Townhomes proposed for Lighthouse Point
Waterfront residences would be built on site of Yacht Club
A developer wants to build dozens of townhomes on the site of the Lighthouse Point Yacht Club.
The plan, to be heard at a joint workshop of the City Commission and Planning and Zoning Board on Tuesday, proposes 33 waterfront townhouses within eight buildings and a new yacht club. If all the city boards approve, the next step would be to go before the county for rezoning approvals.
Fort Lauderdale builder Terence “Terry” Paterson, who bought the yacht club last year in an almost $16 million deal, said his project would be “heavily landscaped, lush, contemporary style yacht club living.”
He said profits on the sale of the townhomes would go into rebuilding the 1961 club from scratch, at a cost of about $20 million.
“The clubhouse has weathered beyond a point of simple restoration,” according to the application filed with City Hall. The yacht club would be for both club members and townhouse residents. Other on-site amenities would include a tennis court, marina, event patio, gym, spa, two restaurants with bars, and two pools.
The residents and members will be “part of the exclusive club with access to all the amenities,” Paterson said.
The 33 townhouses would be on 3.3 acres of land between the San Marco and Rialto canals. They would be three stories each — with four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, 10-foot ceilings, glass railings outside and floating staircases inside — and measure more than 3,000 square feet, Paterson said. Prices would range from $1.5 million to $1.95 million.
Construction could begin June 2019 on the homes, and a month later on the clubhouse.
Paterson said he chose townhomes because there is demand: “People want to move out of their $6 million waterfront home, but they don’t want to leave Lighthouse Point and there aren’t many options,” Paterson said. “It’s what the community needs.”
Townhouse projects are rare in Lighthouse Point: In June, a developer was cleared to build a 12-unit townhouse community, the first such project in a decade. Building permits are expected to be filed by November, developer Adam Adache said this week.
The 80-unit Vintage townhomes were built in 2005, and a second project of an eight-unit development at 3861 NE 22nd Way was constructed in 2008, according to City Clerk Jennifer Oh.
“People want to move out of their $6 million waterfront home, but they don’t want to leave Lighthouse Point.”
Terence Paterson, builder