The Reef Palm Beach: Landmarked Oceanfront Condo Buyer's Guide (2026)

The Reef is a 1974 oceanfront condominium at 2275 South Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach, designed by Palm Beach architect Gene Lawrence. It holds 78 residences in three white, three-story buildings arranged around an oceanfront pool, plus a small group of townhouses on the Intracoastal side of South Ocean Boulevard. The Town of Palm Beach designated it a historic landmark, which is unusual for a 1970s condominium and shapes what owners can change on the exterior.

The Reef is a resale building. Residences are mostly two- and three-bedroom homes of about 1,600 to 1,900 square feet, many of them recently renovated, and in 2026 they traded between about $1.4 million and $3.1 million. This guide covers the building's history and design, the residences, what has sold, the exterior restoration and what to check before buying.

The Reef at a glance

Figures come from MLS records as of October 2026, the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach's archive biography of Gene Lawrence, and brokerage building profiles. The original developer is not documented in the sources we reviewed, so it is omitted.

Architecture and the architect

Gene Lawrence, born Clifford Eugene Lawrence Jr. (1924-2013), graduated from the University of Florida's architecture school in 1957 and opened his practice on Worth Avenue in 1965, where he worked for 47 years. The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach's archive singles out The Reef in its account of his work and notes that thousands of Palm Beach condominium homes are in buildings he designed, including Sloan's Curve, Sutton Place, Parc Regent, The Regency of Palm Beach and Il Lugano. His firm also redesigned the Palm Beach Biltmore for its conversion to condominiums.

The Reef is a low-rise example of his work: three all-white buildings with sloping buttresses and cantilevered horizontal balconies, set around a central pool that opens to the beach. Brokerage profiles describe the Atrium Building as the western building of the three. Across South Ocean Boulevard, on the Intracoastal side, sit a handful of townhouses; one brokerage profile counts seven. A 978-square-foot unit leased in October 2026 was described as spanning three floors with a garage stall, which matches the townhouse format.

Listing photography from MLS records.

What landmark status means for owners

Brokerage profiles credit the Town of Palm Beach with the designation, and one dates it to December 2019 as the first condominium complex in the island's South End to be landmarked. In Palm Beach, changes to the exterior of a designated landmark generally require review by the town's Landmarks Preservation Commission. For owners, that means window, door, railing and balcony changes go through a review process, and association-level restoration work has to respect the original design. Ask the association what approvals the current restoration needed and what an owner must submit for any exterior change.

Residences and sizes

Brokerage profiles describe one- to four-bedroom residences of about 978 to 3,011 square feet. The residences that have traded or listed in MLS records cover a narrower band:

Bedroom counts in listings vary for the same floor plan; several 1,868-square-foot corner residences are marketed as two bedrooms plus a den. Top-floor corner residences carry large wraparound terraces; one listing described about 700 square feet of terrace.

A distinctive feature is the deeded poolside cabanas, many with a full bath and some with a kitchenette, sold with certain residences. Several recent listings bundled a cabana in the sale (for example "305N and C11"). Confirm whether a cabana is included and that it transfers by deed.

Renovated residences in recent listings show impact glass, new kitchens, custom closets and, in one case, polished concrete floors. Unrenovated residences trade at a meaningful discount, as the sales below show.

Amenities and services

• Oceanfront heated pool with deeded cabanas and a barbecue area
• Gated access to a private beach
• Fitness center (described as new or recently redone) with sauna and steam room
• Card room, community room, bike storage and storage
• Assigned garage parking
• Doorman and a full-time on-site manager
• Pet friendly, with restrictions

Location: South End Palm Beach

The Reef sits on South Ocean Boulevard beside Phipps Ocean Park, the 18-acre town park that the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach is renovating in partnership with the town. The first phase, new tennis facilities, opened on November 1, 2025, and the town scheduled the park to be closed from May 1 to October 1, 2026, for the remaining work, which includes dune restoration and new native planting. The Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course is a short walk south, and the lake trail runs along the Intracoastal across the road.

Worth Avenue and the center of town are about ten minutes north by car, and the bridges at Southern Boulevard and Lake Avenue connect to the mainland. This stretch of the island is quieter and more residential than the town center, with oceanfront condominiums lining both sides of the road. For the broader market, see our Palm Beach neighborhood guide.

Building condition and the exterior restoration

The association has been carrying out an extensive exterior restoration, which listings call the "Reef Renaissance." A listing in early 2026 reported that the North Building's concrete restoration was complete and that the South and Atrium buildings were starting balcony closures for their own work. Another 2026 listing for a North Building residence stated that special assessments had been paid.

For a 1974 oceanfront building, this is the most important part of due diligence:

• Ask for the milestone inspection reports. Florida requires them for condominium buildings of three or more habitable stories, and coastal buildings of The Reef's age are well past the 30-year threshold.
• Ask for the structural integrity reserve study (SIRS), the reserve schedule it produced, and whether owners have funded it.
• Ask what has been assessed for the restoration, what is still unpaid, which buildings it covers and when the South and Atrium work is scheduled to finish.

Our milestone inspection and SIRS guide explains what each document should show.

Prices, recent sales and carrying costs

MLS records as of October 2026 show five closed sales in the past twelve months:

The median was about $1,056 per square foot. The spread comes mostly from condition: the March sale was marketed as a residence ready for renovation, while the top sale was renovated.

Current listings, October 2026: one active two-bedroom of about 1,614 sq ft with a cabana asking $1.995 million, and one similar residence under contract after asking $1.895 million. A one-bedroom townhouse leased in October 2026 for $7,000 a month.

Association fees: the two current listings, both about 1,614 sq ft, show $2,741 a month and $8,941 a quarter (about $2,980 a month), or roughly $1.70 to $1.85 per square foot monthly. Both listings record no special assessment. Annual property taxes on those two residences were about $9,300 and $23,200, a gap that reflects homestead status and purchase dates; budget on the tax a new owner would pay. Confirm the current regular fee and the status of restoration funding for the specific residence.

How The Reef compares nearby

Per square foot, The Reef trades close to The Plaza across the lake, but buyers get an island address, a private beach and a three-story building instead of a high-rise with a city view. The Bristol sits at the opposite end of the market: new construction, large full-service residences and prices roughly three times higher per square foot. For the newer waterfront towers on the mainland, see our guides to South Flagler House and Edgeworth.

What to check before you buy

1. Restoration and assessments. Get the board's restoration scope, budget, payment schedule and any outstanding assessment for the residence. Confirm in writing whether the seller or buyer pays unpaid installments.
2. Milestone inspection and SIRS. Review both, plus the reserve funding plan.
3. Cabana and parking. Confirm which cabana and garage space transfer with the residence and how they are recorded.
4. Landmark rules. Ask what exterior or window changes need approval before you plan a renovation.
5. Association approval and leasing. Listings note pets and leasing are allowed with restrictions; read the declaration and rules for the exact terms and for buyer approval.
6. Insurance. Get HO-6 and flood quotes for the specific residence; an oceanfront 1970s building affects both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed The Reef in Palm Beach?

Gene Lawrence, a Palm Beach architect who practiced on Worth Avenue from 1965 to 2013. The building was completed in 1974.

How many residences are at The Reef?

78, in three three-story buildings around the oceanfront pool and in a small group of townhouses on the Intracoastal side of South Ocean Boulevard.

Is The Reef a historic landmark?

Yes. The Town of Palm Beach designated it a landmark; brokerage profiles date the designation to December 2019. Exterior changes generally need review by the town's Landmarks Preservation Commission.

What do condos at The Reef sell for?

MLS records show five sales from March to September 2026, between $1.37 million and $3.125 million, with a median of about $1,056 per square foot. Condition drove most of the difference.

Does The Reef have beach access?

Yes. Residents have gated access to a private beach behind the pool deck.

Is there a special assessment at The Reef?

The association has been completing an exterior restoration, with the North Building's concrete work reported complete in early 2026. The two listings active in October 2026 recorded no special assessment, but ask the association for the current assessment schedule for any residence you consider.

Explore The Reef

Visit The Reef building page for current listings, recent sales and photos. Contact REHUB to compare individual residences, cabanas and restoration status, or to look at other Palm Beach condos.