By all appearances, the Palm Beaches are experiencing a moment. But not just in the places you’d expect.
The luxury high-rises of West Palm Beach may have set the tone, but lately, the most interesting moves are happening on either side of it—to the north in Riviera Beach and Singer Island, and to the south in Boynton Beach. These once-overlooked enclaves are coming into their own, ushering in a new era of refined living and design-forward development.
Singer Island, long known for its pristine stretch of beach, is now home to a slate of high-end projects with serious architectural and environmental ambition. One of the most closely watched is River Walk, a new waterfront district from Related Companies that blends native landscaping, luxury residences, and experiential retail into a seamless indoor-outdoor experience—proof that what’s happening here is no longer peripheral.
Just across the bridge in Riviera Beach, transformation is equally palpable. The city’s Marina Village Phase II is reshaping the waterfront with new residences, walkable paths, and dining concepts like ONA Coastal Cuisine. Nearby, The Waterway, a 750-unit residential development, is set to anchor the next wave of growth. Riviera’s rise may be subtle, but it’s gaining momentum.
And then there’s Boynton Beach.
Here, the reinvention is more comprehensive. Under the leadership of Mayor Rebecca Shelton, the city is embracing what she calls “smarter growth”—a combination of zoning, beautification, and community-forward incentives. “Boynton has come a long way … we’re not the small Boynton that we used to be,” Shelton told Florida Jolt in a January 2025 interview—a statement that feels increasingly obvious with every ribbon-cutting and restaurant opening.
That growth is already taking shape in the form of fine dining destinations like Nicholson Muir, a MICHELIN-recommended modern steakhouse, and DeLuca’s Italian Kitchen & Bar. Redevelopment plans for the downtown corridor are being buoyed by zoning incentives, CRA-backed grants, and the kind of investor attention that signals more than just momentum—it signals permanence.
Among those helping shape that future is The Starboard Group, a boutique real estate and development firm whose local roots and forward-thinking approach have positioned them as a powerful force in the region’s renaissance. This spring, Starboard presented Boynton Beach officials with an opportunity to acquire a large assemblage of property along Boynton Beach Boulevard, including the site of the former Inn at Boynton Beach.
“That stretch of Boynton Beach Boulevard is more than just real estate—it’s the front door to the city," said Billy Cunningham, CEO of The Starboard Group. “We see it as a chance to create something beautiful and welcoming, a true gateway that sets the tone for the Boynton Beach of tomorrow.”
His vision, shared by senior development advisor Bill Morris, includes high-end retail, offices, and possibly another hotel—framing the western gateway into downtown not just as a corridor, but as an experience. It’s the kind of deal that blends civic ambition with private imagination—two elements increasingly defining the coastline.
"Palm Beach County is entering a pivotal era," says Cunningham. "Local leaders are stepping up, communities are engaged, and the appetite for meaningful progress is stronger than ever. This isn’t about short-term wins or surface-level change. We’re focused on building lasting value—places that will stand the test of time."
It’s an ambitious mandate, and a well-timed one. With new residents arriving from New York, Chicago, and California—many seeking the kind of unpretentious luxury these emerging corridors now offer—the market is hungry for vision, not just inventory. And increasingly, that vision is being led by the new pioneers who understand that style is more than surface—it’s strategy.
And that strategy is reshaping the map.