Banyan Cay in West Palm Beach is now Dutchman's Pipe, a prolific vine with a stinky flower

Kimberly Miller, Palm Beach Post
Rendering of the planned mixed-use development Tuttle Royale in Royal Palm Beach at the southwest corner of State Road 7 and Southern Boulevard. Courtesy Brian Tuttle.
Rendering of the planned mixed-use development Tuttle Royale in Royal Palm Beach at the southwest corner of State Road 7 and Southern Boulevard. Courtesy Brian Tuttle.

Welcome to The Dirt! I’m real estate reporter Kimberly Miller with the latest developments in the sizzling market.

Every time the development Tuttle Royale in Royal Palm Beach comes up, tell me you don't think about a Royale with cheese from the 1994 Quentin Tarantino movie "Pulp Fiction?" It's what the French allegedly call a McDonald's quarter pounder with cheese because they use the metric system and...well, that's another newsletter.

Anyway, developer Brian Tuttle's dream of a consolidated downtown in the western burbs is moving right along with half of the housing at the 200-acre project completed and amenities to follow as the final financing comes together. Do contrived downtowns really work? We'll see.

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In other development news, or non-news, remember the Corner Store in West Palm Beach? For those who don't, it was a quirky bait and tackle shop at the foot of the Southern Boulevard bridge whose employees had nicknames like Buttercup, Skillet and Chin. It was a place stocked with high-end wine and single-can beers. A classic Old Florida shop teeming with character.

It's been closed since late 2021 but there may changes ahead.

Also, there's a big update on the former Banyan Cay Resort & Golf Club, a lawsuit involving county commissioners and new apartments in Palm Beach Gardens.

Was Banyan Cay Resort rebranded with name of invasive flower that smells like rotting meat?

Take care when choosing a vine for your garden, as quite a few have been listed as invasive species. Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia littoralis), above, may catch your eye, but are now on the category II invasive species list (FISC).
Take care when choosing a vine for your garden, as quite a few have been listed as invasive species. Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia littoralis), above, may catch your eye, but are now on the category II invasive species list (FISC).

The former Banyan Cay Resort & Golf in West Palm Beach is being recast into an ultra-exclusive golf club after its rocky bankruptcy and purchase in January by new property owners. Its name has been changed to Dutchman's Pipe Golf Club. Dutchman's Pipe is the name of a prolific climbing vine, whose 3-inch flowers attract pollinators but also "produce an odor similar to that of rotting meat," according to the University of Florida.

Alrighty then. Moving right along. New owners tout the development's proximity to Palm Beach and the evolving communities near downtown West Palm Beach that have had an infusion of wealth since the pandemic. Initiation fees for Dutchman's Pipe will range from $300,000 to $350,000.

Retail revival rages around iconic but moldering Corner Store in West Palm Beach

The Corner Store, also known as Bertos Beer Bait-n-Tackle, was sold in November 2021 for $2 million to a limited liability company.
The Corner Store, also known as Bertos Beer Bait-n-Tackle, was sold in November 2021 for $2 million to a limited liability company.

A limited liability corporation bought the old Corner Store in November 2021 for $2 million and it's been radio silence ever since. The beloved, if bedraggled, one-stop-shop abruptly closed after the purchase. There have been rumors that a private club may be in the works for the 53-year-old building, or a restaurant. But even the president of the popular SoSo community says he's in the dark.

Retail shops around the unusual circle-shaped building have upped their appeal, including the historic First Federal Savings and Loan, which was transformed into a 7-Eleven.

Lawsuit says two county commissioners pressured builder to make contributions

Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard? speaks about COVID-19 during the County Commission meeting in West Palm Beach Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard? speaks about COVID-19 during the County Commission meeting in West Palm Beach Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021.

We've come a long way from a time when Palm Beach County had the unflattering nickname "Corruption County" because of a string political shenanigans that led to resignations and jail sentences. This does not appear to be a return to that. But a lawsuit by Greenacres builder claims County Commissioner Mack Bernard and former Commissioner Dave Kerner acted inappropriately during a bid to oversee construction of new fire stations.

The county attorney's office is "vigorously defending the allegations contained in the lawsuit."

Roundabout proposed to calm traffic at Palm Beach Gardens intersection

Rendering of a four-story apartment project that could rise on the southeast corner of Central Boulevard and Victoria Falls Boulevard, as approved earlier this month by the Palm Beach Gardens planning board.
Rendering of a four-story apartment project that could rise on the southeast corner of Central Boulevard and Victoria Falls Boulevard, as approved earlier this month by the Palm Beach Gardens planning board.

There's concern that a new 221-unit apartment complex at the corner of Central Boulevard and Victoria Falls Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens will worsen gridlock and traffic accidents in the area. To remedy the traffic concerns, the project will replace a stop sign with a roundabout for "traffic calming."

Have you seen Floridians try to use a roundabout? It's like the scene from "European Vacation" where Clark circles around for hours not being able to get left. "Look kids! There's Big Ben, and there's Parliament. Again."

Live lightly.

Kimberly Miller is a veteran journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate and how growth affects South Florida's environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Banyan Cay Resort in West Palm Beach is now Dutchman's Pipe after bankruptcy

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