FORT LAUDERDALE — Don’t blink.
Ten years from now, you might not recognize Fort Lauderdale’s busiest beach corridor. A dramatic transformation years in the making is finally underway.
Just look at the newly renovated Las Olas Marina, a $60 million project that has been in the works for eight years.
The 88-slip marina, with floating concrete docks designed for some of the world’s largest yachts, opened Dec. 1 at 151 Las Olas Circle, replacing an old city parking lot from the 1950s.
The asphalt site was dredged to make way for the world-class marina, which can handle ships from 20 to 90 meters.
Big change is coming to that entire corridor, said Dan Lindblade, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.
“We are no longer the Spring Break Capital of the World,” Lindblade told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “We are now the hunting capital of the world. This is what we had in mind in the 1990s. I know some people who like old Fort Lauderdale, but we have to move on and move forward. Everything is coming together for us now.”
The new marina is just one piece of the puzzle, but a very important piece, said Vice Mayor Steve Glassman, whose district includes the new marina and nearby Bahia Mar, home of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
“Everyone wants to be here: businesses, residents, yachts,” Glassman said. “We have become a very popular destination. And we have to take that into account.”
The new marina is night and day similar to what was there before, Glassman said.
“I don’t remember how many slips there were, but it’s a fraction of what’s there now,” Glassman said. “And it wasn’t a marina for mega yachts. It’s a whole new presence for that place. It will be a great destination.”
On the map
Other projects in the pipeline nearby include:
— Bahia Mar: The long-awaited redevelopment of the taxpayer peninsula south of Las Olas calls for four 350-unit condo towers that will stand 270 feet tall; a 197-key luxury resort under the St. Regis brand that will stand 300 feet tall; luxury restaurants; luxury stores; a public park and a 25 meter wide promenade that encircles the entire 39 hectare site. Home to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the 250-slip marina will accommodate megayachts up to 330 feet. Bahia Mar’s Marina Village, a $16 million outdoor entertainment village, opened earlier this year.
— Las Olas Ocean: The massive project would take up three blocks, just north of the iconic Elbo Room at Las Olas and A1A. The developer plans to build what it calls a village of 29-story twin condo towers with 500 units; a hotel with 373 rooms; luxury shops and restaurants; and a parking garage with 1,323 spaces.
— The International Swimming Hall of Fame: A major $190 million makeover of the Hall of Fame complex is in the works, with plans for an aquarium, a rooftop restaurant and a new museum. The project will brighten up the urban peninsula south of Las Olas with a modern five-story building on the east side, just steps from the beach, and a six-story building on the west side overlooking the Intracoastal. When the project is complete, two new buildings more than 100 feet tall will stand like bookends on either side of the Hall of Fame pools and diving tower.
To help beautify the corridor, Fort Lauderdale has spent millions upgrading the area’s public facilities.
In total, the city has invested a total of $70 million in projects including Las Olas Oceanside Park at A1A; the Las Olas parking garage; and the public promenade surrounding the marina.
The marina itself has been in the works for almost ten years.
In 2016, Suntex was hired by Fort Lauderdale to build the marina at its own expense. Suntex manages and operates the new Las Olas Marina under a 50-year lease with the city.
The project started two years ago and came in just under budget at $60 million, said Eric Metz, senior director of development at Suntex Marinas.
A new anchor for the beach
But don’t think of the marina just as a place to dock your megayacht, Metz said.
It will also serve as a meeting point with three upscale restaurants, including Ocean Prime. The nationally acclaimed seafood and steak restaurant is expected to open next spring.
“The marina has an opportunity to re-anchor this part of the beach, with the public boardwalk and walkability of the project,” Metz said. “Ocean Prime is a signature restaurant of high caliber. If you put that in the context of what we do, it will redefine that whole area.”
Marina customers will find a three-story building complete with a captain and crew lounge, chef’s kitchen, rooftop gym, plunge pool, restroom/shower facilities and a harbor master’s office.
“It will be a complete amenity package there for people mooring their yachts,” Glassman said. “And you don’t have to be a yacht owner to enjoy it.”
Bigger marina, bigger impact
The marina is located on both sides of the bridge over the Intracoastal. For the time being, only the docks on the north side are open.
“We have two docks south of the bridge,” said McLayne Sisk, general manager of the marina. “We also want to have the south side open in January or February.”
The old marina had only 60 berths, 28 fewer than the new marina. The slips could only handle boats up to 60 feet.
“I was here when we closed the old marina on April 1, 2022,” Sisk said. “It was a smaller marina. They only had fixed docks. Our briefs are a lot bigger now. It was a complete renovation.”
The new marina is just part of the dramatic change awaiting that part of the barrier island, Glassman agreed.
“We’ve done a tremendous amount of work in that entire corridor, from the beach to the bridge,” he said. “And now we have the marina, the last piece of the puzzle. The marina may become the crown jewel of all that work. Kids used to come out of the bars on A1A and smash beer bottles in the parking lot. That has now disappeared. It’s really cleaned up. It’s a win-win situation.”
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan
