Fort Lauderdale is closer to getting a new police headquarters
From David Volz
The City of Fort Lauderdale is one step closer to beginning construction on a new police headquarters. The City Commission adopted a resolution issuing a Site Plan Level IV Development Permit for the new Fort Lauderdale Police Headquarters Building. This project includes the construction of a new 191,000-square-foot police facility featuring a three-story headquarters building with a parking garage, indoor training range, and community center at 1300 W. Broward Boulevard in the Sailboat Bend Historic District. An updated cost estimate is expected in early September and construction could begin as soon as late this calendar year.
The City Commission approved a $2,954,062 agreement with Poseidon Dredge & Marine, Inc. for the Southeast Isles Seawall Replacements and Stormwater Improvements Project. This project includes the replacement of approximately 790 linear feet of existing seawalls along East Las Olas Boulevard and along SE 10 Street. Nearby stormwater infrastructure will be improved to ensure proper drainage of surface water runoff. Construction is expected to begin in early 2023.
The City Commission passed a motion accepting $1,782,257 in State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds. Together with $50,000 in estimated program income for FY 2022-2023, this results in a total of $1,832,257 available for affordable housing. The funds will be utilized to implement strategies identified in the City’s approved 2022-2025 Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP), which focuses on making affordable residential units available to persons of very low income, low income, or moderate income and to persons with special needs including homeless individuals, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
The City Commission adopted a resolution to enter into an Affordable Housing Development Agreement with Sunshine Shipyard, LLC related to The Arcadian development at 640 NW 7 Avenue. Of the 480 residential units, 48 units will be set aside as affordable in perpetuity to be rented to households with a gross household income that is up to 100% of the median gross household income within Broward County. The development will also include 15,000 square feet of commercial use space.
A new recreation option is coming to Fort Lauderdale Beach. Teqball USA, LLC has donated three teqball tables to the City with an estimated value of $7,197 to assist with developing teqball as a community sport. The tables, which look like curved ping pong tables, are used together with a soccer ball. Two tables will be permanently located on the southern end of Fort Lauderdale Beach in the activity area near the volleyball courts. The third table is a portable table that will be set up at future City events.
| Fort Lauderdale to hold budget hearings From David Volz The City’s Budget Advisory Board (BAB) expressed unanimous support for the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget, which totals $981 million. BAB Chair Brian Donaldson spoke on behalf of the Board and highlighted the fact that less than 25% of the overall budget comes from ad valorem tax revenue, reflecting the diverse funding sources that contribute to the City’s budget. To appropriately address levels of service in our growing city, the budget includes additional full-time positions for Police, Fire Rescue, Parks and Recreation, and other departments, bringing the total number of full-time City employees to 2,792 in FY 2023 from 2,698 in FY 2020. Interim City Auditor Patrick Reilly also presented a review of the FY 2023 budget and Community Investment Plan (CIP), concluding that the proposed budget is balanced and allocates funding to the City Commission’s priorities. The City Commission will hold budget hearings on Tuesday, September 6 and Monday, September 12. |
| Art Show will open at Deering Estate And Sometimes… The Space is Full of a Previous Space, a four-part series by current Deering Estate artist-in-residence Gustavo Matamoros, will premiere on Thursday September 1, 2022. A part of his yearlong residency, the program consists of a series of experimental collaborations with established intermedia artists using new technologies to combine site-specific recordings, local myth, language and archival content from the Subtropics collection. This project is funded in part by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation through the Knight Arts Challenge. This event will take place indoors at the Deering Estate Theater located at the Visitor Center. Admission to this program is free with RSVP on the individual evening program listings on Eventbrite. |
