Historic Homes in Delray Beach: Buying & Owning Guide

Delray Beach has held on to more of its early architecture than a lot of South Florida towns, from 1920s Mission Revival homes in Del-Ida Park to 1930s cottages on Nassau Street. If you’re thinking about buying or owning a historic home here, this guide covers the City’s historic districts, what designation means for you as an owner, and the questions I’d ask before you make an offer.

Delray Beach’s historic districts

Delray’s historic preservation program started in 1987, when the City Commission adopted a preservation ordinance. Here are the districts you’re most likely to come across as a buyer. For the official list and maps, see the City’s Historic Districts page.

Old School Square Historic District

Listed on the Local Register in 1988 and named for the Old School Square complex at 51 N Swinton Avenue, home to the Crest Theatre (1926) and the Cornell Museum (1913). The district runs from SE 2nd Street north to NE 4th Street, between NW and NE 1st Avenues, with homes from about 1902 to 1945 in styles from Frame Vernacular and Bungalow to Mission and Mediterranean Revival. Read my Old School Square guide.

Del-Ida Park Historic District

Recorded in 1923 and designated in 1988, Del-Ida Park stands out for its diagonal streets and triangular lots. It runs between NE 4th Street and NE 8th Street (George Bush Boulevard), from Swinton Avenue to NE 3rd Avenue, with Mediterranean and Mission Revival homes, Bungalows, Craftsman cottages and Frame Vernacular houses from the 1920s to 1940s. Read my Del-Ida Park guide.

Marina Historic District

Between East Atlantic Avenue and SE 4th Street, from SE 7th Avenue to the Intracoastal. It was built mostly from 1922 to 1943, designated locally in 1988 and listed on the National Register in 2014. See my Marina District guide.

Nassau Park Historic District

Two blocks of Nassau Street between Venetian Drive and South Ocean Boulevard. It was Delray’s first planned residential development south of Atlantic Avenue, and the first to be designated a local historic district (1988). The Minimal Traditional homes date from 1935 to 1941, and the first was designed by architect Samuel Ogren, Sr. Read my Nassau Park guide.

The City’s 1987 historic sites survey also covered the West Settlers Historic District and the Vista Del Mar area, and there are individually designated sites around town. Check the City’s current register for any specific address.

Some of Delray’s best-loved older neighborhoods aren’t designated districts at all. Osceola Park, platted in 1913, isn’t one, and you’ll find older homes in and around Pineapple Grove too. Many of these areas fall in 33444 or 33483.

What historic designation means for owners

Exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness

If your home is individually designated or sits in a historic district, exterior alterations, additions and new construction need a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the City’s Historic Preservation Board, a citizen board advised by the City’s preservation staff. For bigger projects that includes a public hearing. The COA comes before the building permit. It doesn’t replace it.

Generally, if the work doesn’t need a building permit, you won’t need a COA, and interior work doesn’t need one unless the interior was specifically designated. Both contributing and non-contributing buildings in a district are reviewed. When in doubt, call the City’s historic preservation staff before you plan.

Possible property tax savings

Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1993 that lets local governments offer property tax relief for historic properties, and both the City of Delray Beach and Palm Beach County have programs. The exemption covers 100% of the increase in assessed value from qualifying improvements, for up to 10 years. To be eligible, a building must be individually listed on the Delray Beach Local Register or be a contributing building in a locally listed district.

The application has two parts. Part I is filed with (and can run alongside) your COA, before the work. Part II is filed after the work passes inspection, no later than November 1 of the year you want the exemption. The Historic Preservation Board makes a recommendation and the City Commission decides. Talk to the City and the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser before you count on it.

Insurance and renovation

• Get insurance quotes early. On an older home, roof age, windows, wiring and plumbing all affect whether you can get coverage and what it costs. Get quotes during your inspection period, not after.
• Check flood requirements. Many of Delray’s older homes sit close to the water. Ask your lender and insurer about the flood zone and what it means for any renovation you’re planning.
• Know whether the house is contributing. It affects how your plans are reviewed and whether you qualify for the tax exemption.
• Budget time for review. Build the COA step into your renovation schedule, along with any architect or contractor who knows historic work.