We’re always interested in new developments in our neighborhood and thought you would be as well. The following newsletter is provided courtesy of  guest blogger Tao Woolfe,  Senior Writer for NCCI Holdings, Inc.  Thanks to Tao and to NCCI for allowing us to share her article with our readers.

The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI)  has over 900 employees occupying it’s 300,000 sf headquarters building adjacent to Danburg’s Peninsula Corporate Center.  NCCI manages the nation’s largest database of workers compensation insurance information. Their data is provided to over 900 insurance companies and 40 state governments to help set Workman’s Comp rates.   They also are our tenant, leasing warehouse space at Boca Industrial Park and even better, they have allowed Danburg tenants to share the use of their fantastic cafeteria.

A Tour of NCCI’s Lakeside Neighborhood – by Tao Woolfe, NCCI Senior Writer
NCCI’s headquarters building is surrounded by waterways and environmentally sensitive natural scrub and hammock preserves – a rare arrangement for a South Florida office complex. The company is flanked by another rare combination – neighbors who like each other, enjoy working together, and care about the area.

“We’re lucky in that we have good neighbors,” says Craig Ehrnst, NCCI treasurer, who serves as president of the Peninsula Corporate Center property owners’ association. “We work hard to do our part, too, of course, so it’s a win-win situation”

Meet the Neighbors
The Peninsula Corporate Center neighborhood is a mix of residential units – the 155-unit Central Park townhouse development to the north – and commercial properties to the south and east. The newest neighbor is a Mobil gas station and convenience store that opened in November on the site of the former NexStore Marketplace, a gas station/gourmet market.

There are plans for a new office building to be erected on the vacant property next door to the gas station.  The proposal recently received the blessing of Boca Raton’s Planning and Zoning board, but a groundbreaking date has not been set.

The proposed two-story building will be crescent-shaped.  Its tall, glass-enclosed entryway will be nestled behind reflecting pools and fountains.

Favorite Lunch Spot
NCCI’s neighbor to the immediate South, at 950 Peninsula Corporate Circle, is a three-story office complex owned by longtime Boca Raton Developer Jamie Danburg.  The complex is build around an open-air courtyard atrium filled with light, fresh air, and picnic tables – a favorite lunchtime spot for tenants.

The easternmost neighbor is the Hilton Garden Inn, which had been in financial limbo for several months. The hotel has just been transferred to a new owner who rehired much of the existing staff and is expected to breathe new life into the property.

Economy Takes a Toll
In 2010, the sputtering economy forced Central Park developer Lennar Homes to scale back on further development in the area and reduce the prices of the two-story townhomes. Homeowner Association President Teri Noland says that, although Lennar is still the owner of record, the developer has largely shifted upkeep and responsibility over to the association.  “There were, and still are, still some issues with the landscaping and drainage, but we’re coping,” Noland says.  “Overall, we love living here.”

The economy also caught up with the owner of the NexStore Marketplace, which folded in 2009.  It also affected the property adjacent to the marketplace/gas station, which did not attract buyers until it was put on the auction block.  The high bidder was Dizengoff Trading, an investment company based in Israel.

Ehrnst and Danburg speculate Dizengoff, which is proposing the new crescent-shaped office building, will make the building its regional headquarters.   Ronen Saban, regional manager for Dizengoff, could not be reached for comment.

Local History
NCCI bought its headquarters property in 2001 from The St. Joe Co., which is still considered one of Florida’s largest landowner/developers. Various developers bought and sold the Central Park property over the years.  It was eventually purchased by Dallas-based real estate giant Trammell Crow, which sold it to Lennar shortly before the housing boom turned sour.

Danburg, who has been an active Boca developer for more than 30 years, keeps close tabs on the neighborhood.  He believes the Peninsula Corporate Circle area will someday be a thriving commercial hub.  He envisions green-canopied walking paths and trollies connecting the business corridor with other Boca Raton areas – such as the Florida Atlantic University campus.  Danburg is a fan of the national trend towards greener, more walkable cities, and foresees it coming to Northwest Boca Raton.  “We need some retail amenities here – some pharmacies, dry cleaners and eateries,” Danburg says.  “I think we’ll see smaller neighborhoods here as the northwest corridor is developed.”

Danburg and other property owners have recently formed the Northwest Boca Community Partnership to boost interest in the neighborhood and ensure that its future development is held to the same aesthetic standards as the rest of the city.

Walking Paths Everywhere
The area is already a walker’s paradise.  The path behind NCCI that runs along the canal continues all the way to FAU’s Research Park on Spanish River Boulevard. The 25-acre Delray Oaks Natural Area, with its old growth forest and wetlands, sits just north of the Central Park enclave. On the east side of Congress, a natural area leads into the 217-acre Yamato Scrub Natural Area.  It is the southernmost large scrub on the southeastern coast of Florida.  Within it there are five native Florida ecosystems including scrub, flatwoods, hammock, and basin marsh. 

Central Park residents and employees who live and work around Peninsula Corporate Circle enjoy walking around the lake and throughout the business parks.  Crosswalks were recently installed, at NCCI’s urging, to make walking less hazardous.  Markers installed throughout the business park let pedestrians know how far they’ve walked.  One loop around the lake is one-third of a mile.

NCCI’s Neighborliness

As the largest landowner, NCCI plays a supervisory role.  The company ensures that the lake is free of alligators and snakes, and urges the neighbors to keep up their properties and follow rules outlined by the Peninsula Corporate Center property owners’ association.

Over the years, Ehrnst has helped convince Lennar to complete the street and landscaping repairs.  NCCI also periodically reminds its employees to slow down when driving and watch out for pedestrians. Ehrnst is trying to get the Florida Department of Transportation to replace to the Park and Ride highway sign over the I-95 off-ramp with one that says Peninsula Corporate Center. Tri-Rail had originally planned to put a commuter train station on the west side of Congress, but scrapped the plan many years ago.

Noland and Danburg say they appreciate the role NCCI plays in keeping the neighborhood beautiful and safe.  They particularly praise Ehrnst for his hard work as board president, and his emphasis on holding down expenses.

“NCCI is a great neighbor, they really are,” Danburg says.  “You couldn’t ask for a better one.”

Bonus Section: NCCI’s New Neighbor
NCCI is slated to have a new neighbor at 900 Peninsula Corporate Circle, although no date for groundbreaking has been set. The Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board recently gave unanimous approval to the plans for the two-story crescent-shaped office building.  A 280-space parking garage is slated to be built behind the office building. The complex will be built on the 3.76-acre vacant parcel of land next to the Mobil gas station.  The proposal was submitted by Dizengoff Trading, and Israeli company that bought the land at auction last year.

Below are  architectural renderings that were submitted to the Planning & Zoning Board.