‘Downtown West’ set for land near BB&T Center
The first steps are being taken to transform the taxpayerowned land around the BB&T Center in Sunrise into Downtown West.
The 143 empty acres across from the Sawgrass Mills mall would be filled with homes, shops, restaurants, offices and entertainment under a 20-year plan that Broward County is starting to implement.
“I think there’s lots of opportunity out there for a full development of the entire area,” Broward Commissioner
Nan Rich said. “I think it’s too early to say what components may be part of the end product. … Needs change and times change and you just have to follow it.”
An Urban Land Institute study for the site completed last year said potential uses could include an 840-room hotel, an indoor water park, 1.1 million square feet of office space and 1,000 apartments. The study also suggested a casino with a 500-room hotel, but Rich said that’s unlikely.
Even if residents wanted a casino, the state Legislature has been reluctant to issue new gambling permits.
“At this point, I don’t see it as a viable option,” Rich said.
Still, the county is determined to make better use of its land. On Tuesday, commissioners told staff to begin the long process of getting approval for such changes from the state and the city of Sunrise.
Development in the area is already booming:
The $1.5 billion Metropica development near Sunrise Boulevard and the Sawgrass Expressway is nearing completion of the first of eight planned 28-story luxury towers. It will also have shopping, entertainment and public spaces.
The first phase of the regional headquarters for American Express has been completed on Sunrise at Northwest 136th Avenue, adding 400,000 square feet of office space.
The 32-acre Westerra property across 136th Avenue from American Express was rezoned in March as the Stiles Corp. moves forward with plans to add 750 high-rise residential units, 50,000 square feet of commercial space, 750,000 square feet of office space and 1.6 acres of park and open space.
The county’s plans fit into Sunrise’s decades-long dream to create a downtown-like atmosphere near the fringes of the Everglades, Assistant City Manager Mark Lubelski said. City leaders would like to see the arena site developed more quickly, with homes and businesses popping up within 10 years, he said.
“We believe that we’re well positioned for this type of development,” Lubelski said.
Lubelski said the next steps will be for the county to start preparing a master plan that looks at different scenarios for the site and selecting a master developer to make it a reality.
Because it is early in the process, the public will have plenty of opportunity to make their wishes known, he said. Rich agrees. “We’re not doing anything as far as planning what the mixeduse development would be without bringing a lot of people to the table,” Rich said.
The county plans aren’t as grandiose as those for American Dream Miami, a mega-mall being planned 16 miles to the south in Miami-Dade County. Developers say that mall will be the largest in the country. It will also have a theme park and hotel, as well as an adjacent office park and residential community.
The BB&T site is more limited. It’s mostly the existing arena parking lot that would be available for development since three of the six parcels that make up the site have restrictions for wetlands or drainage requirements. Parking garages would have to be created to make up for the lost surface lots.
Sunrise hopes the Panthers, who have a lease to play at the BB&T Center until 2028, will continue to draw visitors to the western part of the county.
“We think the BB&T Center is a great regional amenity and we would like to see that stay,” Lubelski said.