PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Where the Twin City Mall once was in North Palm Beach is now being proposed by developers to become the Village Place Project.
The 13-acre project at the southwest corner of U.S. Highway 1 and Northlake Boulevard involved retail and restaurant spaces, an assisted living facility and hundreds of residential units.
WATCH: WPTV reporter Michael Hoffman speaks with local residents about how they think the project could impact the area
WPTV reporter Michael Hoffman spoke with local residents about how they think the project could impact the area.
North Palm Beach, like many other areas of South Florida, is facing a lot of development.
Local residents like Joe Blanchard welcome the changes. He said projects like the Village Place Project will improve property values and hopefully revitalize the now run-down shopping center.
“We definitely need development, and we need to do something to bring this neighborhood up, because it's starting to go into decline," Blanchard.
Others living in the area have concerns on the traffic impacts.
“I feel like it's going to become another Fort Lauderdale or Miami, with just so much traffic and congestion,” North Palm Beach resident Pam Lawler said. "It's already getting so crowded, sometimes I have to wait two lights to get through the light and it just didn't used to be that way."
The North Lake Beach Village Council recently unanimously approved the project's master plan, including the street layout.
The project's building height, size and design have yet to be approved.
“I don't think it's going to cause that much more traffic,” Blanchard said. “You also have to look at the fact that it raises everybody's property value in the surrounding area. I do believe that overall, it's going to help things.”
The council gave the developers one year to submit specific design proposals detailing height, design and density to be presented at future meetings.