Crews have officially begun construction on Ombelle, a two-tower condominium development that is taking shape in the heart of Fort Lauderdale. Proposed by New York City-based Dependable Equities, the project has been in the works since its initial proposal in 2022, and after months of permitting and sales activity, construction has now reached the foundation piling phase. On-site documentation shows crews actively preparing the foundation, marking the first major step toward the project’s eventual rise above downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Located at 316 NE 4th Street, Ombelle is being built on a nearly two-acre parcel that Dependable Equities acquired for $27 million in late 2021. The project has also recently secured $50 million in pre-construction financing from Dwight Mortgage Trust, with the developer expected to obtain additional financing as construction progresses.
Current activity on the site indicates that foundation work is well underway. Photos from the property show a piling rig, multiple rebar cages, concrete mixer trucks, and other equipment needed for the early stages of construction. Crews have been drilling deep holes into the ground, filling them with concrete, and placing rebar into the concrete to form the structural foundation that will support the towers above. Dependable Equities is handling the construction through its own in-house contracting operation.
Once complete, Ombelle will bring 754 condominium residences to the site, ranging from studios to three-bedroom units. Residences will feature 10-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, custom finishes, and other high-end interior details, while residents will have access to approximately 100,000 square feet of amenities spread throughout the development.
Those amenities will include a pool, two indoor pickleball courts, a business center with coworking space, fitness facilities, a game room, and additional recreational and social spaces.
The development will also introduce new commercial space at street level, including more than 11,000 square feet reserved for retail and dining uses. In addition, approximately 35,000 square feet will be dedicated to a new Equinox gym, adding a major fitness component to the project. To accommodate residents, guests, and the anticipated demand generated by the development’s commercial uses, Ombelle will include 895 parking spaces. That figure represents a recent reduction from the 932 spaces previously planned, with the developer removing 37 spaces just two months ago.
When completed, Ombelle’s two towers will rise approximately 525 feet across 43 floors, placing them among the tallest buildings in Fort Lauderdale. The towers are expected to reach their full height around the middle of next year, with completion currently anticipated in 2028.
For the moment, however, Ombelle is still firmly in its earliest stage of construction. Once the foundation work is completed and vertical construction begins, the project will rapidly change the skyline around NE 4th Street. Both towers are currently positioned to become the tallest completed buildings in Fort Lauderdale, although they will not hold the distinction for long. Andare Residences, which is already under construction, is expected to top out before Ombelle at 542 feet, making it slightly taller than the 525-foot Ombelle towers.