Billionaire developer Jeff Greene is aiming to reshape downtown West Palm Beach once again — this time with what could become Florida’s tallest mass timber building.
Greene has proposed a 25-story mixed-use tower at 120 S. Dixie Highway under Florida’s Live Local Act. If approved, the project would bring up to 399 apartments, retail space, workforce housing, and a design unlike anything currently standing in South Florida.
The tower, designed by internationally acclaimed architecture firm Carlo Ratti Associati in partnership with Nexus Systems, would rise from a site that includes the city’s historic 1915 fire station. Rather than demolishing the landmark, plans call for preserving portions of its original facade and incorporating it into the base of the new development.
The proposal stands out not only for its height, but for how it would be built. Developers plan to use prefabricated mass timber construction — an increasingly popular building method that can reduce construction time, lower carbon emissions, and potentially cut costs compared to traditional concrete high-rises.
The project would include approximately 160 workforce housing apartments, representing 40% of the building’s units as required under the Live Local Act. Those homes would be reserved for residents earning up to 120% of Palm Beach County’s area median income, currently about $104,000. Greene said workforce and market-rate residents would share the same entrance, amenities, and common spaces.
Plans also include roughly 7,500 sq ft of ground-floor retail, 236 parking spaces, and a fifth-floor amenity deck featuring a pool, fitness center, lounges, yoga space, dining areas, and outdoor gathering spots.
The proposal is still in the review process and city staff has requested revisions before the project can move forward.
If ultimately approved, the tower would not only add hundreds of new apartments to downtown West Palm Beach but could also become one of the tallest mass timber buildings in the United States — and a major test case for sustainable high-rise construction in Florida’s hurricane-prone environment.
