Vision
Pompano Beach's New Downtown is rooted in history, brimming with opportunity, and focused on the future. It will be a vibrant community for our residents and visitors, seamlessly blending historic charm with modern innovation.
Our vision is to create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly Downtown that’s activated for day and nighttime use and enhance community well-being by featuring a blend of cultural centers, recreational spaces, and mixed-use developments.
From beautifully renovated historic sites to modern amenities and efficient streets, every element is thoughtfully connected to create a cohesive and inviting urban environment.
Downtown Boundaries
ECONOMIC IMPACTS - AT FULL BUILDOUT
$2 Billion
Transformation
Downtown
Some Highlights of Our New Downtown Include:
9 Acres of Public Open Green Space
New Jobs
Shopping, Restaurants & Entertainment
Hotels
Pedestrian Friendly Streets & Sidewalks
Office Space for Local Businesses
New City Hall
Cultural Arts
How We Got Here - About Pompano Beach’s New Downtown
We’re creating a vibrant downtown where businesses and people want to be. The journey to create Pompano Beach's New Downtown began over 30 years ago with a vision to transform the area into a vibrant, economically robust community hub. Strategic planning and significant investments by the City of Pompano Beach and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) laid the foundation for this ambitious project. The initial phase involved acquiring and assembling land, followed by substantial infrastructure improvements, including realigning Atlantic Boulevard and enhancing streetscapes.
Investments in public spaces, pedestrian-friendly amenities, and plans for expanding multimodal transportation options will further solidify the area's transformation. The project's comprehensive approach ensures that Pompano Beach's New Downtown is not only a place of economic growth but also a community that honors its rich heritage while embracing future opportunities.
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Building a New Downtown goes beyond simply boosting economic metrics; it’s fundamentally about forging a community where culture, commerce and connections flourish. The New Downtown promises to enhance daily life for our residents through job creation and experiences unique to the character of Pompano Beach for locals and visitors alike, from diverse dining options to space for homegrown businesses to thrive. Most importantly, this development is designed with the well-being and prosperity of Pompano Beach at its core, ensuring our city not only increases in value but also remains a safe, beautiful, and thriving place that lives up to its nickname, “Florida’s Warmest Welcome.”
These efforts are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents and attracting employers, investors, and tourists alike. With the renovation of the Historic Ali Cultural Center and a plethora of recreational, entertainment, and civic opportunities, the New Downtown is set to be a bustling hub of activity and growth. This development will not only preserve Pompano Beach’s historical roots but also propel it into the future as a dynamic and inviting urban center.
This project is not just about expanding the city’s physical landscape; it’s about enriching the community. Expected to generate an economic output of over $ 1 Billion at build out, the development aims to create more than 3,000 permanent job opportunities for local residents and establish a robust new tax base. This growth in the tax base is crucial as it will help maintain lower taxes for existing residents while adding and not sacrificing additional amenities. This project demonstratesthe City’s commitment to both progress and the well-being of its community.
The area will see the development of properties, including new office buildings, residential units, retail spaces, and other urban facilities. The project has been planned and made possible through partnerships with Broward County and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and aims to reduce the number of accidents historically reported in this location, optimize traffic light sequences to improve flow and reduce waiting times, and extend left turn lanes to decrease congestion. Additionally, traffic calming strategies have been implemented within nearby neighborhoods to ensure safer, slower driving speeds.
The transformative streetscape project will connect the three distinct districts of Downtown Pompano Beach: the Old Town District (Old Pompano), the Civic Commons District (which includes City Hall, the Cultural Center, and the Library), and the Downtown Core, with MLK Boulevard serving as the “main street” between Dixie Highway and I-95.
This comprehensive approach not only aims to improve safety and functionality but also enhances the visual appeal of the entryway into Pompano Beach, truly reflecting Florida’s Warmest Welcome and contributing to the vibrant community atmosphere.
Since June 2008, there have been over 100 community meetings held for public input. These meetings have been integral in shaping the project, allowing community members to provide input, express concerns, and stay informed about the development plans.
Public Meeting History:
- 2008: Downtown Charette
- A collaborative event with stakeholders to gather public input on the project.
- 2010 Onwards: Public Meetings and Presentations
- The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) organized:
- Three public meetings
- May 3, 2023: Public Workshop
- 2024: Community Meetings
- These meetings helped shape the direction of the master planning process.
- May 3, 2023: Public Workshop
- A joint workshop by the City and CRA featured presentations by two shortlisted firms.
- The workshop was held to gather public input on the project.
- Recordings of the presentations were posted on the City website, and the public was encouraged to provide feedback.
- 2024: Community Meetings
- RocaPoint Partners, the selected Master Developer, held three community meetings on:
- February 7, 2024
- February 8, 2024
- April 2, 2024
- These meetings were designed for residents and business owners to learn about the project vision and provide valuable input. These public meetings have been crucial in ensuring community involvement and feedback throughout the development process.
Planned green spaces and placemaking elements like entertainment, pop-up craft markets, and green markets offer places for relaxation and recreation. These elements create a welcoming environment for families, making it an ideal place to live, visit, and explore. The emphasis on including spaces that engage both children and adults ensures that the New Downtown will be a dynamic and inclusive community hub, suitable for families looking to enjoy a rich, connected urban life.
Pompano Beach’s Downtown boasts all these assets. Key highlights include:
- Cultural Center: The Cultural Center features a 5,000 sq. ft., 336-seat theater/event space, a 750 sq. ft. art gallery, and a state-of-the-art multi-media digital center, offering a wide range of cultural and entertainment options.
- Library: The Library includes multipurpose rooms, conference rooms, a teen activity room, a storytelling room, adult and teen computer labs, and a Creation Station for maker projects, providing educational and recreational activities for all ages.
- Old Town District: The redevelopment of the Old Town District, the original historic Downtown Pompano Beach, includes new restaurants, the renovation of the historic Bailey Hotel, now BaCA (Bailey Contemporary Arts), and the development of Old Town Square, a mixed use residential property, blending historic charm with modern amenities.
- Historic Ali Cultural Arts Center: The renovation and development of the Historic Ali Cultural Center adds to the area's cultural richness, offering additional venues for community engagement and events.
- Placemaking Elements: The inclusion of placemaking elements such as pop-up craft markets, green markets, outdoor music, movies, and various entertainment areas in the Fire Fountain Plaza and Old Town’s Backyard enhance the vibrancy of the downtown area, providing diverse entertainment options for the community.
We are deeply committed to ensuring that these transitions are handled with the utmost care and respect. That’s why we have included residential relocation opportunities for the few affected property owners to ensure they receive fair treatment.
Our goal is to create a dynamic downtown that enhances the quality of life for all in Pompano Beach, fostering opportunities for local small businesses to thrive and maintaining the integrity and unity of our community. This project is about transformation and growth, aiming to enrich our urban landscape while being mindful of the impact on every resident.
The New Downtown Project in Pompano Beach is an ambitious endeavor that reflects our commitment to integrating the City’s rich heritage with forward-thinking economic development. This initiative is not about gentrification; it's about creating a harmonious blend of old and new that stimulates growth while celebrating our unique cultural history. The area has been an area of disinvestment for many years. The tide has changed and the area is now becoming an area of area of reinvestment.
The project includes a balanced mix of commercial, residential, cultural, and recreational spaces, all thoughtfully integrated with existing infrastructure. Effective traffic management and improvements to public transportation are also key components of the plan, helping prevent congestion.
Our commitment is to grow Pompano Beach thoughtfully, preserving its charm while enhancing quality of life. This development aims to build on our city’s strengths, ensuring it remains a vibrant place to live, work, and play.
Do you have a question not covered in the Q&A? Submit It Here.
Downtown News
Atlantic Boulevard/Dixie Highway Streetscape Project Enters New Segment
The transformation of Dixie Highway and Atlantic Boulevard is continuing at full speed and entering an exciting new phase! Starting this week, construction for the Streetscape Project-Segment 3A will begin, stretching from NE 10 Street to Copans Road. Crews will begin tree protection installation, site surveying, and soft digging to carefully uncover and protect underground utilities, starting at NE 10 Street and moving north. This first phase will feature mostly light activities, ensuring minimal disruption to traffic as work progresses.
In the coming weeks, construction will involve rolling maintenance of traffic (MOT) to allow for progressive and limited closures of the interior travel lane, which will take place sequentially for approximately four weeks. By late February, the project will ramp up with the demolition and reconstruction of the median areas, which will be reconfigured to enhance safety and beautify the corridor. As with previous phases, a comprehensive MOT plan, developed in collaboration with the contractor, consultants, BSO, and City Departments, will be in place to monitor traffic, address concerns, and provide regular public updates.
The $5 million FDOT funding, alongside $25 million from the Broward County Transportation Surtax Fund, the City’s General Obligation (GO) Bond, and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), have made this vital project possible. It marks a major step toward revitalizing the Atlantic Boulevard and Dixie Highway corridor as the new signature entrance to Pompano Beach.
Commission Downtown Presentation November 12, 2024
Request for Qualifications
The Downtown Master Development Agreement with RocaPoint Partners, LLC, doing business as affiliate RP Pompano LLC, was approved at the June 20, 2024, special joint meeting held by the City Commission and its CRA. This achievement officially launches an exciting new stage in developing a Downtown destination!
As one of the first steps in creating the Downtown RP Pompano, LLC will issue Requests for Qualifications for professional architectural services for the design and permitting for the new City Hall and Parking Garage.
The Requests for Qualifications are posted below. Click on the solicitation name to download the document.
| Solicitation Number | Solicitation Name | Addendum | Submittal Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFQ NO. 0100 | Design of New City Hall at Downtown Pompano | September 13, 2024 | |
| RFQ NO. 0200 | Design of New City Parking Deck at Downtown Pompano | September 13, 2024 | |
| RFQ NO. 0300 | Civil Engineering Services | December 13, 2024 | |
| RFQ NO. 0400 | Downtown Pompano Survey Services | - | November 15, 2024 |
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