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Fort Lauderdale & North/Central Broward


bobliocatt

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Partial Victory for Preservationists Still Spells Doom for Much of Fort Lauderdale's Oceanfront

While I can't say much for most of the Sea Club in its present state, I'm still glad that the front of the former Jolly Roger Hotel will be incorporated into the new high-rise planned for the site. The article also has a reference to the project planned for the site of the Ireland's Inn. This is the first inkling I have had that the building would be 28 stories tall. I have heard more recent rumors which appear to confirm the possibility that the new hotel on the site will indeed be a Mandarin Oriental hotel and condo project. Supposedly, the MO people recently gave a presentation on the project at the Everglades Club. I'd still prefer to see at least part of the existing hotel incorporated into the new project, but this battle appears to be lost. In any event, I'm sure that having a Mandarin Oriental in my neighborhood won't be such a bad thing.

The loss of the Howard Johnson's is also no great surprise, nor will it be particularly missed. There is much to be said for the main point of the article- Fort Lauderdale has exchanged its architectural past for a glitzy new present. A balance of the two would have been preferable.

Hotel-Online-Sun Sentinel

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Council Rejects Orion Proposal

The Howard Johnson's will continue to stand until an agreement can be reached about what will replace it. The Orion, a towering pile of silver and blue glass, apparently won't be going up in its place. It remains to be see whether the group can produce a less objectionable tower. The old Hojo's is looking more blighted each day, but the council is right to reject this proposal. While the building is still some distance from the Bonnet House, the site is sensitive and whatever is built there should display a modicum of respect to its neighbor. The reality of the situation is that the building will almost certainly be a high-rise. It is foolish to suppose otherwise. I would still like to see something less flashy on the site.

Hotel-Online-- Sun Sentinel

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Ireland's Inn to Close Sunday- Replacement to be a Mandarin Oriental Hotel

I have had confirmation from the hotel that their last day of operation will be this Sunday. The hotel and adjacent buildings will be demolished for a new resort hotel. For the first time, the property has confirmed that the new resort will indeed be a Mandarin Oriental hotel. I expect that a public announcement to this effect will be made in the near future. I'll miss their dining room, but the new property will be good for the neighborhood, I'm sure.

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Projects Still Going Up As Condo Market Cools

Condo/hotel projects are still going up even as the market cools in South Florida. Ireland's Inn closes for business today. Its replacement will be twin towers rising 28 floors above the surf. The present structure will be demolished later this year. I suppose we'll be visiting the dining room at the Pelican Beach more often now. Trump is surging ahead with plans for a new tower in Hollywood as well.

The Sun Sentinel

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Projects Still Going Up As Condo Market Cools

Condo/hotel projects are still going up even as the market cools in South Florida. Ireland's Inn closes for business today. Its replacement will be twin towers rising 28 floors above the surf. The present structure will be demolished later this year. I suppose we'll be visiting the dining room at the Pelican Beach more often now. Trump is surging ahead with plans for a new tower in Hollywood as well.

The Sun Sentinel

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Here's the link to the website...Icon Las Olas

I like the general idea of the building. I'm not exactly thrilled with its location. The poor Stranahan House looks like a toy dwarfed by its long shadow. Still, it can't be denied that this building will add more life to the downtown area. In that sense, it's a good thing.

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One More Link About Ireland's Inn

As you probably already know, Ireland's Inn closed yesterday and will be demolished later this year. Its replacement is expected to be finished by 2010. I'm not exactly sure how twin 28 storey towers could be in an S shape, but we'll just have to wait for the design to be unveiled. I hope this will be sooner rather than later.

The Sun Sentinel

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Fort Lauderdale City Council Reverses Position- Orion to Move Forward

The Orion, an 18 story condominium/hotel project, is now set to go forward, rising on the spot now marked by tthe old Howard Johnson's. The height of the building has been reduced to 18 stories, but the caretakers of the nearby Bonnet House are none too happpy about the project. As soon as I can find a rendering of the project, I'll post it here.

Hotel-Online- Sun Sentinel

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Lawsuit on the Horizon for the Orion

The developers of the Orion now have a lawsuit from the non-profit organization which oversees the adjacent Bonnet House. Whether or not this will doom the project, or simply add up to another delay remains to be seen. The tattered Howard Johnson's on the site is looking worse with each passing day. While I have considerable sympathy for the trustees of the Bonnett House, the proposed building would be in a group of tal buildings- Trump, Atlantic etc.. The "view corridor" would be affected, but not quite to the extent that its detractors claim. I had thought that a compromise had been agreed upon. This is not to say that just any old building would be appropriate for the site. I remain cautious about the final design.

Hotel-Online- Miami Herald

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Riverside Hotel to Expand- Las Olas Storefronts Will Be Demolished

The Riverside Hotel has announced its intention to expand with another 125 hotel rooms. This will require the demolition of several commercial buildings on Las Olas Boulevard. While I applaud the idea of wrapping the new hotel rooms around the existing parking garage, I will have to see frawings of the proposed addition before I can form an opinion. The destruction of the existing buildings could further erode the nature of Las Olas. The new building won't be taller than five stories, but the proposed "grand entrance" has me a little worried. This could still prove to be ugly and bombastic. The commercial space will, at least, be restored in the new buiilding. As for the tower addition of a few years ago, it is not a success from an architectural standpoint. I hope this won't be more of the same.

The Sun Sentinel- Hotel-Online

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just a quick update on the Ireland's Inn project in Fort Lauderdale. The buildings are still standing and the property is carefully guarded, but I believe their days are numbered. Word from neighbors who live across the street suggests that the deal with Mandarin Oriental has been signed, but that the original scheme for the property has been rejected by the local council and has been sent back for re-design. I'm told that the new design will call for more gardens and a lower overall height for the two towers.

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Spirit Air's Rapid Expansion at FLL Causes Headaches

This article in today's Sun Sentinel highlights the unpleasantness of using their services during a period of rapid expansion. As noted in the article, a few of the problems at Spirit's terminal aren't of their own making. 17 counter positions are currently unavailable because of the bulky screening equipment belonging to the TSA. I recently flew to Lima from FLL with my 84 year old father. We were fortunate that a Spirit staffer allowed him to wait inside the terminal while I stood outside in the baking heat. We were told to be there two hours before our international flight. We chose to be there three hours before and stood in line the entire time. We did make the flight, but only barely. A staffer did pull us out of line and hurried us along to the security screening, but we would have missed our flight had this not happened. I hope that Spirit's problems at FLL can be alleviated soon.

The Sun Sentinel

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Group Proposes 30 Story Hotel in Downtown Fort Lauderdale

A proposal for a 30 story hotel in downtown Fort Lauderdale is just the latest in the flurry of proposals for the area. Without seeing the design, it's hard to get an iea of its merits, but the developers claim that it's "not just another glass box." We shall see,,,,

The Sun Sentinel

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Another Mid-Century Modern Landmark Destroyed

The former Americana Inn, a MiMo landmark from 1963, was destroyed yesterday by its owners. Plans call for a condo/hotel project to be built on the site. WHile there was little about the motel itself which called for preservation, the distinctive lobby building should have been preserved as part of any new project on the site. Once again, Broward County has lost another distinctive building. I hope that its replacement won't be too awful. This is a process which certainly requires awareness on the part of property owners and the city alike. Perhaps it was felt that this wasn't worth the fight, but with each passing day there is less and less to fight for.

The Sun Sentinel

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Convention Center Hotel for 17th Street- Marriott and Hilton are in the Running

Plans for a $400m+ hotel of 30 stories or more are inching forward. The list of contenders has been narrowed to just two- Marriott-Phelps and Hilton/Faulkner USA. I haven't seen renderings of their proposals, but it is essential for Fort Lauderdale to build a hotel at the convention center. One can easily say that the lodging market in Broward County is overbuilt, but a convention center generally needs a hotel. A selection is expected before the end of the year.

The Sun-Sentinel

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Icon Las Olas Developers Threaten Lawsuit

The developers of the proposed Icon Las Olas are threatening to sue the city if they are not granted the right to proceed with their project. It's true enough that they were given the needed approval three years ago, but I would question the sanity of proceeding with the project at this time. The location next to the Stranahan House is a singularly poor one for a building of this size. There are plenty of other places downtown where this could be built. Given the nature of the market at this time, I wonder why they are proceeding. As for the validity of the lawsuit, I rather doubt that the developers will win favor in the courts, but this is Broward County after all. Odd things have happened before....

The Sun-Sentinel

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Icon Las Olas Developers Threaten Lawsuit

The developers of the proposed Icon Las Olas are threatening to sue the city if they are not granted the right to proceed with their project. It's true enough that they were given the needed approval three years ago, but I would question the sanity of proceeding with the project at this time. The location next to the Stranahan House is a singularly poor one for a building of this size. There are plenty of other places downtown where this could be built. Given the nature of the market at this time, I wonder why they are proceeding. As for the validity of the lawsuit, I rather doubt that the developers will win favor in the courts, but this is Broward County after all. Odd things have happened before....

The Sun-Sentinel

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A quick ride up A1A this morning has reminded me of just how much the beachfront has changed. The W and Trump's new building are well underway. As for the loss of character, I heartily agree that much of Fort Lauderdale's character has been lost in the quest for tourodollars. Bits and pieces of the old tawdriness still exist on A1A. A few die-hard souvenir stores and places like the Elbo Room hold out against the tide of condo towers. Or at least their owners do until a better offer rolls in. Whether or not a gritty past is preferable to a gilt-edged future is debatable. Still, all that glitters is not gold and these new towers may be built on shifting sands. I've seen several projects simply go nowhere. By the way, welcome to the forum. I hope we'll be seeng more of you.

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