Pier 66 Development Takes a Step Forward

Pier Sixty-Six in downtown Fort Lauderdale could soon see some major construction should the city’s commission approve a developer’s request. The proposal set forth is for the renovation of the hotel with plans for 750 residential units, 15,000 square feet of commercial space along with 4,000 square feet of marina space with 150 dry and 145 wet boat storage slips.

The commission had recently held a hearing for the development agreement which covers what the developer intends on doing over the next 20 years. The developer, Tavistock Development Co., is requesting that the commission approve the agreement before they solidify their plans for development.

The developer has been asked to provide a timeline by mid July of when the site plans will be prepared and the city would have its final vote then as well. If the agreement is approved, these plans would be submitted to the city, public hearings would be required and the City Commission would also need to vote before anything could get built.

Tavistock Development Co. bought the hotel site in 2016 along with the the neighboring Sails Marina a year later. The developer is requesting that the city view both parcels as one despite the fact that they are separated by 17th Street. The land is currently zoned for dwellings to not exceed 120 feet high and Tavistock is requesting a variance for the city to allow them to rebuild the 221 foot tall hotel at its current height. Recent hurricane Irma had caused damage to the tower where 40% of the rooms are unusable.

The development agreement would be active 14 days after being approved by the city and would remain in effect for 20 years. This is longer than the typical approval yet state law says that development agreements cannot exceed 30 years.