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Downtown powers didn't hesitate to deny Harris and other early buyers at L'Esplanade access to their homes next to the Meyer Amphitheater during SunFest and other downtown special events.
"I moved into a downtown area that wasn't used to having residents living in it," Harris explained.
But a flurry of new residential high-rises has generated a growing downtown population, prompting Harris and others to form a neighborhood association to give downtown residents some clout.
Harris and Howard Pincus, a resident at 610 Clematis, are leading the task force to form the first Downtown Neighborhood Association.
The city's Downtown Development Authority organized the task force when it counted 4,700 residents who already live downtown - and a projected 10,000 who will call downtown home in three years.
"They're going to be a very big neighborhood," DDA executive director Melissa Wohlust said, emphasizing the need to get organized.
The DDA, which collects taxes from both businesses and residents, already negotiates concerns that Harris, Pinkus and other residents raise. "It's becoming a matter where businesses understand that they have residents living downtown," Harris said.
The push now is for downtown residents to organize themselves as a unified voice at city hall just as other residential neighborhoods have, by electing officers to a formal neighborhood association.
"We have this new group of residents in what has been a downtown entertainment district," Wohlust explained. "Certain quality of life issues are going to come up."
So far, the quality of life issues affecting downtown residents are quite different than neighborhood issues away from downtown.
Residents have complained about loud music and 4 a.m. downtown trash pickups.
They also noted to city hall that the downtown's traffic signals hadn't been synchronized. Harris said residents also are concerned about mentally ill homeless people on downtown streets.
The DDA organizes social events to help downtown residents get acquainted. Task force organizers want every downtown condo association represented on the new neighborhood association. Call the DDA at (561) 833-8873 for details.
Z
Ten teenagers from the city's poorer neighborhoods are getting a summer course in how to survive in the working world.
Public and non-profit agencies pay the teens $7 an hour for eight, 20-hour weeks - and promise to teach them enough work skills to get a real first job.
The participants, ages 14 to 16, wrote essays to be selected for The Youth Empowerment and Leadership Development Academy, which began with a weekend retreat on etiquette, hygiene, dressing for success and job interview skills.
"These are the things where our young people need guidance," said Coni Williams, the program's director.
As a state Office of Urban Opportunity employee, Williams administers Front Porch Florida from an office on 25th Street at Pinewood Avenue.
Front Porch, a social services initiative begun by former Gov. Jeb Bush, also provides work readiness classes for adults who live in depressed north-side neighborhoods. Call (561) 832-2330 for details.
By Tim Pallesen
Writer about news and events in West Palm Beach neighborhoods
Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - PalmBeachPost.com
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