Thoroughfare is a community marketplace that showcases an eclectic group of merchants piloting their concepts on the porch at 314 Clematis Street. At Thoroughfare, merchants will be selling a wide array of products including food and beverage, clothing, greenery and more. The Thoroughfare pop-up will remain in place until construction in the building commences. The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA), is responsible for introducing this innovative community hub to Downtown West Palm Beach, thanks to a collaboration between the City of West Palm Beach and the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
Thoroughfare is located at the historic 1922 site of the original West Palm Beach Woolworth’s department store. The Art Deco façade remains untouched despite nearly a century of surrounding changes. This project is made possible due to generous donations from both the John S. and the James L. Knight Foundation Knight Cities Challenge Fund.
Chris Roog
Executive Director
WPB Community Redevelopment Agency
Responsible for administering proactive strategies, policies and innovative economic development plans and programs related to business attraction, retention, and stimulating economic growth for the City of West Palm Beach. Responsible for the development of communication strategies and programs that promote economic development, its accomplishments, services, and innovations in order to attract and retain employers.
Raphael Clemente
Executive Director
WPB Downtown Development Authority
Has been contributing to the improvement and renewal of the Downtown District since 2006. A self-described urbanist, Clemente is an advocate for the Downtown community and works hand in hand with stakeholders to address issues affecting the area. As a lifelong resident of the area, he combines local knowledge with over a decade of experience in urban planning, community development and project management to move Downtown West Palm Beach towards the DDA’s long term goals: economic strength, vibrancy, sustainability and improved quality of life for residents.
Sherryl Muriente
Manager of Urban Placemaking
WPB Downtown Development Authority
An advocate for common sense urbanism, incremental urban planning, and testing of demonstration and pilot studies. Muriente brings an expertise in community engagement that activates place through action. Muriente has curated and managed large-scale community engagement projects that use urban acupuncture and placemaking techniques and processes for community-led interventions, alleyway restorations, and urban studies. In the past, she has worked and collaborated Street Plans, Happy Cities, Gehl Architects, amongst others.
Allison Justice
Project Manager
WPB Community Redevelopment Agency
Allison Justice is a certified Redevelopment Professional currently serving as Project Manager of the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency. In her current role with the West Palm Beach CRA, Allison oversees budgets for the two West Palm Beach CRA districts, which total over $42M annually. She is currently the CRA’s project manager for major streetscape projects throughout Downtown West Palm Beach, including the Clematis Streetscape and the Thoroughfare at 314 Clematis. Allison led a successful Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project on the 300, 200 and 100 Blocks of Clematis, which finished on time and on budget. She is passionate about redevelopment through enhanced walkability, improved public spaces and regulations that are driven by economics and good design practices that encourage urban development.
This project would not be possible without the generous funding of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Cities Challenge Grant.
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.
The City of West Palm Beach is a vibrant, resilient, inclusive, and safe world-class city. The City of West Palm Beach partners with our communities to preserve and enhance quality of life through an extraordinary focus on service. West Palm Beach is a 4-STAR certified city. For more information, visit: www.wpb.org.
The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit downtownwpb.com.
Additional funding for the design and construction of the Thoroughfare has been provided by the City of West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.
The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency mission is to enhance the viability, long‐term stability and the overall economic health of the Downtown City Center and Northwood/Pleasant City districts, core areas in the City of West Palm Beach. For more about the CRA or West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, visit wpb.org/cra.
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314 Clematis St.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
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