Plans Submitted for Four-Tower Expansion of Pier Sixty Waterfront Development in Fort Lauderdale
The second phase of Pier Sixty, a large waterfront mixed-use redevelopment along Fort Lauderdale’s 17th Street Causeway, is moving forward after plans were submitted to the city’s Development Review Committee. The submission comes shortly after developer Tavistock Development Company officially unveiled the next phase of the project, following completion of the first phase. That initial phase included the renovation of a historic 1960s high-rise while introducing new hotel and residential components to the waterfront property. The latest proposal would significantly expand the development. Plans call for four residential towers spread across multiple parcels at 2150 SE 17th Street, 2301 SE 17th Street, and 2202 SE 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale. Each tower is planned to rise 23 stories, or approximately 320 feet, making them consistent in scale with surrounding high-rise development while remaining below the 400-foot mark. The four buildings, identified in planning documents as Buildings A, B, C, and D, will be divided between the site’s northern and southern portions. Building A will occupy the northern parcel and contain 101 residences, while Buildings B, C, and D on the southern parcel will include 90, 75, and 73 residences, respectively. Combined, the second phase will add 339 residential units. Residences will range from two- to four-bedroom floor plans, with two-bedroom units comprising the largest share of the development. Most residential floors will contain no more than eight homes, highlighting larger residences rather than high-density floor plates. Every unit will feature at least one private balcony, floor-to-ceiling windows, ceiling heights ranging from 10 to 14 feet, and views of both the Intracoastal waterfront and the Fort Lauderdale skyline. Residents will have access to a variety of amenities, including swimming pools, spas, sports courts, children’s play areas, dog parks, and additional indoor and outdoor gathering spaces. One of the defining characteristics of the second phase is its emphasis on public open space and waterfront accessibility. According to the plans, the southern portion of the site will include approximately 251,546 square feet of open space, while the northern parcel will provide an additional 48,957 square feet, substantially exceeding minimum zoning requirements. That investment in open space extends beyond landscaping. Plans include publicly accessible waterfront areas, a new marina basin, 37 additional marina slips, and expanded pedestrian connections throughout the site. Upon completion of both phases, Pier Sixty will feature approximately 1.43 miles of public waterfront promenade, while existing parking beneath the 17th Street Causeway will be transformed into publicly accessible green space. The mixed-use component will also expand substantially. Ground-floor plans include approximately 25,145 square feet of retail space, 17,327 square feet of restaurant space, 29,050 square feet of office space, and 13,955 square feet of grocery space, creating an active pedestrian environment throughout the development. The project has been designed by 10 Design, serving as lead architect, with EDSA leading the landscape architecture and master planning. Architectural renderings depict slender towers wrapped in glass with expansive balconies, aluminum detailing, stucco finishes, green walls, and abundant native, drought-tolerant landscaping intended to complement the waterfront setting. According to the design team, the architecture draws inspiration from nautical forms, with towers tapering as they rise to maximize water views while reducing their visual mass. The buildings sit atop a mixed-use podium featuring carved-out sections intended to create a lighter architectural expression and improve pedestrian connectivity. The current proposal also represents a notable evolution from earlier concepts. Initial plans explored the possibility of three towers reaching approximately 480 feet, but those concepts faced public opposition. The revised proposal instead distributes the project’s density across four shorter towers, reducing overall building heights while maintaining a substantial residential program. Although submission to the Development Review Committee marks an important milestone, the project must still proceed through additional city review and approval processes before construction can begin.
Plans Filed for 750-Unit Magnus Grove and Stirrup Plaza Redevelopment Near Douglas Road Station
The Related Urban Group, the affordable housing division of Miami-based Related Group, has unveiled plans for one of Miami’s largest mixed-income housing developments near the Douglas Road Metrorail Station. Submitted to Miami-Dade County earlier this week, the proposal calls for two residential towers totaling 750 new apartments, replacing two aging affordable housing communities with a significantly larger transit-oriented redevelopment. Located at 3181 Douglas Road and 3150 Mundy Street, the project will occupy a 4.483-acre county-owned site currently home to Stirrup Plaza and Gibson Plaza. The redevelopment stems from a Miami-Dade County Request for Proposals (RFP), through which Related Urban was selected to redevelop the property. It marks the latest affordable housing partnership between the developer and the county, following several similar redevelopment initiatives across Miami-Dade. According to plans prepared by Cohen Freedman Encinosa & Associates Architects, the redevelopment will deliver 750 new apartments. Including 68 existing units that will remain, the completed community will contain 818 residential units. The development will consist of two buildings. Magnus Grove, located on the southern portion of the site, will contain 348 units, while Stirrup Plaza, on the northern portion, will feature 402 units. Apartments will range from studios to one-, two-, and three-bedroom floor plans, with two-bedroom units comprising the largest share of the development, followed closely by one-bedroom residences. While target incomes haven’t been revealed yet, the development is expected to target deeply affordable, workforce, and market-rate tenants. Residents of both buildings will have access to a variety of amenities. Magnus Grove’s amenity deck will be located on the eighth floor, while Stirrup Plaza’s will occupy the sixth floor. Each tower will include its own swimming pool alongside indoor and outdoor gathering spaces designed for residents. Beyond housing, the project incorporates community-serving uses at street level. Magnus Grove will dedicate approximately 7,650 square feet to a new Miami-Dade Public Library branch, while Stirrup Plaza will feature 7,295 square feet of street-facing retail or restaurant space intended to activate the pedestrian environment. Parking will also be provided through 796 newly constructed spaces, supplemented by 15 existing spaces that will remain, bringing the total to 811 parking spaces. Plans also include 55 bicycle parking spaces. The towers will also become prominent additions to the Douglas Road skyline. Magnus Grove is planned to rise 22 stories and approximately 241 feet, while Stirrup Plaza will rise 25 stories and approximately 270 feet. Renderings depict both buildings with stucco facades accented by green and white tones, floor-to-ceiling glazing, metal balconies, and contemporary architectural detailing. The proposal is advancing through an administrative review process rather than traditional public hearings. The development is utilizing both Miami-Dade’s Rapid Transit Zone (RTZ) regulations and Florida’s Live Local Act. The RTZ framework is intended to encourage higher-density, mixed-use development near major transit stations, while the Live Local Act provides additional zoning flexibility for qualifying residential projects. Together, the two frameworks allow developments like this to achieve greater height and density while proceeding through an administrative review process rather than local board hearings. The proposed density remains well within what the Live Local Act permits. Based on the project’s acreage, the site could accommodate substantially more units than currently proposed under the legislation’s density provisions, leaving room below the maximum allowable development. The latest submission also represents a significant evolution from earlier plans for the property. Months ago, Related Urban proposed a single affordable housing tower known as Gallery in the Grove, centered solely around Magnus Grove. The revised plans expand that vision into a two-tower redevelopment with increased housing capacity, redesigned architecture, and additional neighborhood-serving uses.