Marina Historic District, Delray Beach

The Marina District is the little pocket of old Delray tucked between SE 7th Avenue and the Intracoastal, just south of East Atlantic Avenue. Palm-shaded streets, 1920s through 1940s cottages and a front-row seat to the boats on the waterway make it one of my favorite places to walk in town. Here’s my guide to its history, its boundaries, and what it’s like to own a home here.

Marina District quick facts

Zip code	33483
Location	East Atlantic Ave to SE 4th St, SE 7th Ave to the Intracoastal Waterway
Designated	Local historic district, 1988; National Register of Historic Places, 2014
Built	Mostly 1922–1943
Styles	Mediterranean & Mission Revival, Monterey, Frame Vernacular, Art Moderne
Home types	Single-family cottages, multi-family and some commercial along Atlantic
Listings	See current 33483 listings

Where is the Marina District?

The district sits on the mainland side of the Atlantic Avenue bridge. The City describes it as bounded by East Atlantic Avenue to the north, SE 4th Street to the south, SE 7th Avenue to the west and the Intracoastal Waterway to the east. That puts you a short walk from the restaurants on East Atlantic, and just over the bridge from the beach.

Every home here is in zip 33483. If you’re still sorting out which side of downtown fits you, our 33444 vs 33483 guide and the Delray Beach 33483 community page are good next reads.

A little history

Most of the Marina District was built between 1922 and 1943, through the Florida land boom and the years that followed. Its spot between the ocean and the Intracoastal drew a lot of prominent seasonal residents, and many of the buildings were designed by well-known architects of the day, including Gustav Maas, Samuel Ogren, Sr. and John Volk.

You’ll see a real mix of styles on a short walk: Mediterranean and Mission Revival, Monterey, Frame Vernacular and Art Moderne. The landmark most people know is the Boyd Building on East Atlantic Avenue, just west of the bridge, a large Streamline Moderne commercial building.

The City of Delray Beach added the Marina District to its Local Register of Historic Places in 1988, and the district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

Homes in the Marina District

This is a small district, so homes don’t come up often. Most are single-family houses, many of them original cottages from the 1920s to 1940s, along with some multi-family buildings and commercial frontage near Atlantic Avenue. Because it’s a designated historic district, exterior changes go through the City’s historic review (more on that below), which is a big part of why the streets still look the way they do.

I won’t quote prices here because they change too quickly. The best way to see what’s available is to browse current 33483 listings or set up alerts with our VIP home search.

Owning a home in a historic district

If you buy here, a few things work differently than in a non-historic neighborhood:

• Exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness. Alterations, additions and new construction on the outside of a property in a designated district go through the City’s Historic Preservation Board process before a building permit. Ordinary repairs that don’t need a permit, and interior work, generally don’t.
• There can be a tax benefit. The City of Delray Beach and Palm Beach County both offer a historic property tax exemption on qualifying improvements to contributing buildings, for up to 10 years.
• Older homes need a closer look. Roof, windows, wiring and plumbing all matter for insurance and inspections on a house built in the 1920s to 1940s, and being close to the water can affect flood requirements. Ask early.

Our guide to buying a historic home in Delray Beach goes through all of this in more detail.

Lifestyle

Living here means walking to dinner on East Atlantic, watching the boats on the Intracoastal, and crossing the bridge to the beach without moving your car. And with the downtown core just to the west, it’s an easy walk or bike ride to everything else Delray has going on.

Want to compare it with other older downtown neighborhoods? Take a look at Osceola Park, Pineapple Grove, Del-Ida Park and Nassau Park.