Towers proposed for Searstown site
Tallest building would rise 30 stories in Fort Lauderdale
A group of gleaming residential towers with mid-century architectural designs could replace the aging Searstown plaza, redefining Fort Lauderdale’s skyline and reshaping a corridor that often draws complaints of too much traffic.
The tallest two towers would rise 30 stories. There also would be new 15- and 17-story buildings.
The plans, unveiled by a developer and presented to a review committee Tuesday, call for a total overhaul of the property off North Federal Highway. It would be turned it into a burgeoning new community of high-rises with shops and restaurants and a 10,000-square-foot art studio.
The proposal comes in three parts:
■ Two 30-story towers and a 15-story tower with 819 residential units would be built at 901 N. Federal Highway, along with 71,960 square feet of retail and office space, 4,000 square feet of restaurants, a 4,000-square-foot food hall, and parking for 1,351 vehicles.
■ A 17-story, 240-room hotel would rise at 550 NE 9th St., where there would be nearly 3,500 square feet of restaurants, a café with outdoor seating and parking for nearly 300 vehicles.
■ A 15-story residential tower at 450 NE 9th St. would boast 135 units, as well as retail, restaurants, an art studio covering more than 10,000 square feet and parking for 230 vehicles.
The proposal is being offered by RK
Centers, which is led by Raanan Katz, a minority owner of the Miami Heat NBA basketball team.
Planning started last August, said Andrew Zidar, leasing and development manager with RK Centers. He said no timetable has been set for groundbreaking and completion. But he said the company, which owns 8 million square feet of retail properties in Florida and New England, is aggressively pursuing city approvals to get started.
‘We are full speed ahead,” he said.
‘Gridlock traffic every day’
The project, though, comes at a difficult time for Fort Lauderdale residents rocked by a series of recent sewer pipe breaks that caused flooding in high-end neighborhoods and triggered protests from angry residents who assert that the city is overdeveloped and lagging behind in its efforts to fix its old and fragile water and sewer systems.
“It’s pretty unbelievable given the latest infrastructure problems,” said Victoria Park resident John Golia, a former Connecticut resident. “We are in gridlock traffic every day and Sunrise Boulevard is one of the worst roads.”
The site is bordered by North Federal Highway on the east, East Sunrise Boulevard to the north and Flagler Drive on the northwest. Two other city streets to the south and west make the property an island of outdated buildings.
On any given afternoon, there is heavy traffic along that stretch of Federal Highway. Traffic routinely backs up for blocks from the point where Federal Highway merges with Sunrise Boulevard. Tie-ups also occur when the railroad crossing gates on Sunrise go down to allow Brightline and Florida East Coast Railway trains to pass through.
Resident Kevin Cochrane wondered how such a massive project at one of Fort Lauderdale’s most notorious choke points would affect both traffic and sewer pipes.
“Development above the ground is vastly outpacing development below the ground,” he said. “This is a massive project. Until we get our issues in order, we need to take a pause. This is a lot larger than a 150-unit hotel.”
Cochrane was referring to the commission’s recent decision to approve a 150-room hotel in mid-December, even as raw sewage spewed into the Tarpon River from a ruptured pipe in Rio Vista. Mayor Dean Trantalis cast the lone “no” vote.
“We keep burying our heads in the sand and pretending we don’t have a problem,” Trantalis said at the time, referring to the city’s crumbling pipes. He could not be reached Tuesday to discuss the Searstown project.
Stan Eichelbaum, president of the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Civic Association, shared the same concern.
“I would hope the city would take due caution on any project right now and not move forward until we have sewer, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure in place, before we burden the system any further,” he said. “We have an aged system that has to be assessed inch by inch.”
But Dylan Lagi, past president of the Flagler Village Civic Association, thinks the project will bring a vibrant village vibe to a blighted section of town that desperately needs it.
“That property is doing nothing now,” Lagi said. “It’s time for a change.”
Commissioner Steve Glassman said he wants to hear from residents in the neighboring Flagler Village community.
“This is a big project,” he said. “It’s going to be scrutinized from top to bottom. And the Flagler village neighborhood is going to have to weigh in. We are going to have to examine this one really closely because of the size and the impact.”
Carolyn Larke, a longtime resident who lives in the Tarpon River neighborhood, worried about more pipes breaking.
“If the pipes were put in in the 1960s or 1970s, only a fool would say the pipes aren’t going to break,” she said. “So maybe it won’t pop at Flagler Village, what about further down? Something’s going to blow. They’re acting like the pipes are going to last forever.”
Both Zidar and Fort Lauderdale attorney Courtney Crush, who represents the company, said the developer is looking forward to meeting with residents to hear their concerns and opinions.
“We’re obviously sensitive to what’s going on in the community, Zidar said. “We’ve asked our team to back and really dig in” to examine the area’s needs and prepare a report.
“We’ve done a traffic study in relation to the project,” he added. “We recognize there will have to be improvements made to U.S. 1 and improvements to Ninth Street.” That street is a narrow east-west thoroughfare that runs past the south entrance to Sears and borders parking lots on the south side of the building.
Readying for change
Zidar says it’s time to revamp the plaza because of the rapid development moving north from downtown, the rise of Flagler Village, as well as other upgrades along Sunrise Boulevard and Victoria Park.
“We’re kind of in the epicenter of all of that,” Zidar said. “We realize the importance of the site and something of great magnitude needs to be done.”
Crush said many steps remain to be taken before construction crews descend on the site. The developer intends to gauge the views of residents and businesses from Flagler Village, Victoria Park and other nearby neighborhoods.
In addition, an attorney representing Sears told the committee that the retailer holds a lease that runs through 2031, as well as an option to buy the property that expires in 2024. Sears did not respond to a request for comment.
The closure of the Sears there would effectively end the iconic brand’s presence in Fort Lauderdale, which started in the late 1930s on South Andrews Avenue.
The department store and auto repair center continue to operate amid reports that Sears is shutting hundreds of stores nationally. Sears Holdings — owner of Sears and Kmart — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in 2018. The site of the Searstown complex, which contains a number of freestanding independent businesses, is owned by an affiliate of RK Associates.
Plan surprises businesses
The plaza along its west side has a number of independent businesses, including an insurance agency, hair salon, Jiu-Jitsu studio, pet groomer, florist and a Cuban cafe. All are technically tenants of Sears. Two owners on Tuesday said they were nervous about the prospect of being forced to relocate.
Esmeralda Nika started her Athena Hair & Spa at the plaza last August. “This plaza is dead,” she said.
She mainly relies on a private client list to generate business, and with a friend, has big plans to offer European styles, facials, bridal parties and spray tanning services. She said she had “no idea” the property may be redeveloped and hoped to remain there for 10 years. Her lease runs for three years.
“It’s going to be really painful for me if I have to move,” said L. Scott Hoff, who has operated Florida State Insurance and Auto Tags for 23 years on the Sunrise Boulevard side of the plaza. “I don’t have a choice.”
He said many of his customers are walk-in patrons who see his signs posted in large picture windows visible from the street. “It’s a location that’s impossible to duplicate,” he said.