Fort Lauderdale approves South Andrews area revamp

Fort Lauderdale’s South Andrews corridor — the area between the county courthouse and the Broward General Medical Center — is getting a major makeover this year in honor of the city’s 100th anniversary. After eight years of planning, city commissioners have approved a proposal for the rezoning and redevelopment of the area, including 1,500 new residences and 1 million square feet of office and retail space over the next two decades, all of which is supposed to breeze through the approvals process with the help of more lenient height and parking restrictions. Among the other neighborhood improvements are a transit station, small parks, curbside parking and a town center with shops and a hotel. The proposal faced some opposition from preservationists who have argued that there are around 90 properties in the mostly-dilapidated area that may have historic value and would need further review. But the city has promised to look further into preservation issues as the next step in the planning process. [Sun Sentinel]