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Dear Neighbor,
It has been a BUSY second half of the year and I am so incredibly proud of the information I am about to share. A few of these projects below have taken years to bring to fruition, but with your input and continued support, we finally did it. Without further delay, let’s take a look at what we all accomplished as a District in the last half of 2025….
Reimagining Breakers Avenue
At long last, I am thrilled to share that in September, the City received a Notice of Award in the amount of $3 million for the Breakers Avenue Resiliency and Traffic Improvements project from the Broward County Surtax Municipal Grant Match Program to augment the previously secured $5 million from the City, $3 million from the State and $850,000 from the Federal government. Currently, the 100% design plans are being reviewed by FDOT and Broward County. City staff anticipates issuing an invitation to bid for the construction of the project in early 2026. This project will make Breakers Avenue a comfortable, connected, safe and memorable destination experience for residents and locals alike.
This has been a long time coming. My vision for Breakers Avenue began in 2019, when the city’s consultant, Dover, Kohl & Partners collaborated with the community to develop the reimagining Breakers Avenue Concept design summary. In 2020, the City Commission approved a design contract with Kimley and by 2021, 90% of design plans were completed. Though earlier funding efforts fell short, I never stopped lobbying for this project. After years of engaging County and state representatives, countless meetings and engagement with city staff and two city managers-this project will finally come to pass. Thank you for all your input over the years at our numerous charettes and thank you for your patience.
Sunrise Lane Funding
This was a MAJOR win for our District. On October 7, the Commission approved an allocation in the amount of $2.2 million to this project. As we are at 60% design completion, I am so excited to see this project move forward. This effort began many years ago and although it was subject to many delays, we are moving forward. This project focuses on roadway and aesthetic improvements to support the area's surrounding businesses. The scope of work includes widening the sidewalk area, improving nighttime visibility through pedestrian lighting, roadway lighting, and overhead festival lighting, realigning the street parking spots, landscaping, and installing entryway features to help create a unique destination feel for the site. In the next six months, I look forward to completing the design to 100% and having additional updates on a start date! I want to thank all of the neighbors who came to the multiple public participation meetings and provided valuable input that will help to bring new life to this gem of District 2.
Las Olas Parking Garage Facade Lighting Replacement
I’m especially proud to share that the Las Olas Parking Garage Facade Lighting Replacement is now moving forward! The City of Fort Lauderdale, in partnership with Luminicos Corp., will replace the existing lighting system on the Las Olas Parking Garage, located at 200 Las Olas Circle. The project will enhance visibility, safety, and aesthetics along the Las Olas corridor with a custom, programmable LED lighting system. The new system will be integrated into the garage’s 581 architectural fins, creating a visually dynamic feature that celebrates the character of Fort Lauderdale Beach, especially in the evenings. This investment will further elevate the Las Olas gateway experience, complementing ongoing efforts to beautify and modernize our Central Beach district. Construction has begun and will continue through March of 2026. On a parallel track, the City is suing the original vendor.
Swimming Hall of Fame Progress
On November 18th, the City Commission approved a walk-on motion authorizing staff to negotiate updates to the comprehensive agreement and related documents. The direction allows staff to work with Hall of Fame Partners on revisions related to grant funding, updated project costs, lease terms, revenue sharing, and refinements to the East Building and elevated promenade design. I am confident that this will define the “Water District.” Many neighbors have expressed their excitement for the improvements and, of course, a new aquarium that will be an exciting destination for all ages.
YMCA Groundbreaking
We have begun a new chapter of community in District 2 at Holiday Park. On December 9th, the Holiday Park YMCA, located at the northeast corner of Federal Highway and NE 8th Street beside The Parker, broke ground marking the beginning of a transformational project for Fort Lauderdale. In partnership with Broward Health and the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Y is creating a vibrant, 60,000-square-foot destination that brings health, wellness, recreation, and belonging together under one roof. This unique collaboration also includes a 12,000 SF Broward Health Free-Standing Emergency Department (FSED), ensuring access to both wellness and emergency care right where our community gathers. Rooted in Holiday Park’s 75-year legacy as Fort Lauderdale’s “backyard,” this new Y will honor the park’s rich history while building a healthy future for generations to come. A special thank you to our surrounding neighborhood associations that expressed their overwhelming support in bringing this project to life.
Jimmy Evert Tennis Center Reopening
On December 8th, we officially celebrated the reopening of Fort Lauderdale’ s premier tennis facility, the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center (JETC) in Holiday Park. Recognized as the “Home of the Champions” and the “Home of Chris Evert”, it is one of the country’s top municipal tennis centers but needed work to meet international standards. In January of 2025, JETC went under construction, to the tune of $9.5 million, and added numerous enhancements including the installation of 20 clay surface tennis courts with state-of-the-art sub-surface irrigation, construction of a stadium court that seats 700 spectators, and repainted and renovated interior, and renovated restrooms. And if that wasn’t exciting enough, the JETC now hosts the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships for boys and girls ages 16 to 18 years old. I want to thank the avid tennis players of the City for their patience and look forward to their use of this amazing facility.
Selection of City Hall
On December 2nd, the City Commission Special Meeting included presentations from the four finalist teams competing to develop the new City Hall. The presentations included revised designs, updated cost information, financing approaches, team qualifications, and long-term operations plans. After hearing presentations from each development team and reviewing recommendations and analysis from staff and the City’s consultants, the City Commission finalized the rankings: FTL City Hall Partners was selected as the top-ranked proposer, with Balfour Beatty second, Fort Lauderdale Civic Partners third, and FTL Beacon Collaborative fourth. The City Manager was authorized to begin negotiating an interim and/or comprehensive agreement(s) with the highest-ranked proposer, with the option to move to the next highest ranked if negotiations do not result in an agreement. Any proposed agreement will be presented to the City Commission for consideration. The City Commission was fortunate to receive four excellent presentations to develop the new City Hall. The amount of talent, creativity, and experience was very impressive. Looking forward to the next steps in moving this project along.
Commission Selects a New City Attorney
The City Commission unanimously selected Shari L. McCartney for the City Attorney position following interviews with three candidates recommended by the City Attorney Search Committee. The three finalists were Paul G. Bangel, Shari L. McCartney, and Angela “Angel” Rosenberg. I want to thank the three finalists for their interest in serving the City of Fort Lauderdale. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet with each of them and discuss the issues of the day and why they wanted to serve. I want to wish Shari McCartney all the best, and I congratulate her on her selection.
Oh, what a YEAR it has been! The above updates were just some of the highlights from this year in addition to the numerous infrastructure projects throughout our district. I think we set a record in 2025 with an amazing number of groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings and accomplishments in our District and I cannot stress this enough-we couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you. Your continual input and support have been an invaluable part of this process.
Wishing you the best of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa all rolled into one and here’s to a happy and healthy New Year to all!
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