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Oakland Park City Commission Approves Plans to Redevelop City Property and Secure a Local Rail Stop

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

The imminent realization of the Sky Building project has created an opportunity for more investment in Oakland Park’s Downtown area. With the City Commission’s support the City intends to seek strategic partnerships with qualified firms in order to realize its vision for downtown and new Oakland Park rail station.

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Desiree Avila

EDITOR, PUBLISHER, WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER, REALTOR®

Désirée Ávila has called Oakland Park her home for over 33 years. In addition to publishing LivingInOaklandPark.com, Désirée has been featured in print publications, locally and abroad. Désirée was an award winning teacher for 10 years and has a doctoral level education in Educational Technology. She is currently a licensed Florida Realtor® and is committed to a high-level of professionalism.

Désirée consistently professionally develops herself and has earned several different professional designations and certifications in real estate including the PSA, e-Pro, AHWD, SRS, ABR, and SFR. She was also awarded the C2EX, Commitment to Excellence award by the National Association for Realtors (NAR). This award is given to Realtors® that distinguish themselves for their commitment to excellence in the real estate industry.

She is esteemed by her real estate colleagues and has consistently received 5 star reviews from her clients. Her philosophy about real estate is that being a Realtor® is a way of teaching and helping people, and in the process a real estate transaction may occur, that is to say her foremost priority is and has always been about helping others.

She is dedicated to her hometown of Oakland Park and works consistently on building and fostering a strong community. She is passionate about photography and loves to read books about history ; the more detail the better! In addition to English, Désirée is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, French and Italian.

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