Coleman Park is located in a historically significant Black neighborhood that grew from the earlier communities of Lincoln Park and Tamarind Park. Before homes filled the area, the land was used for pineapple farming. During the early 20th century, Black residents who were displaced from Palm Beach settled here, including professionals and families who played an important role in shaping the community.
The neighborhood takes its name from George Coleman, a prominent Black undertaker who trained other Black morticians and provided dignified funeral services to the African-American community during segregation.
Coleman Park also has an interesting connection to baseball history. During the Jim Crow era, the area became an important gathering place and an unofficial spring-training site for Negro League baseball. Baseball legends including Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, and Roy Campanella spent time in the area.
Today, Coleman Park has received a major makeover. The park and community center were officially reopened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 1, 2025, following a $4.7 million renovation project that included a complete renovation of the Coleman Park Community Center and construction of the new Paul G. Blackshear Gymnasium named in honor of Paul G. Blackshear, a longtime Parks and Recreation employee and community advocate whose decades of service left a lasting impact on West Palm Beach. In 2026 additional improvements were made that included a new playground and picnic pavilion. The project was funded through several sources, including $1.2 million from the 2020 Parks Bond, $3.4 million from the Penny Sales Tax, and $100,000 from the Capital Acquisition Fund.
The Coleman Park neighborhood is currently experiencing significant growth. Recently opened is the Coleman Park Renaissance, a $21.5 million mixed income development to assist low-income families, seniors, and residents with special need. It recently opened 43 new affordable rental units and about 4,000 square feet of commercial space along Tamarind Avenue. Future plans include a shared common area called the Culture Yard, nonprofit business office spaces, and a fresh market to expand access to healthy food. At the heart sits Coleman Park with a history of Negro League baseball that has become a renewed place for the community to gather, play, and celebrate its heritage. Keep an eye on this evolving neighborhood. read more