Fort Lauderdale is poised for a major residential boom, with more than 27,000 new high-rise units planned across the city. About 80% of those would rise downtown, dramatically reshaping the city’s skyline and urban core. While officials defend the growth, longtime residents worry about worsening traffic, overcrowding, and the city’s changing character.
Development Critics Push Back
Fort Lauderdale’s expanding skyline continues to divide opinion. Critics argue the city’s rapid growth has gone too far, and if they could, they would halt new projects entirely. Despite an economic slowdown in construction, dozens of residential towers remain in the pipeline, hinting at a coming surge in new high-rise homes if plans move forward.
27,000 New Units Planned
Current data reveals that over 27,000 residential units could be added if every approved and proposed project is built. Around 80% of these homes would be concentrated downtown. The figures come from the city’s latest development update, which tracks major projects in four areas: Downtown, Central Beach, Northwest Regional Activity Center, and Uptown.
Breakdown By Neighborhood
Downtown leads with 21,958 residential units and 1,059 hotel rooms planned. Central Beach follows with 1,476 homes and 1,822 hotel rooms. The Northwest Regional Activity Center expects 1,931 units and 100 hotel rooms. Uptown projects could add 1,829 new homes. As of May, 13 towers are already under construction downtown, with nine under review and 39 approved.
Growth Defended By Officials
Commissioner Steve Glassman defended the pace of development, saying, “How do you accommodate the people moving here in droves? Do you build a wall around the city and say, ‘No more people allowed?’ No.” He added that growth is cyclical and driven by demand, noting, “Those numbers show me that we are a city that is growing and that people want to be here.”
Residents Voice Concerns
Not everyone welcomes the change. Resident Anne Hilmer remarked, “Oh my God. Think of all the toilets flushing. All the cars on the road.” She argued that development favors future residents while neglecting current ones. John Burns, another longtime resident, asked, “When is enough enough?” voicing frustration over worsening traffic and constant new towers rising on small lots.
A Hot Spot Reborn
Mayor Dean Trantalis recalled when Fort Lauderdale was undesirable real estate in the 1980s. “No one was buying anything,” he said. Today, areas like Flagler Village are thriving. Trantalis pointed out that new developments aren’t sitting empty, adding, “We are fulfilling the vision the community collectively agreed on a generation ago.”
Developers See Opportunity
Local developer Charlie Ladd views the high-rise surge as a sign of prosperity. “The towers symbolize the creation of an urban residential neighborhood from a slum that was Flagler Village to a neighborhood that’s one of the most desirable in the country,” he said. He argued against halting new builds, warning it would spike housing prices and limit affordability.