May 2021
Fort Lauderdale makes major progress
on infrastructure, quality-of-life projects
With the humidity beginning to permeate the air, we know that summer is near. But instead of slowing our pace over these coming summer months, some amazing milestones will be reached in our city.
 
The new central sewer main will be completed and operational. Construction of a new police station and the renovation of War Memorial Auditorium will be underway. A new police chief should be on board. Upgrades to Parker Playhouse will be finished. And a new high-dive tower will be topped off as part of the ongoing makeover of the aquatic center. 
 
And that is just the beginning. We are making incredible progress in improving the quality of life of the community and ensuring we have an infrastructure that can serve us for many years to come. That’s why Fort Lauderdale continues to be the example that others follow.
 
 Please allow me to take a moment to run through what is going on, starting with infrastructure:
 
  • The central 54-inch sewer line. By end of June, the city is scheduled to complete the installation of the sewer pipe to replace the brittle and aging one that was the cause of numerous breaks in the Rio Vista and Coral Ridge neighborhoods. Using two contractors and innovative drilling techniques, the project is being completed well ahead of traditional construction methods.
 
  • More sewer and water projects. By July, the water main improvements being undertaken in the Victoria Park neighborhood will be completed, including the restoration of the streets. Water main work in Bermuda Riviera was completed last year, and improvements in Coral Shores should be done by October. Sewer work in both Flagler Village and Victoria Park is underway, as is the installation of a new line on NW 13th Street.
 
  • Stormwater drainage. A three-year project to improve drainage and decrease flooding in the River Oaks and Edgewood areas will begin this fall. One critical part of the project began earlier – a 9-acre stormwater preserve in River Oaks – and will be substantially completed this month. We also have received $10.5 million in state assistance to help replace aging and undersized stormwater infrastructure.
 
  • Utility undergrounding. After many years of negotiation with FPL followed by detailed design work, construction will begin soon to bury overhead electric, phone and cable lines in the Las Olas Isles neighborhood. Residents there voted to pay extra for the work, which they view as offering better protection from power outages caused by hurricane winds.

  • New water treatment plant. Plans to replace the aging Fiveash Water Treatment Plant should move ahead in the next couple months to build a bigger, better plant – one that is designed to withstand a major hurricane and to provide high-quality potable water. We are currently entertaining multiple bids.
 
  • Seawalls. Following last year’s completion of a new seawall on Isle of Palms, work progressed quickly to build a new seawall on Cordova Road and it is now finished as well. More than 2,000 linear feet of seawall was installed, which will help prevent flooding during the rainy season and king tides this fall. The road is scheduled to be repaved in June.
 
  • Waterway cleanup. The city continues to take seriously the need to ensure our canals and waterways are clean. Late last year, we introduced weekly monitoring of water quality at key locations across the city. That data is publicized on our website and social media. Remediation work at George English Lake will enter a new phase next month as contractors begin the removal of sediment. Dredging in the Tarpon River is awaiting final permitting, and an assessment of the best course of action for the Himmarshee Canal is being prepared for delivery to state environmental regulators.
 
While the infrastructure work is particularly critical to our city’s future, progress has occurred in many other areas as well.
 
Emergency services
 
  • New police station. We are hoping to break ground this summer on a new police station and complete the work by fall 2023. Voters overwhelmingly approved the project in 2019. The current station is at the end of its useful life --- out of date for current law enforcement needs and incapable of withstanding a major hurricane.
 
  • Police reform. City management and the leadership of the Police Department continue to look for ways to build community trust and ensure everyone is treated equally and fairly in interactions with our officers. Steps have included updating de-escalation policies, implementing better training on cultural awareness and inclusiveness, improving the internal affairs system and broadening community outreach efforts.
 
  • Police chief. The city manager reports that he is on track to select a new police chief by early June. The application process has closed, and he is working on narrowing the field of candidates to between three and five finalists. He intends then to engage the public in the final selection steps.
 
  • New fire station. The city recently opened a new fire-rescue station to improve coverage in the southeastern areas of the city. Station 8 is a 10,000-square-foot facility located at 1717 SW 1st Ave. and houses two advanced life-support units.
 
Recreation and entertainment
 
  • War Memorial Auditorium. Later this month, we will officially begin construction on a major renovation to the War Memorial complex. When completed in the summer of 2022, War Memorial will feature ice rinks for public use as well as a training facility for the professional Florida Panthers hockey team. The Panthers will also take over operation of the auditorium, continuing its focus on family-friendly shows and events while relieving the city of the annual operating costs.
 
  • Parker Playhouse. Renovation of this landmark theater will be completed this month. When it reopens for its fall schedule, guests will enjoy new lounges and a vibrant new lobby as well as a state-of-the-art sound system. The original façade and seating configuration remain.
 
  • Aquatic center. Work on updating the aquatic center continues, with the topping-off of the iconic new 27-meter dive tower coming at the start of July. We are rebuilding the pools and expanding work to include improved locker rooms. When completed, the aquatic center will again be home to major swimming and diving competitions as well as a place for locals to enjoy recreational aquatics.
 
  • Park improvements. The City Commission recently gave the green light to improvements at 39 community parks as part of the park bond initiative that voters approved. Among the projects are a new community center at Bass Park, new outdoor fitness equipment at Dottie Mancini Park, sports lighting upgrades at Florence C. Hardy Park, walking trail improvements at Hortt Park, the installation of playground equipment and a pavilion at Lauderdale Manors Entrance, an improved restroom/concession area and upgraded athletic fields at Mills Pond Park and new playground equipment at Palm Aire Village Park.
 
Roadways and traffic
 
  • 17th Street Bypass. Design has begun on this new road through Port Everglades that should help alleviate traffic on SE 17th Street. Broward County promised to build the road as part of the convention center expansion. Under the current time schedule, the first phase – improvements to Eisenhower Boulevard - would be completed in the fall of 2022.
 
  • Improved traffic signalization. Work is underway to install high-tech traffic signalization on three key corridors using proceeds from the county’s transportation surtax. The new signals adapt based on demand to reduce backups. Currently in the design stage are signal systems for Broward Boulevard between State Road 7 and SE 8th Avenue, Sunrise Boulevard between State Road 7 and State Road A1A, and SE 17th Street between Federal Highway and Holiday Drive.

  • One-way traffic downtown traffic loop. Traffic engineers will begin the initial planning and evaluation in the coming months of the city’s proposal of creating one-way pairs on Andrews Avenue and NE 3rd Avenue. This would allow for a dedicated rapid-transit lane that would ease congestion.
 
  • Tunnels. Of course, we are continuing our discussions with Elon Musk’s The Boring Co. on some exciting possibilities to address congestion. One is a rapid-transit tunnel from the Brightline station downtown to the beach under Las Olas Boulevard. The other is putting the commuter train corridor through the city center underground so we can avoid traffic tie-ups on key east-west streets and allow boat traffic on the New River to move unimpeded.
 
Affordable housing and homelessness

  • Homeless. The city has distributed hotel vouchers to about 100 homeless individuals using COVID-19 emergency assistance funds and expanded the program into a second phase with additional vouchers. The vouchers provide temporary shelters as case workers assist in addressing the underlying causes of homelessness -- whether that is a lack of employment, drug abuse or health issues. This program has particularly helped people who had been camped out downtown, along SE 17th Street and State Road A1A, in municipal parks and in the Federal Highway corridor.

  • Affordable housing. Several new projects are in various stages of work to expand housing to low- and moderate-income individuals as we address the issues of housing affordability in Fort Lauderdale. Six13 has opened and features 142 workforce rental units. It was partially funded through assistance from our community redevelopment agency. The River Garden Townhomes opened for sale at affordable prices after similarly being built with CRA assistance. The city is working with Mt. Hermon AME Church to build affordable senior housing on its campus. And two projects are underway for new affordable housing towers near the Andrews Avenue-Sistrunk Boulevard intersection.
 
So, this is a truly exciting time in Fort Lauderdale’s history. We are on the precipice of great things, and there is more to come. 

Yours,


Dean
Mayor Trantalis pays tribute to police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in our city. He was joined by other members of the City Commission, the Police Department and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 31.
Mayor Trantalis congratulates the Lauderdale Yacht Club's first female commodore, Stephanie Toothaker.
Mayor Trantalis and Magistrate Alvan Balent Jr. join the Florida AIDS Walk on Fort Lauderdale Beach
The City Commission helps unveil the AutoNation's partnership with InterMiami soccer team at the DRV PNK Stadium.
Mayor Trantalis congratulates the youth sailors of the Lauderdale Yacht Club for participating in the Street Art Regatta.
Mayor Trantalis and Broward Vice Mayor Michael Udine celebrate the rebranding of the Convention & Visitors Bureau as Visit Lauderdale.
Miami's mayor, Francis Suarez, joins Mayor Trantalis at the official launch of Fort Lauderdale's new stadium for InterMiami's soccer team.
Mayor Trantalis welcomes representatives of Taiwan and Japan to the Asian-American Pacific Islander celebration at the Museum of Discovery & Science.
Mayor Trantalis meets with members of the military during the Fort Lauderdale Air Show as it was held on the beach in early May.
Mayor Trantalis helps cut the ribbon to open Fort Lauderdale's newest Wawa on Powerline Road.
Mayor Trantalis hosts a discussion for community leaders about tunneling ideas from Elon Musk's The Boring Company
Mayor Trantalis and the Galt Ocean Mile pays tribute to the late Pio Ieraci with a bench dedication in his honor. For three decades, Ieraci represented the interests of the Galt Mile community and was active in making Fort Lauderdale the city it is today.