A chunk of Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach could soon be redeveloped into apartments, after developers submitted plans for two 8-story residential buildings to the city. Proposed at 501 NE 7th Street, the project will be dubbed Greenzone. Plans call for the redevelopment of an existing surface parking lot into a mixed-use development featuring apartments and retail, adding to an area that has rapidly become a hotspot for new construction activity.
The property, originally home to a greyhound racing track before later being rebranded as Big Easy Casino, has seen portions of the larger site gradually sold off for redevelopment over the years. A 12.3-acre parcel was previously sold to JAI Legacy Holdings LLC, which later transferred the 3.09-acre development site to Greenzone Property Hallandale 770 LLC for $12 million.
Current plans submitted to the city call for 278 residential units split between 54 efficiency units, 168 one-bedroom units, and 56 two-bedroom units. Efficiency units are planned at 499 square feet, while one-bedroom layouts will average 740 square feet and two-bedroom units approximately 1,050 square feet. Planning documents estimate the project could house around 560 residents at full occupancy.
Units are expected to feature floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies, and access to a broad amenity package centered around a rooftop deck above the parking structure. Proposed amenities include a pool, spa, clubhouse, playground, gym, landscaped open space, and two pickleball courts.
At ground level, the development is designed to activate much of the site with 17,745 square feet of retail space lining the south, west, and north portions of the property. The surrounding streetscape is also set to receive pedestrian-focused upgrades, including widened sidewalks, added greenery, and other public realm improvements.
To accommodate both residents and retail demand, the development will include 391 parking spaces.
The project is being designed by SKLARchitecture, with the two 8-story structures planned to rise approximately 96 feet to the roofline, or roughly 100 feet to their tallest architectural feature. Renderings depict a contemporary facade complemented by white and gray tones, with the parking podium wrapped by active uses and architectural screening intended to minimize its visual impact.
Describing the project’s design in a letter submitted to the city, SKLARchitecture wrote, “The architectural design emphasizes a contemporary and cohesive aesthetic, with clean lines, articulated façades, and curved balcony elements that create visual interest while also functioning as shading devices to enhance energy efficiency and occupant comfort. The massing is carefully modulated to maintain a strong street presence while providing appropriate transitions within the site and to surrounding uses.”
The development is expected to move through the approval process with relative ease. Unlike many large redevelopment proposals in South Florida, the project requires little demolition, as the site currently functions as surface parking.
In addition, the zoning and land-use framework already established for the former greyhound track property anticipates large-scale redevelopment, positioning Greenzone to move forward without major entitlement hurdles.