Coleman Park Neighborhood
Coleman Park is a neighborhood rich in history and the home or birthplace for many of the community's business and political leaders, educators and professionals, and is a place where residents are proud of their neighborhood! In partnership with the City, residents are committed to revitalize the neighborhood through a variety of public/private initiatives and volunteer contributions.
A brief history of Coleman Park
Coleman Park is located less than 2 miles from downtown West Palm Beach, between Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard and 25th Street, sandwiched between the FEC and CSX railroad tracks. Built in the 1920s, it is the historic center of West Palm Beach's African-American community, and as desegregation took hold, middleclass residents moved out of this neighborhood, and a once vibrant area declined into an environment riddled with drug dealing, violence, and deteriorating properties. Today, more than half of Coleman Park residents live below the poverty level, less than a quarter of the homes are homesteaded, and dozens of vacant lots sit dormant.
What is the Coleman Park Revitalization Project?
The neighborhood has developed a long-range vision or a safe, clean, attractive, and secure neighborhood for residents with a vibrant mix of shops, offices and mixed-use development, as well as access to educational and employment opportunities. Acting upon this vision, the City has partnered with numerous community-based organizations, financial institutions, developers, non-profits, social-service providers, etc. to invest into the neighborhood, including the provisions of social/health/education programs, job-training and placement opportunities, etc.
What efforts are currently underway?
- Construction of approximately 60 new or rehabilitated homes that are being made available at half price! Click here for more details.
- Rehabilitation of over 36 homesteaded and rental properties.
- Complete wireless access to the internet has been made available to the entire neighborhood for free!
- Free refurbished computers are being provided to at least 100 qualified families...with more to come!
- Facade improvements to commercial structures along the Tamarind Avenue corridor.
- Business and economic development programs, including business attraction, employment opportunities, and even assistance in paying wages through Workforce Alliance.
- Creation of a pre-apprenticeship program to provide training in the construction trades, and offer employment opportunities through neighborhood construction projects.
- Streetscape improvements...including resurfacing of roadways, landscaping, and aesthetic improvements.
- Repair and replacement of broken or missing sidewalks.
- Placement of a "Community Hub" to offer early childhood and family social services to all residents in need.
- Establishment of nutrition and recreation programs for senior citizens.
- Involvement of neighborhood children in the Maritime Institute academy.
- And much more!
These efforts allow for a holistic revitalization of the neighborhood, not only addressing the physical infrastructure, but also the human aspect that creates a vibrant community that everyone will want to live in!
To learn more about the Coleman Park Revitalization Project, or find out how you can be a part of the excitement, please contact John Roach, Senior Planner, at (561) 822-1448 or via email at jroach@wpb.org.