On Wednesday May 19th, 2021, Oakland Park’s City Commission approved plans for the redevelopment of another swath of City owned properties in Downtown Oakland Park. The proposal includes plans for a stop for the Tri-Rail Coastal Link commuter line and the redevelopment of seven, City owned, acres. The purpose of the redevelopment is to incorporate mixed-used amenities into the City’s Downtown landscape and advance the City’s vision of a Downtown vibrant, walkable, and cohesive downtown are for residents, businesses and tourists.
“I am really excited about the possibilities surrounding a train stop and redevelopment of the downtown properties,” said Mayor Jane Bolin.
“We have a unique opportunity to stimulate our economy, increase mobility and walkability, improve quality of life, and shape the future of Oakland Park.”
Rail Platform in the Plans for Over a Decade
The idea of having a rail platform in Oakland Park is not a new one. In 2010 and 2019 the City passed a resolution in support of train stop. In 2011, 2013 and 2014 the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority identified Oakland Park as preferred location. In addition, both the City’s Downtown Transportation Mobility Plan and the CRA’s Strategic 5 year plan aincluded plans for a train station. Lastly, the City’s residents, to the tune of 77%, supported the plans for an Oakland Park based train stop during a 2021 citywide survey.
Once the building of the new Sky Building, formerly Oakland Park Square, is concluded City Hall will move to its new location, making the land, valued at over $6 million dollars, available for redevelopment.
In 2018, Zyscovich architects received the City’s contract for urban design planning. since then they have worked closely with the City and the City’s residents to incorporate residents’ input into their overall design for the new and revitalized Oakland Park.
“With City Park, the Sky Building, and redevelopment of the downtown properties, we have an opportunity to connect east and west Oakland Park to create a cohesive and unified downtown,” said Suria Yaffar, Partner and Director of Design at Zyscovich Architects. “We can cultivate a compact, mixed-use, urban environment that is pedestrian friendly and within walking distance to several community amenities, from Jaco Pastorius Park to the future promenade on Middle River.”
Looking for Investment
