Lauderdale postpones vote on 7-tower Galleria project

A proposal to dramatically remake the Galleria mall property by wrapping it with seven condo towers continues inching forward in Fort Lauderdale.

But city commissioners Tuesday night postponed to April 4 a vote related to the project.

The developer, Keystone-Florida Property Holding Corporation, proposes creating a new residential community of 1,250 new condos or apartments around the mall, in the 2400 block of Sunrise Boulevard, west of the Intracoastal Waterway.

The tallest three of the seven towers would rise along Sunrise Boulevard: a 27-story, 285-foot condo with 438 condos; a 25-story, 105-unit tower; and a 24-story, 167-unit tower.

Behind the mall on its south side would rise a 13-story, 200-unit tower; an 11-story, 159-unit tower; a nine-story, 101-unit tower, and a sevenstory, 80-unit tower.

The developer is seeking to build condos on parts of the property where residential buildings aren’t allowed. Tuesday’s request was to plat the property, an initial step required for any redevelopment to take place. It’s just one of several approvals needed if the project is to be built. Lawyerlobbyist George Platt said if commissioners had voted against it, the project would have been set back a year. Attorney Steve Tilbrook said the developer can’t get a building permit for a new building without the plat approval.

City Commissioner Dean Trantalis said the “community is looking for some change on that site.” But, he added, “the debate is what that change is.’’

The developer also needs city approval to rezone the property, add the ability to build more residential units, and win approvals for the detailed site plan laying out what

the project will look like and how traffic, parking and other issues will be handled.

Under what’s proposed, the mall would get a face-lift also, and the inside, including the food court, would be renovated, according to the developer website livegalleriaftl.com. The developer says on the website that it is demonstrating a commitment to the environment with its plan to “replace more than 10 acres of asphalt surface parking lots with engaging residential areas, green space and community plazas.’’

Amenities for the community would include 13 acres of open space, five of them “elevated.” A rooftop community space would offer a community garden and rooftop yoga, for example. The developer also promises the community outdoor fitness equipment, a nearly one-acre park, green space with seating at welcome centers on Northeast 26th Avenue and at Bayview Drive, the two project main entrances; a dog park; and a 1.25-mile pedestrian fitness loop.

Some of the mall’s immediate neighbors in the Corinthian condo and the Sunrise Intracoastal single-family home neighborhood say the developer is asking for too much. Sunrise Intracoastal Homeowner Association President Jim Concannon said the community supports redevelopment of the site, but not what’s on the table.

“It’s a lot of density packed into a small area,’’ said Concannon, manager of a tech company.

Right now, the Corinthian, at 200 feet, is the tallest building in the area. Three of the proposed towers would be higher than that.

Theo Folz, president of the condo association and a retired cigar company CEO, said townhomes, green space and a park would be better. He said the community already has everything a person could need, but would like to see investment in the mall itself.