Town preservation board discusses playhouse demolition
by William Kelly
Communications Coordinator

The near-total demolition of the Royal Poinciana Playhouse, once thought to be protected by its historic landmark status, has sent a shockwave through Palm Beach – a town that prizes its historic treasures and has a mature program in place to preserve them.

At its meeting Wednesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission took center stage in a soul-searching community discussion about what might have gone wrong and how to prevent future misunderstandings or mistakes.

The interior and some external walls of the 65-year-old Royal Poinciana Playhouse have been razed by a developer that is reconstructing the long-shuttered theater for a reopening next year as a cultural arts center with a waterfront restaurant and retail and gallery space.

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Any questions about this Our Town article can be directed to William Kelly at [email protected]