Long-awaited Delray Marketplace could see groundbreaking in spring

Residents living west of Delray Beach might soon have another shopping venue, a further sign of life for the beleaguered retail industry.

Word is that a groundbreaking could take place this spring for the long-awaited Delray Marketplace. The 300,000-square-foot project will be at the corner of West Atlantic Avenue and Lyons Road, near Florida's Turnpike.

That site soon will be considered Main & Main for residents living west of Delray Beach: Lyons Road is being extended south to Atlantic from Boynton Beach Boulevard, and Atlantic Avenue is being widened.

The project's developer, Kite Realty of Indianapolis, last week was not yet ready to dish on the project's latest details. But Burt Rapoport, a prominent restaurateur planning to go into the site, said he's been told a groundbreaking is set for April, with the center expected to be complete in the summer of 2012.

Among the new tenants slated to go in: Chico's, the Fort Myers-based women's clothing store. A company spokeswoman last week confirmed a lease has been signed.

Other tenants that have been announced are movie-theater company Frank Theatres of Jupiter, a Publix supermarket and a second location of Max's Grille, the popular Boca Raton-based eatery partly owned by Rapoport.

Chico's likes locations with strong demographics, such as wealthy residents, and the Delray Marketplace fits the bill, surrounded as it is by luxury country club communities. (Chico's has seven other locations in Palm Beach County, including a store on trendy East Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach.)

Word is other national tenants are being courted by Kite, including Oklahoma-based Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, which has locations in Delray Beach and at Boca's Mizner Park; and Devon Seafood, an upscale, casual seafood concept by the Houlihan's restaurant company, based in Leawood, Kan.

Rob Ellis, Houlihan's chief financial officer, said the company is seeking to expand, including possibly into South Florida. (Houlihan's has several restaurant concepts, including a steakhouse line.) While a Devon Seafood was discussed for the Delray Marketplace, no agreement has yet been reached, Ellis said.

The construction of the Delray Marketplace would be welcome news for area residents who have to travel some distance to shop or eat. More importantly, the commencement of the center would be another indicator that the economy finally is emerging from its commercial and retail slump.

The Delray Marketplace has been discussed for more than three years, with frequent but unrealized promises of openings. At one point, the shopping center was slated to be open by the end of 2008, and then the fall of 2010.

Complicating the project: Most national retailers weren't expanding during the recession, and Houlihan's Ellis said restaurant chains were no exception.

But sales at Houlihan's have improved during the past 12 months, and the company is ready to expand east of the Rocky Mountains, Ellis said. Devon Seafood has locations in Chicago, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Hershey, Pa., plus an Atlanta restaurant that goes by the name of Chequers Seafood.

• Newly sworn-in Gov. Rick Scott has pledged to rein in litigation against business as part of his mission to turn Florida around, calling out what he says are "excessive lawsuits that strangle job creation." He added that "predatory" lawyers shouldn't be allowed to "stalk" the business community.

But here in Palm Beach County, some of the state's most prominent personal injury and product liability lawyers aren't planning to adopt a low profile. Quite the contrary: They are ramping up.

The West Palm Beach-based Lytal, Reiter law firm, which last year saw its top stars defect to start their own firm, now has merged with another firm, Smith Ivey & Fronrath of Palm Beach Gardens.

There's a twist: The newly merged firm consists of lawyers who used to work at Lytal, Reiter as associates.

Now they return as mostly partners, bringing youthful energy and a future for the venerable Lytal, Reiter. (None of the lawyers coming aboard is older than 45.) "It makes our firm stronger, and it gives us the opportunity to be here a long time," said Lake "Trey" Lytal .

That's important for the future of Lytal, Reiter, because six of the firm's young stars left to start their own firm last September.

That group, Clark, Fountain, LaVista, Prather, Keen & Littky-Rubin, has set up shop on Flagler Drive. A sign now adorns their building at 1919 N. Flagler Drive and construction is under way on a large, 10,250-square foot office.