23 Oct IN THE NEWS: NEARLY 500 RENTAL HOMES PROPOSED FOR SISTRUNK BOULEVARD NEIGHBORHOOD
By Lisa J. Huriash, South Florida Sun Sentinel
A plan that calls for hundreds of new homes will offer a big boost for the Sistrunk Boulevard neighborhood, Fort Lauderdale city leaders say.The project, known as West Village, will make up 455 rental homes — a mix of apartments and townhouses — and the project takes up a city block. Plans also include 17,752 square feet of commercial space of retail and restaurants. The homes range from 454 square feet for a one-bedroom to 1,754 square feet for the largest townhouse.
Rent will begin at $990 for a studio; $1,100 for a one-bedroom; $1,500 for a two-bedroom and $2,300 for a townhouse. Construction will begin third quarter of 2020.Vice Mayor Robert L. McKinzie, whose district includes the Sistrunk neighborhood, said it’s “probably one of the most important projects” underway. The land within Dorsey Riverbend that will become West Village is now empty except for a duplex, which will be razed, and a church, which will be relocated, McKinzie said. “This is going to be the gateway to the northwest corridor” — and the biggest residential project along Sistrunk that has a commercial component.
The development is on Tuesday’s commission agenda to allow the project to peak at six stories, instead of the permissible four stories. “This is going to be a game-changer for the western portion of Sistrunk Boulevard because of the scope of the project, the sheer size, the actual mixed-use, the residential and a nice art component,” said Commissioner Steven Glassman. “It’s going to be transformative.” Of the homes, 46 will be set aside for affordable housing.
Even though it will be called West Village for now, the project will eventually be renamed to honor Julian Edwin “Cannonball” Adderley, who was a musician best known for his 1966 soul jazz single “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.” Adderley died in 1975.The name request comes from the community and “we are excited to do it and we like the name,” said developer Peter Flotz.
Adderley taught music and was a band instructor at Dillard High School from 1948 until 1956, except for two years after he was drafted into the Army. A chance to sit in for a missing sax player at a New York City jazz club in 1956 would lead him to much wider musical fame.Entrepreneur Felipe Yalale and developer Flotz had bought up nearly the entire block at the southwest corner of Sistrunk and Northwest Seventh Avenue for this project over a four-year period. The price tag for the land assembly and project construction is estimated at $120 million, Flotz said.
“This is the biggest investment on this side of town that’s going to jump start the economic engine we need,” McKinzie said.
Flotz said the project will include “some cool art” features that could mean sculptures, wall art and tile mosaics. The list of amenities are still in the works to “deliver what people want today. It’s like fashion.”He sees potential when he looks at this underdeveloped part of the city. “When I look at this site, I see Brooklyn looking back at Manhattan.”
In this area, “you see the skyline of Fort Lauderdale.”