After a year of tragedy, terror and tribulations, Kings Point residents have a day to celebrate

Jasmine Fernández, Palm Beach Post
·3 min read
Pete Belice smiles while hugging his wife of 64 years, Angie, during a dance party celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kings Point on Jan. 12 in the development's main clubhouse in Delray Beach. The Belices, who teach ballroom dancing at Kings Point, said they have enjoyed living in the community during the winter months for the last 10 years.
Pete Belice smiles while hugging his wife of 64 years, Angie, during a dance party celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kings Point on Jan. 12 in the development's main clubhouse in Delray Beach. The Belices, who teach ballroom dancing at Kings Point, said they have enjoyed living in the community during the winter months for the last 10 years.

DELRAY BEACH — Nearly four months after a terror-filled night when an EF-2 tornado ripped through the community of 7,200 residences west of Delray Beach, Kings Point residents finally had a something to celebrate.

"Today was the most fabulous," Angie Belice said. "This is fantastic."

Pete and Angie Belice took to the dance floor in celebration of the suburban Delray Beach community's 50th anniversary Jan. 12. Disco balls, streamers and about 400 other residents surrounded them.

It was welcomed relief for the residents, who have suffered greatly the past year.

In September, wind speeds of EF-2 tornadoes ranging between 113 mph and 157 mph hit Kings Point and caused such damage that at least 60 condo units were declared uninhabitable for residents by building inspectors.

"I think, especially after some of the damage that was suffered during the tornado, it reminds them of what it's like to be able to enjoy their community and to be close to their neighbors," said Lisa Manzione, regional president of Vesta Property Services, which manages Kings Point.

Bob Levitt returned to his condemned unit to retrieve his cat he found hiding in a bedroom at the Kings Point community in unincorporated Palm Beach County, Fla., on September 29, 2022. A tornado spawned by Hurricane Ian has left residents of the community homeless after the county deemed the structures uninhabitable. "I heard a bang. It all happened so quick," Levitt said explaining how quickly he lost the roof on his building.

Kings Point was the subject of a documentary that aired in 2012. The critically acclaimed film tells the stories of five seniors struggling with love and loss. The development features one- and two-bedroom units in two-story buildings. It is one of the largest retirement communities in South Florida, and its residents consist of working-class families. The median age is close to 80 years old.

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It was not all that long ago when units at Kings Point could be bought for as little as $30,000. With the surge in real estate values, units today start at around $100,000. But Kings Point has been the subject of other unfortunate news in the last year.

In April, Robert Levine was arrested after he fired five gun shots at Herbert Merritt, who was walking his dog too close to the golf course, sending Merritt to the hospital.

In July, a water main broke that left dozens of residents without water and created a massive sinkhole in the parking lot.

Kings Point Flanders E complex resident Ingrid Robinson's car, after being submerged in a sinkhole on July 23.
Kings Point Flanders E complex resident Ingrid Robinson's car, after being submerged in a sinkhole on July 23.

Ingrid Robinson, a resident who lost her car a few months back to the sinkhole, said she was ready to move out of the state after Ian struck, comparing her neighborhood to a war zone. Nearly six months later, her car still has not been replaced, she said.

But residents found a way to celebrate a community many have called home for decades.

Signage indicating the entrance to the main Kings Point clubhouse is seen along West Atlantic Avenue on Thursday west of Delray Beach.
Signage indicating the entrance to the main Kings Point clubhouse is seen along West Atlantic Avenue on Thursday west of Delray Beach.

Angie Belice and her husband Pete, both of New Jersey, have been spending their winters in Kings Point for 10 years now.

"We have a lot of things to do," she said. "You pick and choose what you want. There are over 50 clubs. There are old sports that you wouldn’t think of." Stickball, to name one, the pair said, amid laughs.

The brunch, honoring the neighborhood of about 12,000 people, was hosted at Kings Point's main clubhouse. Disco classics, played by a band, could be heard from outside. So the Belices, who teach ballroom dancing for community members, celebrated the way they know best.

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They've been married for 64 years, and both are retired now. Pete was in the movie industry, but Angie, who was a jack-of-all-trades, working jobs ranging from hairdresser to pharmacist technician, said her favorite job has been teaching ballroom dancing at Kings Point.

"We've been dancing since we were 17, 18," she said.

Kings Points residents Arnie Steinberg, left, and her husband, Roz, dance to a cover of "My Girl," during a dance party celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kings Point on Thursday. "This is one of my favorites," Roz Steinberg said.
Kings Points residents Arnie Steinberg, left, and her husband, Roz, dance to a cover of "My Girl," during a dance party celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kings Point on Thursday. "This is one of my favorites," Roz Steinberg said.

"Kings Point has more amenities than any other place," said Arlene Gertsman, a 14-year snowbird, also from New Jersey. "People come here for the shows, they envy us, the clubs, the different activities they have. So, it’s the kind of thing that keeps people active. There’s always something to do."

Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on Twitter at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Amid tornadoes and tragedy, Kings Point residents celebrate 50 years