FORT LAUDERDALE — Take a drive down Andrews Avenue in Flagler Village and it’s hard to miss the massive $500 million development being constructed.
“We’re going to bring people to the area and now we will make it a more refined art walk, we’ll make it an art district,” said Alan Hooper.
Hooper is the CEO of Urban Street Development, one of the developers in partnership with Hines, Cresset Real Estate and Las Americas.
He said the area will be transformed into a mixed-use district, an ode to what stood there before.
“It was called FAT village and that stood for Flagler Arts and Technology and every month they’d have an art walk, they had murals, they had areas with galleries, well now it’s FAT but it’s going to be Food, Art and Technology,” Hooper said.
Housing and timber office space
The district will have 850 apartment units in two buildings — one for luxury living, another that’s more affordable with rent starting at $1,900.
There will also be a unique six-story, 180,000-square-foot office building built of timber, a more sustainable option. Hooper said the concept is one of roughly a dozen in the country.
Underneath those buildings will be retail, restaurants and entertainment spaces.
Hooper calls it a creative hub.
A boutique alternative to Miami
“FAT village is coming back to being an art district and that’s what’s unique, there’s really nothing like it in Fort Lauderdale. It’s like a little mini-Wynwood right, but Fort Lauderdale is a smaller city, it’s more boutique, it’s more approachable and we can make a huge impact with this project,” Hooper said.
Some small local businesses around the development, like Mitch’s Downtown, are looking forward to more foot traffic.
“It’s very exciting, new developments bring new business, new first-timers, guests that already know about us, we’re looking forward to it,” said Che White, Mitch’s Downtown general manager.
Residents welcome growth with caution
“I think growth and opportunity and youth, I think this is awesome,” said Cathy Tobin.
Tobin lives in Fort Lauderdale and said she remembers when the area wasn’t safe to walk in. She’s happy to see the positive changes, but hopes the city doesn’t continue to grow too quickly.
“I certainly don’t want it to become another Miami or Aventura and I think right now they’ve been very softly, softly and I think that’s a good thing. The areas that I’ve seen developed are the areas that there was nothing going on, but I wouldn’t want it to be high-rise central or the fact that it’s not an affordable place for lots of different people to live,” Tobin said.
Completion expected by 2026
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with people moving in by the beginning of 2027.
