World class city you can experience like a local Glistening waterways and beautiful beaches set the stage for Downtown Fort Lauderdale s coastal cool vibe and sophisticated urban lifestyle Whether you are looking to raise a family in one of the most livable destinations in the country build a career in the geographic center of the Wall Street of the South or relax in the yachting capital of the world Downtown Fort Lauderdale is a world class city you can experience like a local
AT A GLANCE 68K Employees 3K since 2023 13 000 Residential Units 26 6K Residents 38 Increase since 2020 1 500 Hotel Rooms 290 since 2018 36B Annual Economic Impact 6B since 2020 278 Restaurants 22 since 2022 83 Increase in families with kids since 2018 83 Increase in families with kids since 2018 10B 5th Most Committed to enhance livability and quality of life Pet friendly city in the country 2
Live in the heart of a thriving downtown Downtown Fort Lauderdale has quickly become one of the most popular destinations to live in the country Young professionals and families are flocking to downtown thanks to the growing variety of housing options not traditionally available in more established cities Whether living in the center of it all downtown in one of the city s iconic neighborhoods or along the water Fort Lauderdale strives to stand apart as a seamlessly connected city
LIVE DowntownFTL is Sustaining Broward s Residential Growth Downtown Fort Lauderdale s population is approaching 27K people a 96 increase since 2010 Broward s urban core population will approach 40K people by 2030 a 50 increase over today s level Educational Attainment Average Household Income Residents with a bachelors degree or higher 27 points higher than the countywide average 45 higher than the countywide average 62 147K Since 2020 DowntownFTL s growth has been fueled by 4
LIVE Connectivity is in DowntownFTL s DNA As the city continues to grow with new development that enhances existing streetscapes and sidewalks Downtown Fort Lauderdale is on its way to becoming one of the most walkable urban centers in Florida Whether reaching your destination by foot boat bike train or car there is no shortage of ways to move around the city Brightline Transforming Connectivity Across South Florida and Beyond A game changer for South Florida providing privately operated direct train connectivity between South Florida s major urban centers now connecting the region with Orlando Circuit Sustainable Rides Around Downtown Serving over 20 000 trips per month residents and visitors can easily ride back and forth to key downtown and beach destinations in a convenient app based electric shuttle service 5
LIVE Waterways From the Ocean to the Everglades Downtown Fort Lauderdale seamlessly connects land and water blending urban energy with coastal beauty Known as the Venice of America its 165 miles of waterways and the bustling New River traveled by 400 boats daily make it a global yachting capital and home to the world s largest in water boat show Water Trolley Cruise the New River for Free Downtown Fort Lauderdale s free Water Taxi carries 50 000 passengers a yearlly with eight stops along the New River connecting key destinations with ease 6
Experience the best in downtown Downtown Fort Lauderdale is where locals and visitors go to experience the best of one of the country s top 18 hour live work play cities From Las Olas Boulevard to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and beyond a thriving arts and culture hub blossoming culinary destination exciting sports and entertainment scene and more bring out the best of Fort Lauderdale s coastal charm
EXPERIENCE A Blossoming Culinary Destination With the Michelin Guide expanding to include Fort Lauderdale the city s reputation for quality and authentic culinary experiences continues to grow New concepts from established restaurateurs from across South Florida the U S and beyond are elevating DowntownFTL s reputation as a place for foodies 5M Visits to Las Olas a 28 increase since 2019 50 New restaurants since 2022 5X Number of rooftop bars since 2018 5 2 Retail vacancy rate 15 below pre pandemic levels 600K SF New retail and dining space proposed 8
EXPERIENCE Where Culture Comes to Life From monthly art walks major concerts and mural festivals to Broadway shows history tours and immersive exhibitions Downtown s cultural landscape provides unlimited opportunities for all to enjoy 2M Annual visitors to Downtown Fort Lauderdale s top venues attractions A City of Champions Fort Lauderdale is home to major venues for the Florida Panthers and Inter Miami CF and a training hub for champions in swimming diving sailing and pickleball Since 2023 Greater Fort Lauderdale has hosted an NHL All Star Game and two Stanley Cup Finals Within the next year South Florida will have hosted the FIFA World Cup College Football National Championship Orange Bowl Formula 1 NHL Winter Classic and more 9 Baptist Health IcePlex Broward Center for the Performing Arts FTL War Memorial History Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery Science NSU Art Museum Stranahan House Museum The Parker
EXPERIENCE No Longer Just a Beach Town DowntownFTL is seeing a Boom in Leisure Visitors Downtown Fort Lauderdale has experienced a 245 increase in tourist visits since 2018 Today 32 of all Fort Lauderdale visitors stay downtown compared to just 7 in 2019 when the beach was the primary option for guests With 600 new downtown hotel rooms planned a 37 increase over current levels Fort Lauderdale s urban core will become an even more popular destination with the iconic Pier Sixty Six now reopened and The Whitfield downtown s first ultra luxury boutique hotel on the way This growth is expected to continue with over 4 billion of new investment planned or underway for crucial tourism engines like Port Everglades FLL and the Broward County Convention Center 10
Prosper in a hub of innovation and opportunity Downtown Fort Lauderdale is a talent magnet As the geographic center of the Wall Street of the South Fort Lauderdale successfully blends business excellence with its coastal urban lifestyle This unique mix helped position the city for success in the aftermath of the pandemic setting the stage for Fort Lauderdale to lead the nation in bringing workers back to the office As the county seat and engine of commerce Downtown Fort Lauderdale is a thriving hub for banking law tech professional services and real estate development
PROSPER DowntownFTL is a Leading Economic Engine Located within just minutes of one another DowntownFTL Port Everglades and FLL international airport help sustain South Florida s success with a collective annual economic impact of 100 billion DowntownFTL 36 billion 6 billion in annual economic impact since 2019 and contributing more than 138 million annually to local governments in property tax revenue Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 37 billion FLL serves over 35 million passengers annually and is investing 2 billion to enhance the visitor experience aiming to serve 55 million passengers by 2035 Port Everglades 26 billion The 3rd busiest cruise port in the world serving over 4 million passengers annually and adding new ships from Disney Cruise Line Celebrity Cruises Princess Cruise Line the Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection and more 12
PROSPER An Established Hub for Business As new talent comes to Fort Lauderdale employers are realizing this is where their employees want to be Downtown Fort Lauderdale has seen a 19 increase in tech jobs and an 8 increase in finance jobs since 2021 8M sq ft of office space 14 vacancy rate vs 18 national avg 91 return to office rate 20 points above national avg 13
PROSPER A Emerging Hub for Tech and Creative Talent Fort Lauderdale is set to emerge as a hub for artificial intelligence and augmented reality thanks to a partnership between Infinite Reality and Google Cloud to open a state of the art movie studio complex just five minutes from downtown T3 FAT Village a 5 6 acre 850K SF mixed use project with offices constructed in mass timber is currently under construction with Phase I to be delivered in late 2026 Set in the heart of Flagler Village this creative campus will emerge as Fort Lauderdale s hub for innovative talent Developed by Hines and Urban Street Development FAT Village will accelerate the city s rise into a tech and creative hub along other growing cities with T3 campuses like Austin Nashville and Denver 14
Developing a thriving urban future Since adopting the downtown master plan in 2002 Fort Lauderdale s urban core has added over 10 000 residential units with occupancy rates near full capacity Downtown Fort Lauderdale is now a dynamic mixed use urban center with 60 of its existing real estate mix and most upcoming development dedicated to housing As new real estate development comes online creating new streetscapes and sidewalks Downtown Fort Lauderdale is becoming a more vibrant and walkable city
DEVELOP DEVELOP Major investors are driving 10B in new real estate development building a more livable city 2 500 new residential units are under construction reflecting 1B of ongoing construction downtown 13th Floor Investors Aimco Alta Developers Bachow Ventures BAM Property Management Barron Real Estate BH3 Continua Group Cymbal Development Dependable Equities Edgewater Capital Fairfield Residential Federal City Property Investors Gables Residential Hanover Company Heights Advisors Hines Hudson Capital Group Jefferson Apartment Group Kushner Companies Main Street Capital Partners Merrimac Ventures Moderno Development Group Naftali Group National Realty Investment Advisors New Castle Hotels Resorts New Leaf Development Ocean Land Investments OKO Group Property Markets Group Prospect Real Estate Group Related Group Roberts Equities Stiles Taho Investments The Benjamin Companies UDR Uniland Development Company Urban Street Development Woodfield Investments Existing Development Breakdown
Elevate Fort Lauderdale with world class experiences Fort Lauderdale leads the way on public private partnerships that elevate livability and enhance quality of life An urban park renaissance is underway setting the stage for the creation of world class public spaces that rival other growing cities From major investments in generational infrastructure to world class waterfront experiences and exciting new entertainment venues few communities are investing as much as Fort Lauderdale to create a dynamic mix of amenities
ELEVATE Bold P3s Elevating Fort Lauderdale s Livability Fort Lauderdale is developing world class amenities and essential infrastructure through public private partnerships More than 3 billion has been committed over the past five years to elevate the city s quality of life Baptist Health IcePlex and FTL War Memorial After a 65M investment by the Florida Panthers the team s official practice facility public ice rinks and a new concert venue have created dynamic new entertainment options Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale s iconic Bahia Mar is set to be transformed into the St Regis Resort and Residences a Mini Monaco experience that will expand public access to the iconic Intracoastal waterway Las Olas Marina The new Las Olas Marina has redefined the waterfront transforming a parking lot into a world class superyacht marina with premier dining destinations Water Treatment Facility Currently under construction Fort Lauderdale is investing 1 4B to create a modern state of the art water treatment plant 18
Reimagine Huizenga Park as a vibrant waterfront oasis Downtown Fort Lauderdale s urban park renaissance is underway with Huizenga Park Reimagined set to reopen at the end of year As an unprecedented public privatephilanthropic partnership spearheaded by the Fort Lauderdale DDA the Park is set to emerge as DowntownFTL s signature gathering place in honor of legendary entrepreneur Wayne Huizenga
REIMAGINE Huizenga Park Reimagined Huizenga Park will be Downtown Fort Lauderdale s signature gathering place beautifully designed active and welcoming from morning to night A space for everyone it will feature uniquely designed outdoor rooms for leisure dining fitness events and meet ups This reimagined park is setting a new standard for green space and helping usher in an urban park renaissance in Fort Lauderdale With funding from the State of Florida City of Fort Lauderdale a new full service restaurant and more than 60 generous donors the DDA will implement a new operational model for downtown parks that will demonstrate long term success Take a tour of Huizenga Park at www huizengapark org 20
Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority The Downtown Development Authority DDA established by the Florida Legislature in 1965 is governed by a private sector board of directors to lead key projects that enhance Fort Lauderdale as one of South Florida s prominent urban centers Collaborating with public and private partners the DDA drives investment community engagement and ongoing improvements in the downtown area Board Members Team Dev Motwani Chairman Stephanie Toothaker Vice Chair Steve Hudson Secretary Ken Stiles Treasurer Greg Brewton Alan Hooper Charlie Ladd Jenni Morejon President CEO John Milledge General Counsel Elizabeth Van Zandt Alex Saiz Matthew Schnur Sarah Valleau Marti Brown 21
Sources City of Fort Lauderdale Colliers International CoStar Cushman Wakefield Esri Marine Industries Assoc of South Florida Miami Herald Placer ai South Florida Business Journal South Florida Sun Sentinel Visit Lauderdale Walter Duke Partners Photo Credits Cover Sublime Imagery 1 Sublime Imagery 2 Sublime Imagery Maxson Media HyattCentricLasOlas 3 Maxson Media 4 Sublime Imagery Maxson Media 5 Ceri Breeze Dotoli Group 6 Sublime Imagery Maxson Media 7 Maxson Media 8 Timbr Marina Village 9 Maxson Media Matthew Murphy 10 HyattCentricLasOlas 11 Sublime Imagery 12 Sublime Imagery Fort Lauderdale International Airport Port Everglades 13 Gen_Provision Sublime Imagery RDNE Stock project 14 VeryBigThings 15 Sublime imagery 17 Sublime imagery 18 Sublime Imagery Bahia Mar Architectural Alliance Kiewit 21 Downtown Photo Perfect Look Photos Stay in Touch ddaftl org dda ddaftl org 954 463 6574 Find us on social DDAFTL 22