Davie OK's plan for bustling downtown

[Aessotariq]

This should be interesting for a "town" whose downtown consists of a faux "wild west" saloon-type architectural theme

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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/...ty/10427032.htm

DAVIE

Town OK's plan for bustling downtown

BY NIKKI WALLER

[email protected]

Plans for Downtown Davie, a project that will bring shopping, dining and 245 condominiums to the intersection at Griffin and Davie roads, won Town Council approval at a meeting Wednesday night.

Council members also authorized a $2.3 million Community Redevelopment Agency grant to help the developer, Nob Hill Partners LLC, complete necessary infrastructure improvements such as road repair and water service.

The $75 million project includes nearly 50,000 square feet of retail space, 45,000 square feet of office space and 245 residences.

Developer Harvey Mattel said the condos will start in the low $200,000s for a one-bedroom condominium, ranging up to $400,000 or more for a three-story town house.

''We're hoping that by looking at a project this big, it will be a true fire-starter for the Griffin Corridor initiative,'' said interim town administrator Chris Kovanes.

One of the developers, Mark Schmidt, said he expects the project to be completed in early 2006.

Davie established the corridor to spur high-density commercial and residential development along Griffin and to create a bustling downtown center.

Several other projects for the site have failed to earn enough votes from the Town Council when developers proved unwilling to accommodate town guidelines for the area, Kovanes said.

''This developer has worked hand in hand with the town at large, trying to gain any sort of momentum,'' he said.

The town is a major stakeholder in the project, as it plans to purchase much of the available office space to house town departments.

[streetscaper]

Damn...all of Miami's suburbs are OKing new downtowns....great densification going on!!

[Urban_Legend]

"densification"? I like the sound of that....