Fort Lauderdale's skyline to expand, again

[95-Souf]

Ft. Lauderdale is to Miami as Ft. Worth is to Dallas

[Florida]

I'm not all that familiar with St. Petersburgs Skyline, but I do think that FLL is on the right path in terms of growth in the downtown area... I've always wondered why it took so long for all of this to start. But its happening and its happening fast. The results are nice.

I'd give Ft. Lauderdale a shot at 2nd place also, if were talking about sheer volume, but the layout of the downtown and the quality of the developments makes them a clear contender for 1st.

[Florida]

Here's a look at the three anchors that make up the South Florida region:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What hole did you pull this one out of? This is nice man!

[Urban_Legend]

Semi-Related to what we're talking about:

I think West Palm Beach is the new Fort Lauderdale. Back in the day, Ft. Laud didn't have much going on, but now it's exploding with growth. Well, until Cityplace, West Palm was DEAD, but there' tons of buildings under construction down here, that it will blow people away in 5 years.

[FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER]

From time to time I see some pretty ridiculous quotes and opinions expressed throughout these forums.  Very rarely do I feel compeled to try to rebute any of these.  This however has to be one of the most unfactual statements recently.  To say that Orlando is the "slackest city" is crazy.  Grant it we don't have the tallest projects around but we do however have most Florida cities beat in the proposed number of projects.  Take a look around any of these boards, you will be hard pressed to find a city outside of Miami that proposes more buildings than Orlando.  Some get built some don't that's development.  As stated in an earlier post most Florida cities have a huge jump over Orlando in the number of years that our downtowns have been getting developed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Upset? Green with envy? Angry? Fed up? So I made a slip of an error I guess; but I'd like to see full proof that Orlando has that many scrapers u/c, planned, or on the drawing boards.

Show me!

[FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER]

I'm not all that familiar with St. Petersburgs Skyline, but I do think that FLL is on the right path in terms of growth in the downtown area... I've always wondered why it took so long for all of this to start. But its happening and its happening fast. The results are nice.

I'd give Ft. Lauderdale a shot at 2nd place also, if were talking about sheer volume, but the layout of the downtown and the quality of the developments makes them a clear contender for 1st.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, numbers of projects on the board, planned, proposed for the future would put Ft. Lauderdale in the running for #1 at present.....this would lend creedence to future dispensation of shear volume; but will FTL overtake Miami? I don't think so, not now, or ever.

FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER

[FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER]

Here's a look at the three anchors that make up the South Florida region:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could also call the three South Florida cities the three crown jewels of South Florida!

FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER

[orlandonative]

Upset?  Green with envy?  Angry?  Fed up?  So I made a slip of an error I guess; but I'd like to see full proof that Orlando has that many scrapers u/c, planned, or on the drawing boards.

Show me!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

orlandoskyscrapers.com

[Dale]

Upset?  Green with envy?  Angry?  Fed up?  So I made a slip of an error I guess; but I'd like to see full proof that Orlando has that many scrapers u/c, planned, or on the drawing boards.

Show me!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why is the burden on Orlandoans ? You made the bold claim that FTL is a shoe-in for the #2 skyline. Why don't you show us the FTL list of u/c, planned or on the drawing boards. Then we'll produce our numbers.

Back-to-back. Twenty paces. Turn and fire.

[wally2169]

I'll see what I can do... there aren't many vantage points from up high where you can get the entire skyline safely or without getting shooed away.

This is the best one I have that I've personally taken, about 3 miles away as the crow flies, which gives you an idea of how far it extends:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nice shot.

Thanks for the photog

[larrysofla]

Hi, this is my first post. I have been reading the forum now for almost a year. Here is an article that I just read on Sun Sentinel's website. It is very disapointing. The tower that would have been broward's tallest (height, not floors) has just been reduced from 48 floors to 42, and even at that it probably won't happen. Fort Lauderdale needs to get its act toghether, Miami is building like crazy ftl will be left in the dust. However I realize that it is not entirely the cities fault, the city wanted to go ahead with a more than 10,000 more units, but the county cut them down to 3,000 more, and now the state has to approve the measure, and God only knows how long that will take.

Developer joins battle to be last condo in downtown Fort Lauderdale

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/sou...0,5968754.story

Mod note: please provide link and summary only ~~"Aesso"

[bobliocatt]

Welcome to the forum Larry. I look forward to you sticking around and giving us info on Fort Lauderdale. If you don't mind, let me summarize the article, since the Sun-Sentinel doesn't leave their links up for long.

For some strange reason, the City of Fort Lauderdale has decided that only one more condo tower should be built downtown, thus a battle has taken place between three groups wanting the right to build their projects (a 48, 31 and 11 story tower).

Under the city's current rules, only 256 more condo units can be constructed before all development goes on hold. (What the hell? I assume, the no-growth NIMBY's are very powerful). City commissioners will decide Tuesday which group wins.

The groups are:

Broward Groupe Pacific

42 story/255 unit tower at 111 E. Broward Blvd. (reduced from 48 stories)

Units start at $325k.

Ellis Diversified Inc.

28 story/170 unit tower at 405 NE Second Street (reduced from 31 stories)

Units start at $325k.

Downtown Lofts LLC

11 story/54 unit second phase of NOLA Lofts. Units start at $220k.

*If commissioners approve Ellis, they could also approve NoLA Lofts. However if the 42 story tower is approved, there will only be 1 [dwelling unit] remaining.

[bobliocatt]

Imo, I'd go with the tallest and densest project. Then they could immediately work on whatever they need to resolve to get the other projects going.

[Urban_Legend]

Why exactly are they being careful about this? I support controlled growth, and I think it needs to be managed. I'm just wondering why growth is being managed like this. I'm guessing it's infrastructure, and maybe traffic? That being said, Downtown FTL really needs a light-rail system!

Oh, and welcome to the boards, Larry!

[bobliocatt]

Sounds more like NIMBYism to me. There's plenty of space for additional development in Fort Lauderdale's core.

[Topher1]

I don't have the articles or stats to back me up on this, but a few years ago (early in the boom) a limit on the amount of new condo/apt units for downtown Fort Lauderdale was passed.

There's been a push for a while now to increase that number to accomodate new development. For the most part, this has been focused on midrise development in the semi-blighted areas north of Broward Blvd, but I hear that they're starting to realize the positive effects of densification downtown, and they want to expand that number throughout downtown.

It's just a matter of time (hopefully not much time) before FTL will be able to build again.

[Aessotariq]

It would be interesting to see how much of these limitations come from the city placing restrictions on itself, or Broward County placing restrictions on the city. If a city wants to upzone a parcel's density and increase the number of units, it has to get approval from Broward County (this doesn't apply anywhere else in Florida, as far as I know). As best I can understand it, they have some kind of mechanism where they transfer blocks of potential housing units from one part of the county to the other.

For those who haven't been following this as closely as we have, earlier this year the city got county approval to build 3,000 units, though it originally asked for 10,000. The number was reduced, citing, among other things, inadequate transportation infrastructure in the area to support the increased residents - i.e., not enough existing bus or rail to support the population. Each unit generates at least 1 new car on the road, which impacts roads countywide, they say. They've said they want that stuff to be in place before the units get built to mitigate those impacts. I do think they could have gotten away with a few more units, at least half of what they asked for, myself.

If Fort Lauderdale gets its downtown light rail up and running soon, I think it will stand a much better chance of getting more units in the next round. Broward voters also need to approve the upcoming penny sales tax for transit, coming up in 2006, so that the light rail and BRT expansions can be funded.

And welcome to the forum, Larry!

[larrysofla]

Oh here's a little something I would like to share. I was in River House the other day previewing a unit (I am a Real Estate Agent) on the 33rd floor, and I've got to say WOW, that is one great building. For those of you who don't know River House is the 42 story blue glass tower in down town FTL. The views were amazing, from the south east you could see all the way down to Miami Beach, and to the east the ocean. After seeing the unit I no longer wanted to sell it to someone else, I wanted it for myself! HA! B)

www.lasolasriverhouse.com I was in the Lexington unit.

[Dale]

larry -

What's the latest on Related's 42st tower planned for the Hyde Market site ?

[Aessotariq]

Very nice . Las Olas Riverhouse is definitely one of my favorites. Sounds like a great photo op.

[larrysofla]

larry -

What's the latest on Related's 42st tower planned for the Hyde Market site ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dale, the tower is still being held up with new law suits from the Stranahan House. They have tried everything in the world to stop this wonderful new project. I think in the coming months when Stranahan House runs out of legal options the project will finally get moving. A judge has already ordered that the project must be allowed, in a previous battle that the developer was having with the city of Fort Lauderdale. I think construction is slated to begin sometime next year.

[Dale]

Thanks, larry ! Sounds hopeful. I really like this project. And Related gets things done.

[larrysofla]

Thanks, larry ! Sounds hopeful. I really like this project. And Related gets things done.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very true. I guess you've seen the pictures of what they have proposed? I agree it looks very nice.

[larrysofla]

Sun-Sentinel has a new article up about the new 42 story building proposed to go up at the Hyde Market site. You can find it at http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/bro...la-news-broward

The article talks about how the nimbys at the Stranahan House are still fighting progress, and making it hard for the tower to be approved. The article points out that this has been going on now for SEVEN years. Also there is talk that the project may end up going down to 38 stories, just because Fort Lauderdale doesn't seem to get that tall buildings were meant for DOWNTOWN. As the project stands now, it would be the new tallest building in Fort Lauderdale (now that the 48 story building is history) at 454 feet. The building was just reviewed by the planning board (next stop the city commission) where 5 members spoke in favor of the project, and 4 either aginst or with holding their views.

[larrysofla]

Does anyone know why the "fort lauderdale's skyline to expand again" topic was closed?

Anyway, more info on the Hyde Price Market site for the new Related Group condo project which if approved will become the tallest in downtown Fort Lauderdale can be found at http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/...ty/12708007.htm

There they discuss the Stranahan House's objections and the other views aired. On a positive note, 5 out of 9 on the planning board spoke in favor of the project. B) looks like it might happen after all.