Some residents of Boca Raton’s Spanish Village neighborhood say new construction is changing the area’s character, and they want answers after a decades-old oak tree was cut down at a development site.
Neighbors told WPTV that the large, modern houses being built do not match the Spanish-style architecture and older homes that have long defined the community. Some residents said the offers they have received from developers are not enough to buy another home elsewhere, leaving them feeling stuck.
The removal of the oak tree prompted the complaints. Jan Bassett, who lives next door to the site, said a friend planted the tree 25 to 30 years ago. She said the developer initially told neighbors the tree would not be torn down, but crews cut it down last week.
Karolina Michniewicz, another resident, criticized the homes’ design and blamed Alpha Premium Development for the changes. She said neighbors were especially upset about losing mature trees.
Jared Niles, a real estate broker for Alpha Premium Development, said he is not the builder and does not oversee construction. He said the tree was tagged and kept during demolition and that the home was built around it. Crews later found termites and several major branches with structural damage, and the company was told the infestation could not be treated and posed a risk to nearby homes. Niles said the company plans to fully landscape the property after construction and will preserve existing landscaping when possible.
