudulent letter) identified by the city during the RFP process. Tezral has since joined the current development team. Arquitectonica is serving as the project’s architect.
Riviera Beach’s CRA is set to review the developments on February 11th, following an evaluation committee meeting the day prior that will assess proposals against specific criteria and make a recommendation. The CRA will take that recommendation into account during its discussions.