Posted: 1:08 p.m. Friday, May 29, 2015
By Alexandra Seltzer - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
BOYNTON BEACH — With the help of thousands of dollars in grants, Boynton Beach is getting two new businesses within a quarter mile of one another that will appeal to the community’s art and health interests.
Health Buddy, a fitness center, will open in the Casa Costa condominium building off Boynton Beach Boulevard, and Gulfstream Auction Gallery will open just south of that in Ocean Plaza.
The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency will give the businesses a total of nearly $40,000. The money is coming through the CRA’s commercial rent reimbursement, commercial interior build out assistance and the commercial construction project incentive grants. The agency awards the grants to qualifying new or existing businesses to help with rent, and renovation and construction costs. The board approved the grants earlier this month.
Health Buddy at 615 E. Boynton Beach Blvd. is opening in a 3,350-square-foot space and plans to hire seven employees, according to CRA documents. The jobs will include trainers, a massage therapist, a yoga instructor and a receptionist. The fitness center is eligible to receive about $26,000 in construction grants.
One of the grants Gulfstream gallery is getting is for rent help. The owners signed a 3-year lease in March for the antique and art auction gallery, according to the documents. Their rent is $1,500 monthly for the 1,800-square-foot space. The business is eligible for $9,000 in rent reimbursement. They plan to hire three employees each between $10 and $15 hourly.
As far as construction, the gallery plans to use the money for display walls, and to fix up the bathroom and some lighting. To help with that, the grant will give them a maximum of $5,165, according to the documents.