Published 2026-06-10T04:17:20.671Z from The Real Deal.
After a rejected Boca Raton redevelopment plan and a Palm Beach assemblage sale, Frisbie Group is navigating a tougher public-development climate — even as the family firm lines up a major South Florida investment push.
A rare public stumble for a powerful Palm Beach Name
Frisbie Group has spent years building a reputation as one of Palm Beach County’s most influential private real estate families. But the latest reporting from The Real Deal shows a more complicated moment for the firm: ambitious projects, public pushback, and a market where even well-capitalized local players do not automatically get a green light. The headline is not that Frisbie Group is slowing down. It is that the firm is moving into bigger, more public-facing projects — and those projects are running into the kind of civic resistance that now defines much of South Florida development.
The Palm Beach assemblage that got away
In Palm Beach, Frisbie Group and its partners sold an assemblage anchored by the former IberiaBank building at 180 Royal Palm Way to CS Ventures after previously paying $26 million for the site in 2021, according to The Real Deal. The plan had called for renovating two existing buildings and adding six luxury residences, but the proposal was pulled before a March development review meeting after mounting neighborhood opposition. For Palm Beach, that is the real story: small site, big scrutiny. Even a limited luxury residential plan can become politically difficult when it sits inside the town’s hyper-sensitive development environment.
One Boca became a public referendum on private development
The larger setback came in Boca Raton, where voters rejected One Boca, a proposed redevelopment of city-owned land by Frisbie Group and Terra. The plan was not small: The Real Deal reported it included 847 residential units, a 180-key hotel, 120,000 square feet of office space, a grocery store and a new government campus. The proposal became a flashpoint over public land, scale and control. Voters rejected the land sale by a wide margin, and the political fallout helped elevate the Save Boca movement. The city later approved an ordinance requiring voter approval before selling more than half an acre of public land.
Why this matters in West Palm Beach
For West Palm Beach buyers, the Frisbie story matters because it shows where the next phase of development risk is coming from. It is no longer just construction costs, interest rates or luxury demand. Public approval, neighborhood organization and civic trust are becoming central to whether major projects advance. That matters for projects across the county, including West Palm Beach and the South Flagler corridor, where development has become larger, more visible and more closely watched.
Still raising the stakes
The setbacks do not mean Frisbie Group is retreating. The firm is reportedly partnering with 1789 Capital on a $1 billion real estate investment fund focused on South Florida opportunities, including Palm Beach and Boca Raton. That move points in the opposite direction: more capital, larger ambitions and a broader regional footprint. The same article notes that the firm remains active in major projects, including Westgate Village, the planned redevelopment of the former Palm Beach Kennel Club site in partnership with Terra, and Forge Mountain Club in Tennessee.
A family firm in transition
The Real Deal frames this as part of a generational transition. Rob Frisbie Jr. and Cody Crowell are now leading a firm founded by Rob Sr., Rick and Dave Frisbie, whose early work included Boston brownstones before the family launched Frisbie Group in Palm Beach in the 1990s. That transition is happening as the company’s project profile changes. The firm is no longer only associated with private homes, boutique Palm Beach redevelopment and luxury repositioning. It is now attached to billion-dollar capital plans, civic redevelopment fights and regional-scale proposals.
The South Flagler House footnote
The company’s role in South Flagler House remains part of the broader West Palm Beach story. Frisbie Group and Hines acquired the waterfront development site at 1355 South Flagler Drive, later selling the project to Related Companies for $194.6 million after litigation with Two Roads Development was settled, according to The Real Deal. That deal underscores a recurring theme: Frisbie Group has been close to some of the most important luxury development sites in the market, even when it does not ultimately carry every project across the finish line.
Buyer context
For buyers watching Palm Beach and West Palm Beach new construction, this is a reminder that not every announced concept becomes a finished building. Local politics, town review boards, resident opposition, land ownership structures and capital strategy can all change the path of a project. The positive read is that demand for prime Palm Beach County development remains strong enough to keep major players circling. The cautionary read is that the entitlement process is becoming more selective, more public and less forgiving.
The bottom line
Frisbie Group may be navigating a rough patch, but this is not a disappearing act. It is a pressure test. The firm still has deep Palm Beach roots, active projects, powerful partners and access to significant capital. The bigger takeaway is about the market itself: Palm Beach County development has entered a more political era. Capital still matters. Relationships still matter. But community permission is becoming its own form of currency.
Why it matters
Frisbie Group’s recent setbacks show how entitlement risk, public opposition and political scrutiny are becoming central issues for Palm Beach County development — even for established local players.
Source
The Real Deal. Verify current project details before making a purchase decision.