Next Phase of Dixie Manor Project Would Add 105 Low-Income Units, Historical Museum

As construction continues at the Martin Manor public housing complex – commonly known by its former name of Dixie Manor – a plan for a second phase of a modernization and expansion project is due to come before the city council for final approving in the coming months.

The first phase of construction is currently underway and will replace a number of 1940s-era single-story buildings with modern multi-story buildings to accommodate 95 residential units reserved for low-income residents. The second phase, which has received approval from the planning board but has yet to go before the city council, will add two additional three-story buildings with 105 new units, for a total of 200. Last week, the planning board approved a separate measure that would allow one of the 1940s buildings to remain on-site, which will be utilized as a museum to highlight the community’s history, as well as a meeting space for residents.

Martin Manor (formerly Dixie Manor) under first phase construction in Boca Raton, FL, Nov. 11, 2025.

Martin Manor (formerly Dixie Manor) under first phase construction in Boca Raton, FL, Nov. 11, 2025.

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“The previous conditional use was for a nursery school and after-school program, which will remain,” said Jacob German, a planner with the city. “The applicant has also proposed that the 1940s building become a museum dedicated to the history of Dixie Manor.”

Work on the remaining building will also include raising the roof height, changing its pitch, rearranging doors and windows and removing closets that were added over the years, German said. The building was initially slated for demolition along with the rest of the complex, however

The aging Dixie Manor complex has fallen into disrepair and has long been in need of improvements. The community was originally built to house black workers at Boca Raton Army Air Field, which pioneered the development of radar technology during World War II. The former military installation is located where today’s Boca Raton Airport and Florida Atlantic University operate.The museum, which will be open to the public, will include exhibits on the site’s initial development and its role in the development of the city.

The first phase of construction calls for the existing 95 housing units to be demolished in favor of 95 new units, all of which will be designated affordable housing and subsidized by the city’s Housing Authority. The second phase – which has yet to receive final approval – would add the additional 105 units. The total cost of the project is estimated to cost in upwards of $40 million, the vast majority of which will be derived from federal government resources. The city, earlier this year, floated a forgivable loan toward the project.

Martin Manor (formerly Dixie Manor) under first phase construction in Boca Raton, FL, Nov. 11, 2025.

Dixie Manor, Boca Raton, FL, Jan. 2025. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Dixie Manor, Boca Raton, FL, Jan. 2025. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Assuming the second phase receives final approval from the council, it will consist of two, three-story apartment buildings totaling approximately 98,738 square feet, while maintaining the existing 4,800 square foot museum building, plus construction of a new pavilion area. There will also be several general site improvements, including the construction of a new 6-foot-wide sidewalk along North Dixie Highway and an 8-foot-wide sidewalk along Glades Road with street trees. A traffic study indicated the number of vehicular trips in and out of the complex will nearly double from 763 to 1,471 given the expansion, with a two-way driveway from Dixie Highway representing the sole ingress and egress point for vehicles.

Martin Manor (formerly Dixie Manor) under first phase construction in Boca Raton, FL, Nov. 11, 2025.

The new sidewalks are proposed to meander along the vehicular travel lanes and within the property, allowing the Housing Authority’s contractor to preserve several existing mature Live Oak trees along Glades Road and North Dixie Highway, while also installing new Live Oak trees to enhance the pedestrian environment by providing additional shade.

The complex will offer 259 parking spaces – about 20 more than required.