Current Issues-Special Projects-E HO!-Sample Projects

Sample Eastward Ho! Projects

When the Palm Beach County school board abandoned the Delray Beach school complex in the 1980s, a group of concerned citizens banded together to save the historic buildings from being torn down. The Old School Square Inc., a private non-profit corporation, was formed to raise the funds needed to preserve and renovate the three school buildings on the four acre site. The total cost of the project was $7 million.

Today the Old School Square serves as an active arts and culture hub. The original school house, built in 1913, houses the Cornell Museum of Art and History. The auditorium, built in 1925, was reborn as the 322-seat Crest Theater which brings in traveling shows throughout the year. And the gymnasium, built in 1926, is now a function hall used for everything from trade shows to weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.

Mizner Park in Boca Raton: MIXED USE (PUBLIC/PRIVATE)

Planned as a traditional downtown where people work, shop, live and play, Mizner Park is one of the nation's most successful urban renewal efforts. Developed by Crocker & Company, this 30-acre "village-within-the-city" is a modern version of Main Street America utilizing the architecture style made famous in the region by Addison Mizner.

To strengthen the village ambiance, this mixed-use project is oriented "inward" with two retail/office buildings facing two retail/residential buildings across a central "village" green. Mizner Park includes 125,000 square feet of specialty retail shops and restaurants, 100,000 square feet of professional offices, 136 over-the-store luxury apartments and an additional 136 stand-alone townhomes and rental apartments, and an eight-screen AMC Theaters cinema. The 56,000 square foot International Museum of Cartoon Art opened this year and construction has begun on an 80,000 square foot Jacobson's department store.

Two-thirds of the 30-acre Mizner Park site is devoted to public areas, including a 2,000-seat performing arts amphitheater, broad arcade walkways, park areas and the heavily landscaped village green, dotted with gazebos, benches and fountains.

Harrison Street in Hollywood: COMMERCIAL RENOVATION (PUBLIC)

In an effort to bring life and business back to downtown Hollywood, the Community Redevelopment Agency initiated a $2.4 million restoration of Harrison Street. With its sidewalk cafes and art galleries, the city hopes Harrison Street will become the next Las Olas or South Beach.

In less than eight months, the stretch of Harrison Street between U.S. 1 and Dixie Highway received a complete facelift from Burkhardt contracting. It is now pedestrian-friendly with wide sidewalks and brick layers, decorative lighting and new landscaping. The street was also repaved and new drainage added. As a result of the city's rejuvenation of this area, Harrison Street has seen $2.5 million in private sector renovations and 15 new businesses have relocated to downtown Hollywood.

Sheppard Estate in Fort Lauderdale: HISTORIC PRESERVATION (PRIVATE)

Built in 1926 on 1.3 acres of land along Las Olas Boulevard, this Mediterranean Revival Style estate changed hands several times over the years. In the 1940's it was bought by the Sheppard family, who owned Hanover Shoes and Hanover Racing Farm (thoroughbred horses). The family kept it as a winter home until Mrs. Sheppard died in the late 1980's. The house had deteriorated over the years and many thought it would be destroyed. In an attempt to preserve the estate, the City Commission declared the estate an historic landmark, a status that protected the Sheppard House from the bulldozer.

In 1992, architect Michael Shiff purchased the property for $650,000 with the idea of selling the main house to Jim Prettyman and building nine townhouses, four on one side and five on the other side of the main house. The Historic Preservation Board approved the construction plan because it was the only way to preserve the integrity of the estate. Nine townhouses were built and sold for more than $300,000 each.

Prettyman paid $650,000 for the house and invested another $500,000 in renovations and furnishings. It has been restored in keeping with the spirit of the original estate. The Sheppard Estate is now a showplace of the community and Mr. Prettyman often opens his home to the community for various philanthropic affairs.

Regal Trace in Fort Lauderdale: URBAN RENEWAL (Private/Public)

In the early 1980's, the City of Fort Lauderdale approved a Redevelopment Plan for a 35-block area in Northwest Fort Lauderdale and invested $15 million in the project. In November 1991, the City selected Milton Jones, owner of Jones Development Corporation, for the development of 408 affordable rental apartments, recreational facilities, and day care center. The City contributed the land (valued at $2 million) and installed the necessary infrastructure (valued at $1.6 million). The Developer, Mr. Jones, secured $25 million in financing for the project, including bank financing from a consortium of lenders, a Florida Housing Finance Agency low interest second mortgage and Low Income Housing Tax Credits.

Last fall, Mr. Jones' dream to provide upscale, moderately-priced rental housing in urban Fort Lauderdale was realized with the opening of his development, Regal Trace.

The $30 million luxury garden apartment complex is located at Sistrunk Boulevard and Northwest Fourth Avenue. Regal Trace offers 408 fully-equipped apartments located within a gated community, with swimming pools, tennis courts, basketball courts and clubhouses with work-out rooms.

Regal Trace marked the beginning of the revival of Northwest Fort Lauderdale. Mr. Jones has won approval by the City to build a commercial center including a drugstore and shops, just a few blocks from Regal Trace. City View, a complex of 70 townhomes, is nearing completion. And the City is underwriting the construction of single-family homes for first-time homeowners.

Arts and Science District in Fort Lauderdale: DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT (Public)

In 1986, the City of Fort Lauderdale adopted a plan to create a "Riverwalk" along the New River in the heart of downtown. This linear park along the northern riverbank would link three distinct areas, the Arts & Science District, Entertainment District and Office and Retail District. The Riverwalk development was funded by a $44.7 million revitalization package funded by a voter-approved bond issue. Substantial arts grants and private funding also helped make the Arts & Science District a reality.

The cornerstone of the Arts & Science District is the $55 million, two theater Broward Center for the Performing Arts which sits along the banks of the New River. Across the street sits the $30 million hands-on Museum of Discovery and Science and Blockbuster IMAX Theater. Esplanade Park runs along the river. The $3 million project consists of an amphitheater, a larger-than-life sundial and various hand-on exhibits.

The newest addition to the Arts & Science District is the New World Aquarium, which is now in the development stage.

Edison Gardens, Fern Isle Gardens, Rio Gardens, St. Hugh Oaks Village in Miami: RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT (PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS)

These rental, townhomes for ownership and single-family detached condominiums are being funded through a mix of City of Miami Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME, Housing Bonds, and/or State Housing Initiative Plan (SHIP) dollars for seeding private development either through Community Development Corporations or private development companies. Edison Gardens at NW 58th and 59th Streets and 7th Avenue has 100 rental apartments, Fern Isle Gardens at 1300 NW 24th Avenue has 52 townhomes for ownership and Rio Gardens at SW 2nd and 3rd Streets and SW 4th and 5th Avenue has 22 townhomes for ownership.

St. Hugh Oaks Village is a rehabilitation project designed by Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and is located at 3601 SW 37th Avenue. Financing for Its 23 single-family detached condominiums is available to moderate income households.

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This page and all contents prepared by the South Florida Regional Planning Council.
Updated on Jan. 10, 1997