WMODA NOW vs STOP WMODA

A developer spent $6,000 to counter opponents of a proposed mixed-use project in downtown Lake Worth Beach anchored by a glass arts museum

Not all of Lake worth Beach loves WMODA.

The Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts wants to build a permanent home in downtown Lake Worth Beach for developer Arthur Wiener’s personal collection of fired arts.

But his proposal comes with several contingencies, including a 100-unit apartment building (with rentals subsidizing the museum’s operating costs) and a new public parking garage.

A majority of city commissioners think the so-called WMODA project will provide the city with a much-needed economic boost, echoing sentiment from project supporters who have championed the development since the day it was proposed in February 2024.

But a different take has gained traction this year from residents worried the city is rushing into a project that could adversely affect downtown.

Those opponents have tried to spread word of their concerns on social media – prompting Wiener to spend $6,000 on marketing consultants to counter the opposition.

The public debate has often turned ugly, prompting one city commissioner who has been critical of the project to exclaim to the mayor at a March meeting, “Stop interrupting me! That will be enough!”

Read more at ByJoeCapozzi.com.