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Our Year in Review
Setting our Priorities
On January 19th, the City Commission met at the FXE Executive Airport for our Annual Goal Setting Workshop. Outstanding discussion ensued as we formulated our Top Priorities for FY 2025 (beginning October 1st, 2024), projects of interest, and district needs. Staff consolidated all these items and provided a report which identified deliverables and milestones. I am so appreciative of the District 2 neighborhood presidents who provided valuable input prior to the meeting, enabling me to articulate our needs and ideas. Thank you to our entire City team who have worked diligently this past year to help bring these priorities to fruition.
At this year’s goal setting on January 21st, 2025, I will continue to make Infrastructure, Homelessness and Public Safety among my top priorities and am committed to working with my colleagues to find an extremely qualified and dedicated city manager and new city attorney.
Every year, we have challenges, and I am very excited to work with this new commission to tackle our issues head on, ensuring that we preserve our quality of life amidst smart growth and making sure that our city continues to be a great place to live, work and play for residents and visitors.
Fat Village Groundbreaking
On March 21st, we celebrated the groundbreaking for FAT Village! FAT (Food, Art, Technology) Village will be reimagined in a way that takes Flagler Village, Fort Lauderdale to a new level! This 5.6-acre site will combine retail, residential, high tech office space, art studios, galleries, restaurants, and more. It is imperative that we continue to raise the bar on everything we do because everything we do is building for the future.
International Swimming Hall of Fame Groundbreaking
The Yiddish word “kvell” means bursting with pride, joyful, excited, exulting. That is how I feel every day as I drive around the District I have the privilege to represent- especially when I participate in events like the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Groundbreaking Ceremony which occurred on October 16th. The 1928 Casino Pool at this site transformed the City of Fort Lauderdale into a haven for swimmers and divers. And now we are about to embark on a new chapter for this storied peninsula. Get ready for our city’s first Aquarium and new museum which will bookend the $50 million investment in our new pools and iconic dive tower.
Florida Historical Marker - Waverly Park/Tequesta Park
On May 8th, during Historic Preservation Month, we unveiled the Florida Historical Marker for Waverly Park. District 2’s Sailboat Bend is the City of Fort Lauderdale’s only historically designated residential neighborhood. It is a very special place that deserves praise and tender loving care. In 2020, I advocated for and the City Commission voted to acquire the Rivermont Archaeological site to protect this sacred Tequesta land on the New River from development. Local designation came in 2021 and then the listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022. The process came full circle on June 4th when the Commission approved changing the name to Tequesta Park.
Grand Opening of the Baptist Health Ice Plex
One of the best parts of this job is when an idea, a thought, a conversation becomes a reality. On March 20th, we snipped the ribbon on the Baptist Health Ice Plex at Holiday Park- a major step toward the revitalization of the FTL War Memorial complex. Not only does it stand as a tribute to our United States military heroes, but it is now a destination for the entire community to enjoy! This venue has a public place for skating, recreational & youth hockey, other sports and fitness activities, AND a state-of-the-art practice facility for our Florida Panthers. Grab a bite at the Federal and see it all!
The Reimagining of War Memorial Auditorium
At the October 9th State of the City, we received a walkthrough of our newest venue in Fort Lauderdale. The incredible renovation of the War Memorial Auditorium is certainly being well received by the community. I have been to several events there and it is absolutely fantastic. This is truly a space that will be celebrated and utilized by generations to come!
Merle Fogg Seawall Replacement
On June 6th, we celebrated the ribbon cutting for the new 130-foot seawall at Merle Fogg Park. I’ve followed this project closely and I must say it is so great to see Merle Fogg Park restored. When the seawall initially collapsed, it created erosion problems and was impacting a stormwater discharge pipe. Through this project, not only did we replace the seawall, but we also installed a new storm inlet and check valve which all promise to help make sure our stormwater system is working as designed to keep this area dry. Infrastructure and resiliency work continues at a fast pace in District 2, and I am thrilled that we were able to move this project way ahead of schedule in order to protect the Idlewyld neighborhood.
Southeast Isles Seawall Replacement
In August, construction was completed along the south side of Las Olas Boulevard between Coconut Isle Drive and Royal Plaza Drive where four seawalls are being replaced and new stormwater infrastructure has been installed. The new seawalls were constructed using corrosion-resistant steel sheet-piles with a concrete cap and were elevated to 5 feet NAVD in accordance with the City’s revised seawall ordinance. Nearby stormwater infrastructure, including pipes, catch basins, and tidal valves were improved to ensure proper drainage near the seawalls. The first seawall replaced was between Coconut Isle Drive and Lido Drive and crews continued to move east along Las Olas Boulevard. This work in the Las Olas Isles neighborhood represents a nearly $3 million investment in our infrastructure that will help reduce tidal flooding, making us better prepared for future king tides and sea level rise.
Las Olas Undergrounding of Overhead Utilities
On October 2nd, we celebrated a very momentous occasion for the nine streets that comprise the Las Olas Isles Homeowners Association as we cut the ribbon for the completion of the first neighborhood in the City of Fort Lauderdale to bury all utilities and eliminate all poles and wires! In 2010, the City Commission approved community-led undergrounding projects and it took a while, but here we are! Thank you to the residents for your patience and perseverance; District 2 is leading the way with 6 more neighborhoods in the queue and this project has taught us a great deal as we move forward with the others. Thank you to all involved in this trailblazing achievement; the streets look great with no poles and cables, new lampposts, and new asphalt!
New Crosswalks on Las Olas Boulevard
In March of this year, we made pedestrian safety on Las Olas Blvd. a top priority. I had previously secured $500K in the FY 2024 budget for the installation of two crosswalks, along with flashing beacons, warning signs, and ADA pedestrian ramps at Las Olas Blvd, between S. Gordon Road and Bontona Avenue, and Las Olas Blvd, between Fiesta Way and Coral Way. The amount of positive feedback has been enormous, and I am so pleased that we have this new safety feature in place for pedestrians.
Opening of DC Alexander Park
In 1909, a visionary named David Clifford “DC” Alexander fell in love with the City of Fort Lauderdale and invested in 32 acres of beachfront property. He planned the area to ensure public access and stunning ocean views. He deeded 1.2 acres to the city in 1916 for recreational purposes and went on to do much more to balance progress with preservation. On October 18th, we celebrated the rebirth of DC Alexander Park with a ribbon cutting for yet another incredible project in dynamic District 2 - this one nestled between the ocean and the Aquatics Center. Thank you to Staff, Shiff Construction, Keith, and Brooks + Scarpa Architects for this remarkable space.
Las Olas Marina Ribbon Cutting
On October 29th, we cut the ribbon on the opening of the new 88 mega yacht slip Las Olas Marina. This happened just in time for the opening of the 65th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show! What was once an asphalt parking lot has now transformed into a sustainable, resilient, and natural marine ecosystem. In addition, we replaced and upgraded one of the city’s largest pump stations to better serve the barrier island. A very significant achievement for District 2 and the City of Fort Lauderdale; this was 8 years in the making!
Florida Historical Marker Unveiling at The Parker
As an avid historic preservationist, I advocated for the State Historical Marker which we unveiled on September 25th at “The Parker” (Parker Playhouse) in District 2’s Holiday Park. Our City of Fort Lauderdale is so proud to have this venue declared a Florida Heritage Site. This theatre opened on February 7th, 1967 and will always hold a very special place in our cultural history.
Marina Village Ribbon Cutting
On September 5th, the first phase of the reimagining of the Bahia Mar peninsula opened with a ribbon cutting of “Marina Village Fort Lauderdale”- a terrific variety of food kiosks and the star of the show - The Shorely! This totally renovated Fisher Island ferry sits lovingly in the Bahia Mar Marina with incredible views of the ocean to the east and the Intracoastal to the west. At the time of the ribbon cutting, I forecasted that this venue would catch on quickly and be quite the destination! I am happy to report that my prediction came true!
Continued Progress with Fortify Fort Lauderdale
Over the next decade, the City will invest up to $500 million in stormwater infrastructure across 17 neighborhoods. This program, which is more than twice our initial plan, will accelerate construction to enhance our resilience. Our Public Works engineers are conducting a vulnerability assessment to prioritize risks. We'll complement construction with a program to help residents protect their homes. Fortify Fort Lauderdale is in addition to our existing $200 million investment in eight neighborhoods to tackle tidal flooding and stormwater runoff. We're installing tidal-control valves, drainage pipes, new outfalls, catch basins, and raising seawalls.
District 2 neighborhoods already underway in the Tranche 1 project phase are Progresso Village, Victoria Park, and Southeast Isles. Tranche 2 will include 17 additional neighborhoods, to include Sailboat Bend, Flagler Village, South Middle River, Middle River Terrace, and Lake Ridge in District 2. At the October 1st Conference meeting, Public Works gave a presentation detailing the status of each neighborhood. You can access that information below. I look forward to the continued infrastructure improvements with the Fortify Lauderdale plan and welcome your continued input as this project moves along.
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