OceanLand plans 40-story apartment tower near Fort Lauderdale Brightline stop

Canadian transplant Jean Francois Roy’s development firm plans a 40-story apartment tower near the Brightline passenger train station in downtown Fort Lauderdale. 

OceanLand Investments wants to build the 392-unit building with a parking podium and  a 10th-floor amenity deck at 105 Northwest Third Avenue, according to a company news release and an OceanLand spokesperson. 

Designed by FSMY Architects + Planners, in partnership with AM Studio, the project would include roughly 8,800 square feet of ground-floor retail and possibly a restaurant. 

In March, OceanLand paid $13.2 million for the development site, which includes the adjacent lots at 113 and117 Northwest Third Avenue and at 110 Northwest Fourth Avenue. The land is west of the station. 

Construction is expected to start in the second half of 2025, according to the spokesperson. 

South Florida developers continue to unveil plans for projects, despite the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes that have made construction financing more expensive. Many developers are focusing on multifamily projects, and some are betting on building near Brightline’s stations. 

East of the Fort Lauderdale stop, the Damaghi family of Great Neck, New York owns two assemblages purchased in 2021 and 2022 for a combined $39.4 million, according to records. The family hasn’t announced development plans. 

Near Miami-Dade County’s Ojus station, Arnaud Karsenti’s 13th Floor Investments in December proposed a 300-plus-unit apartment building at 19680-19770 West Dixie Highway. Also last year, Yakov Cohen and Shimon Bouskila filed an application for a 15-story, 261-unit apartment project at 2655-2660 Northeast 189th Street, a few blocks south of the Ojus station. 

Founded in 1990 by Roy, Fort Lauderdale-based OceanLand’s portfolio of previous projects consists of 26 condominium, multifamily and senior living properties and over 4,000 units, according to the release. Its projects include Aqua-branded condo buildings in Fort Lauderdale. OceanLand partnered with Catalfumo Companies on the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Singer Island, Palm Beach.

Last year, the firm launched sales of its 94-unit Sixth & Rio condo building at 501 Southeast Sixth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale.