Tamarac townhomes proposed on empty land by temple, schools

Six new, two-story townhouses are proposed for an empty strip of land off Commercial Boulevard in Tamarac.

Called The Lakes of Tamarac, the project would have the rental townhomes within two buildings at 5890 NW 94th Ave., next to the Caporella Aquatic Center and the Temple Beth Torah Sha’aray Tzedek synagogue.

The plans are pending city approval. They were scheduled to be heard by the Development Review Committee today.

The land originally was planned as a skateboard park, but the city decided it would be more efficient to put the park inside the existing roller hockey rink at the Tamarac Sports Complex, said city spokeswoman Elise Boston.

New townhome construction is the rage, according to the National Association of Home Builders, a Washington, D.C.-based trade organization that predicts “future gains” for townhomes. Many townhouse buyers are going from being a renter to an owner, downsizing, or seeking to live in urban sprawl.

“Most millennials want to own a home but, unlike prior generations, they’re willing to accept and … seek out more walkability,” said Robert Dietz, chief economist with the National Association of Home Builders in Washington, D.C. “That’s a change from decades ago. Baby boomers were looking for a large lawn.”