Fort Lauderdale officials have rezoned the 360-acre Uptown industrial corridor into a transit-oriented activity center, triggering a construction wave of 7,000 residential units and a massive retail redevelopment that is reshaping the district.
Zoning Shift Unlocks the Uptown Activity Center
The City of Fort Lauderdale adopted a master plan in 2019 to rezone approximately 360 acres of commercial and industrial land into a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use district known as the Uptown Urban Village. City officials designated the corridor as an Activity Center under Broward County land-use amendment PC 24-6. This classification eliminates the requirement for developers to secure individual land-use amendments for residential projects.
The Uptown Urban Village boundaries stretch from McNab Road south to Northwest 56th Street, and from Interstate 95 west to Powerline Road. Under the Activity Center guidelines, the city pre-approved the area for up to 4,239 residential units and 1,600 hotel rooms. The zoning rules permit maximum building heights of 150 feet, which translates to 13 to 15 stories, and require developers to provide at least seven acres of collective open space.
Local guidelines mandate that at least 15 percent of the pre-allocated units, equaling 635 homes, must serve as affordable housing. These units must remain reserved for households earning up to 120 percent of the Area Median Income for a minimum of 30 years.
Developers Launch Multi-Family Projects
Within a 1.5-mile radius of the Cypress Creek interchange, developers have planned or started construction on approximately 7,000 residential units. Fort Lauderdale boundaries contain more than 3,000 of these apartments, while neighboring Pompano Beach hosts approximately 4,000 units. The Pomp, a $2 billion, 223-acre mixed-use development by Caesars Entertainment, anchors the Pompano Beach pipeline.
Grover Corlew broke ground in June 2025 on Mayla Cypress, a seven-story luxury apartment complex located at 6261 NW 6th Way. Grover Corlew secured a $92 million construction loan in June 2025 through Berkadia, financed by Affinius Capital, to fund the 312-unit development. Rising on a 3.71-acre site that formerly housed an office building, the complex will share a 586-space parking facility with the adjacent Citrix campus. Grover Corlew plans to open leasing in the third quarter of 2026, with construction completion targeted for May 2027.
Nearby, joint venture Meyers Accesso purchased a 2.2-acre site at 6210 North Andrews Avenue for $8 million. Meyers Accesso acquired the site to construct Avery Cypress Creek, an eight-story mixed-use development. The developers secured a $45 million senior construction loan through Northmarq, provided by Goodman Capital, in January 2026. The project will deliver 200 apartments and 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail by 2027, setting aside 24 units for affordable housing.
Retail Demolition Clears the Way for Walkable Districts
Transit-oriented developments require walkable amenities, prompting a realignment of local commercial retail. Cypress Creek Associates LP, a division of Kimco Realty, is driving a retail redevelopment at 6415 North Andrews Avenue. The firm demolished the 16-screen Regal Cypress Creek Station theater, which closed on March 9, 2025. Workers began demolishing the theater, an adjacent Sola Salons, and an Office Depot in December 2025 to make room for a 121,633-square-foot Super Target store.
Waypoint Residential is building WP Aspire Cypress Creek at 20 NE 62nd Street. The five-story project includes 345 residential units and 4,519 square feet of ground-floor retail on the western half of the Florida Department of Transportation Tri-Rail park-and-ride lot. Waypoint controls the parcel through a 99-year ground lease. The developer is coordinating this construction with Cypress Crossing, a sister 286-unit mixed-use development located on the eastern half of the lot in neighboring Oakland Park. Waypoint will build a 694-space parking garage connected to Aspire to replace the surface parking lot and three Broward County Transit bus stops.
Jim Hetzel, urban design and planning manager for Fort Lauderdale, outlined the city's vision of creating an active neighborhood aesthetic. Hetzel compared the desired atmosphere to a less artsy version of the F.A.T. Village arts district or Wynwood. Local business owners support the demographic shifts. Adam Siegel, owner of Adam & Joe’s Eatery, stated he welcomes the arriving population.
Displacement Challenges Uptown Residents
The rapid growth of the Uptown district has displaced existing communities. Cypress Development LLC proposed Cypress Multifamily on a 23-acre parcel at 150 NW 68th Street. The Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted unanimously to approve plans for the project in late 2025. The development features 973 units across 15 buildings, including 10 multifamily buildings and five townhome buildings.
The builder committed to reserving 145 workforce housing units for households earning 120 percent of the area median income or less for 30 years. A parking reduction will allow the developer to provide 1,500 parking spaces.
The land acquired for the development formerly housed the Pan American Estates mobile home park. The sale of the park displaced more than 200 low-income families. Park management firm The Urban Group issued a formal six-month notice to vacate in October 2023, requiring residents of the 239 mobile home sites to clear the park by April 22, 2024. The eviction caused community outcry, as many low-income residents had bought or heavily renovated their homes. This transition highlights the friction between regional real estate expansion and the preservation of affordable housing.
Disclosure: This article was drafted with AI assistance by The Sundaze Gazette editorial team and reviewed before publication.
Source: This article was developed based on reporting by The Sundaze Gazette editorial team and local municipal planning records. — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQHO9Vr8YSeJvh9IJnsYsPBrTXytWJIY80-sIoR0A0PBZ1Gyi5Qp8nrsRdtv7Uh6qXMwxlVRZr5MTNpx5ofEr-1Yo4YtFDKbvQ5MNKOqlkrNSQpu7vUEkQeZv_0bSm8lCp4xTc1ed_EwTDarIuB27h0iIaPl6ATk7OT7yLFehFgRle_XYgIkXco1gqeUubbxr7x4ERo58iQVxRjmX0T3d6BTbKePay6XH4MrNqOBDUfGTRmTCk895Sz7qnuHhtP8zgFAcUdq
