By Kara Franker By Kara Franker | March 15, 2022 | Home & Real Estate, Lifestyle, Home & Real Estate,
Developer and owner of over $1 billion of prime retail properties throughout the Southeast, Craig Menin has put Delray Beach front and center of his portfolio. Originally located in New York City, Menin moved his operations to South Florida in the ’90s and now calls Delray Beach home.
The Ray Hotel Delray Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton.
Menin Development has launched an impressive portfolio of projects in Delray Beach. What is it about the community that inspired you to invest in it? Delray is one of the most unique and special towns in South Florida. With its building height restrictions and pedestrian-friendly layout, Delray Beach is a walkable village that flows from the beach through a world-class collection of shops and restaurants. I live in Delray Beach, and I believe in investing in the future of this vibrant and urban beach town, which appeals to almost everyone.
Craig Menin, owner of Menin Development
It is evident that the customer experience is a top priority in each of the Menin concepts. How do you ensure that the experience is exactly what you want it to be? We aim for each guest to be treated as one would want their family to be treated. From our rooftop oasis Rosewater at The Ray Hotel to the lifestyle destination that is Delray Beach Market to Lionfish in the heart of Atlantic Avenue in Downtown Delray, we’ve hired incredible talent that prioritize customer service and experience.
The Ray is a game changer for Downtown Delray. What is your favorite aspect of the hotel? We’ve been able to create an urban-style Florida resort that takes the special things Delray has to offer such as beach accessibility as well as culinary and cultural offerings, and adds to it with our own take on elevated design, health and wellness, and guest-centric amenities with a lack of pretension and exclusiveness.
Rosewater at The Ray Hotel.
There is something for everyone at Delray Beach Market. What are some of your favorite things to order? Delray Beach Market is truly a lifestyle destination. In addition to the 27-plus vendors we have, we offer daily specials and programming for families, friends and co-workers. It’s hard to pick even just a few favorites, but I’ll go with Cellar and Pantry for a great selection of artisanal wines and cheeses and Roots for fresh cold-pressed juices.
What are you most proud of so far? Due to the amazing people we’ve been fortunate enough to team up with, we were able to build and open two iconic buildings during the pandemic that will be a part of the story of Delray Beach for decades to come. We are proud to have a part in shaping the experience in Delray Beach for locals and visitors from all over the world.
What is on the horizon? We recently were fortunate to acquire Crane’s Beach House in Downtown Delray from the Crane family, adding to our commitment to making Delray Beach ‘the town’ in South Florida for locals and visitors alike. We are also looking at creating one or more apartment complexes in town, as well as continuing to selectively expand our footprint in the town we love.
Photography by: PHOTO COURTESY OF MENIN DEVELOPMENT