From ugly to art: Mural brightens building that replaced north county's dreariest site

The old cinderblock Tax Collector's building on PGA Boulevard is gone. In its place is a sleek structure done up in vibrant pinks, blues and greens.

Palm Beach Post

PALM BEACH GARDENS — What was once the dreariest location on PGA Boulevard is now a work of art.

Longtime northern Palm Beach County residents remember the tiny cinderblock building where they'd pay tax bills, take driver's tests and collect their licenses. A modern building has replaced it opposite The Gardens Mall, complete with a mural vibrant with pinks, blues and greens for guests of the Tax Collector's Office to enjoy.

Set to the right of the center’s front doors facing the parking lot, the mural is an Instagram backdrop waiting to happen: vibrant geometric patterns, two large lily flowers and five birds in flight painted in ombré shades of blue.

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County Tax Collector Anne Gannon concedes the mural may surprise some of her customers.

“You may not expect a visit to the tax collector’s office to include an opportunity to enjoy artwork,” Gannon wrote in a statement. “But we are changing that with the opening of our new service centers that feature various art displays as part of our commitment to provide art in public places.”

Benjamin Heller of Boca Raton spent three weeks painting the landscape he named “Piece by Piece.” He did so while standing in a boom lift in the Florida heat.

“The use of this imagery and various colors reflect both the ‘Gardens’ and positively interact with the existing landscaping at that location, both under natural sunlight and artificial lighting at night,” Heller wrote.

The North County Service Center has other artistic elements, too. A fountain made from historic volcanic basalt sits inside the building, which also holds colorful banners made by participants of a Gulfstream Goodwill art program.

Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her atmwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism:Subscribe today.