Woerner Holdings has received initial approval to redevelop the historic Paramount Theatre in Palm Beach, moving forward with a revised plan after its earlier proposal was rejected. The new plan includes a private club, a single residential unit, and a public cafe.
The updated proposal reduces the size of the private club from 45,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet and lowers maximum membership from 475 to 175. The design also features “church-style seating for 200 guests,” according to the Palm Beach Daily News. A new element in the plan is a 5,400-square-foot cafe with seating for 80 people that will be open to the public.
A single residence will occupy the third and fourth floors of the building at 139 North County Road. The Paramount Theatre is known for its dome and inner courtyard, blending Moorish Revival and Spanish Colonial styles. It was designed by Austrian architect Joseph Urban.
Woerner Holdings used the Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act to negotiate changes without litigation after its original redevelopment proposal was denied due to concerns over traffic, parking, and site density. In response to these issues raised by the Palm Beach Town Council in 2024, Woerner scaled back its plans before resubmitting them.
After four hours of discussion, the town council voted to send the revised plan to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for review. Final approval could be granted as soon as next month.
Woerner Holdings acquired the 36,000-square-foot building in 2021 for $14 million from Paramount Church, which had purchased it in 1996 for $3.7 million. The property sits on a 1.3-acre lot and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, making it eligible for historic tax abatements.
The Paramount Theatre was originally built in 1927 and operated until 1980 before being converted into retail and office space by a previous developer.
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