Bachow Ventures Proposes Fort Lauderdale Tower Density Boost

Bachow Ventures is looking to squeeze more value out of its Fort Lauderdale tower, proposing 62 additional units as part of a revised plan to increase the development’s density.

The Miami-based developer first secured approval in April 2023 for a proposed redevelopment of the 33,600-square-foot lot at 11 North Andrews Avenue. That proposal was for a 244-foot tall mixed-use development with 23 stories and 316 residential units.

In December 2023, the city approved an amendment to the proposal, allowing for an additional 14 stories reaching 385 feet tall and 1,500 square feet of commercial space.

Now Bachow has revised its plan again. The proposed development would shrink the tower to 27 stories and 293 feet while adding 62 residential flexibility units and waiving design restrictions to allow for a denser site plan, according to documents filed with the city.

To accommodate the additional units, the developer wants to increase the maximum floorplate size from 12,500 square feet to 20,000 square feet and decrease the minimum distance between towers from 30 feet to 25 feet. The developer also wants to build closer to the street, decreasing the required setback from 35 feet to about 27 feet.

The city will vote on the proposed changes in a June 16 city commission meeting. If approved, the project would include 378 residential units and 4,800 square feet total of commercial space.

An affiliate of Bachow bought the site for $8 million in 2023 from Jean Soman and William Soman of Miami, according to property records. The Somans paid $147,800 for it in 1997.

It’s zoned Regional Activity Center — City Center, Fort Lauderdale’s high-density downtown zoning district.

The site, which previously housed a Goodyear Auto Service, is located in an Opportunity Zone, potentially allowing Bachow to find investors seeking tax breaks for developing in low-income areas, The Real Deal previously reported.

Bachow, headed by Noah Bachow, has been involved in more than $2 billion worth of deals and joint ventures across South Florida, according to its website.

The proposed project joins a flurry of dense mixed-use developments in Fort Lauderdale. Last month, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission unanimously approved an amendment to Integra Solutions’ 14-story Sereno development, allowing for an additional 12 condos, 113 hotel rooms and 1,800 square feet of commercial space.

Also last month, Tavistock Development proposed the second phase of its Pier Sixty-Six redevelopment, which would include four mixed-use 25-story buildings with 339 residences, a grocery store and over 185,000 square feet of commercial space.

Developer Russell Galbut unveiled last month new renderings for his Galleria Mall mixed-use redevelopment that would include nine 30-story towers, more than 3,000 apartments, a hotel and office space.