Fort Lauderdale Offers Support for Cypress Creek Development

Over the years the Cypress Creek Road area has been more or less a popular location for major commercial activity. Many companies have set up shop in the area only to leave within a relatively short time. Now, the city’s Planning and Zoning Board has offered its support behind changing code for the area that will help foster growth. According to proponents, these changes would open the door to an “Uptown Urban Village” that would cover over 350 acres.

The concept has been in the works for 5 years via a public-private partnership named Envision Uptown. This leverages transportation options including the Executive Airport, Cypress Creek Tri-Rail Station and I-95.

Currently there are numerous companies in the area such as Hotwire, Microsoft, and Citrix which employ thousands of people. With these businesses comes the challenge of nearly 70,000 cars filling up the corridor every business day. Part of the plan’s success for the area is going to be reliant on creating a progressive village where one can live, work and play with ease of commuting on foot, bike or public transit.

The city board has amended its land-use plan for the area that streamlines the process for change. Dana Pollitt, secretary of the executive board of Envision Uptown states “If one of the land owners owns an office building and they want to develop the parking lot into some type of mixed-use, they won’t have to go through the rigorous process that they typically would.”

The amendment will allow for the building of 2,500 more residences in the area. President of Envision Uptown, Cary Goldberg, states “there are projects in the hopper right now” that are positioned to take advantage of the new approach. One is a restaurant and hotel project on the northeast corner of Andrews Ave and Cypress Creek. It would be a Twin Peaks restaurant with outdoor seating along with a Fairfield Inn with a 230 space parking garage.

Although the new amendments will still need City Commission and Broward County approval, planners are seeking to agree on compromises with developers so that proposed projects at least will approach the look and designs that are within the scope of the revised plan.

The city has been working with inbound businesses already. Starbucks has recently opened in the area and Wawa’s plan for their location has been approved with some changes.