Fort Lauderdale Revitalizes Sistrunk Corridor

Fort Lauderdale officials are moving ahead with two affordable housing projects on the Sistrunk corridor while residents and business owners debate whether redevelopment will help longtime neighbors stay or accelerate displacement. A groundbreaking ceremony for The Alridge and The Laramore was held on May 13 at 1204 Sistrunk Boulevard, according to the city’s event calendar and the Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency. (fortlauderdale.gov) The two buildings are part of a $42 million mixed-use development along a historic stretch of northwest Fort Lauderdale that city leaders have said they want to revive without pushing out existing residents. (cbsnews.com) Neighbors interviewed by CBS Miami said that promise remains unsettled as rents rise and the corridor changes. (fortlauderdalecra.com) ### Which project actually broke ground on Sistrunk this week? The Alridge and The Laramore are the two projects that broke ground on Wednesday, May 13, at 1204 Sistrunk Boulevard, city and CRA notices show. The development is also referred to as Sistrunk Apartments in CRA materials. The Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency said the development will bring 72 apartments and ground-floor commercial space to the corridor. CBS Miami reported the two properties will have 36 units each and space for small businesses. ### How much housing is being added, and who is it meant for? (fortlauderdale.gov) The CRA says The Alridge will include 36 apartments — 12 two-bedroom units, 16 one-bedroom units and eight studios — while The Laramore will include 36 apartments made up of 20 two-bedroom units and 16 one-bedroom units. Both projects are described as mixed-use affordable housing developments. (fortlauderdale.gov) Affordability will be maintained for at least 30 years, according to the CRA project pages. The agency said the buildings are intended for households earning up to 60% of Broward County area median income, with rent capped at 30% of gross household income, including utilities. CBS Miami reported expected rents of about $1,100 for a one-bedroom and $1,350 for a two-bedroom. (cbsnews.com) ### Why is Sistrunk different from another housing site in Fort Lauderdale? Sistrunk Boulevard is a historic Black business corridor in Fort Lauderdale, and the city has been explicit that redevelopment there is tied to heritage as well as housing. The city’s “I Am Sistrunk” campaign describes the area as a historic corridor centered on resilience, culture and community ownership. (fortlauderdalecra.com) CBS Miami reported that the corridor is named after Dr. James Sistrunk, described as Broward County’s first Black doctor and a founder of the county’s first Black hospital. Business owner Chris Smith told CBS the boulevard was once the hub of the Black community’s stores and restaurants. (fortlauderdalecra.com) ### What are residents worried about? Gerline Heastie, a 90-year-old resident who told CBS Miami she has lived off Sistrunk Boulevard her whole life, said the area has “changed tremendously.” CBS reported that some neighbors feel they are being forced out even as officials describe the new units as a way to keep residents in place. (fortlauderdale.gov) Pamela Beasley-Pittman, the Fort Lauderdale city commissioner whose district includes the area, told CBS Miami that some people along the corridor feel they are being moved out without enough affordable options. She said her goal is to tell residents, “you are welcome, you are home, let’s stay home.” (cbsnews.com) ### How is the city financing redevelopment there? The Fort Lauderdale CRA says it uses property-tax increment revenue to fund redevelopment, affordable housing, infrastructure and related projects in its redevelopment areas. The city says the commission serves as the CRA board. (cbsnews.com) CRA records show the board approved the proposal for The Aldridge and The Laramore in November 2021 and awarded an $8 million development incentive loan plus CRA-owned land for the projects. More recent CRA project pages list each building with a $4 million CRA contribution and mark both as under construction. (cbsnews.com) ### What comes next on the corridor? The CRA’s May 13 notice called the groundbreaking the start of construction on the $42 million development and said the project will add retail space for small businesses alongside the apartments. The agency’s project pages continue to list both buildings as under construction. (fortlauderdale.gov) Fort Lauderdale’s city and CRA websites are the main public sources for updates, including event listings, project descriptions and commission materials. Commissioner Beasley-Pittman and the CRA have both been public faces of the Sistrunk redevelopment effort as construction moves ahead. (fortlauderdale.gov) (fortlauderdalecra.com) (fortlauderdalecra.com)