Developer ZOM Living is planning a 224-unit rental complex in Palm Beach Gardens, the South Florida Business Journal reported, and has closed on the site of the planned development. The Hamptons at Palm Beach Gardens project will be a joint venture with Northwestern Mutual Life on a 23-acre site purchased for $7.9 million. “The stability of the economic base in this market, together with an aged rental inventory and an incredible potential for high-wage creation, combine to make the Hamptons a very compelling investment,” said Greg West, president of ZOM. [SFBJ]

Palm Beach Gardens has announced a limit on the size of retail stores on the city’s PGA Boulevard, following a unanimous decision by the town’s city council, the Palm Beach Post reported. The move, anticipated for several months, mean retail stores can be no larger than 40,000 square feet, half the size of a planned BJ’s Warehouse Club on PGA Boulevard. Kimco, which was seeking to bring the BJ’s to the city, has accused the city council of specifically targeting it. [Palm Beach Post]

Palm Beach Gardens gave final approval for a 222-unit apartment complex yesterday, the Palm Beach Post reported, and the developer plans to begin construction next month. Called Central Gardens, the three-story project is being developed by Fort Lauderdale-based ZOM Development on the southwest corenr of Hood Road and Central Boulevard. Zom also built the Charleston rental community just west of Boca Raton and has 23 other rental complexes in Florida. [more]

NAI/Merin Hunter Codman CEO Jordan Paul

West Palm Beach-based NAI/Merin Hunter Codman completed more than 220,000 square feet of leasing transactions in the first quarter of 2012, according to CEO Jordan Paul. The deals were led by a 28,692-square-foot lease at Fairway Office Center in Palm Beach Gardens. “Our leasing team has gotten off to a strong start in the first quarter of 2012 by completing almost a quarter million square feet of lease transactions,” he said. [more]

Loehmann's Plaza (credit: Kimco Realty)

Kimco Realty is accusing Palm Beach Gardens of changing zoning laws with the specific intention of hindering its plans to bring a BJ’s Wholesale Club to the city. The Palm Beach Post reported that the city council voted to cap the total size of individual retail stores in the PGA corridor at 40,000 square feet. Kimco has been pushing to build a two-story 80,000-square-foot BJ’s Wholesale Club in Loehmann’s Plaza, a 12-acre parcel of storefronts at the corner of Interstate 95 and PGA Boulevard. [more]

Several new residential projects are up for approval in Palm Beach Gardens, the Palm Beach Post reported. The proposed developments include a 75-townhouse project called the Townhomes at Trevi, along with a 348-apartment complex. “There is a strong market now for apartments and townhouses,” said Grace Grenfell, a Realtor with My Florida Realty in Jupiter Farms. “Many people lost their homes to foreclosure and short sales. They cannot afford a house. A townhouse or apartment is a solid alternative.” [Palm Beach Post]

Florida Power & Light is planning a 993,000-square-foot office complex on its 86-acre property in Palm Beach Gardens, the Palm Beach Post reported. The proposal, which was submitted yesterday, could add 1,000 jobs. The proposal “is the biggest thing that has happened since Pratt & Whtiney moved here,” said Steve Mathison, head of the PGA Corridor Association. [more]

Nova Southeastern University has relocated and expanded its Student Educational Center to a new state-of-the art facility in Palm Beach Gardens at the intersection of I-95 and Military Trail. The new facility features 26 classrooms, including four laboratories as well as a student lounge, a fitness area and other amenities. Stiles Corporation developed the property and built the facility at 11501 North Military Trail. “We are excited about expanding our higher educational programs in Palm Beach County, especially in career areas where there is a critical shortage throughout our state and the nation,” said NSU President George Hanbury. — Katherine Clarke

Tenet Healthsystems has announced plans to build a new 80-bed hospital in Palm Beach Gardens in partnership with the Scripps Research Institute, the Palm Beach Post reported. The hospital will be built on 30 acres of county-owned land within the Briger tract, a wooded parcel along Interstate 95.
Construction of the hospital is slated to begin once state approvals are in place. The work should create 250 full-time jobs for two years.
Palm Beach County Commission Vice Chair Shelley Vana said the hospital is expected to create an economic impact of about $402 million over five years.
The creation of a biotech hub was the goal of an initial $300 million incentive grant given to Scripps in 2005 by the state.
“Four hundred is a good number, and it is a return on our investment,” Vana said. [Palm Beach Post]

A man in Palm Beach Gardens has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with a series of mortgage loans that were secured through the filing of false loan applications, according to Mortgage Fraud Blog. Miller, an attorney, acted as a closing and title agent on the fraudulent loan transactions in the $5 million conspiracy that involved four other defendants — Jason Vitulano, Peter Hartofillis, Robert Holfer and Steve Vento. All but Hartofillis have pleaded guilty. All the defendants face up to 30 years behind bars for each of the two counts. [Mortgage Fraud Blog]