DowntownFTL 26 in 26, Part 1

January 8, 2025

Happy New Year! 2025 was a banner year for Fort Lauderdale. As we look to 2026, Downtown Fort Lauderdale is building on this momentum, welcoming new residents, businesses, and visitors while solidifying its status as a world-class city.

Here is Part 1 of “26 in 26,” highlighting the key metrics and milestones shaping Fort Lauderdale’s future in the year ahead.

1. Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Huizenga Park will reopen on Saturday, January 24th, following years of design, fundraising, and construction by the DDA. Learn more about the grand reopening weekend at https://www.huizengapark.org/ and in the Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel.     

   
   

2. Downtown Fort Lauderdale is Broward’s leading economic engine with a $43 billion annual economic impact, a 44% increase since 2019. Despite being only 1% of the countywide land mass, DowntownFTL sustains at least a quarter of countywide jobs and economic output. Dive deeper into how DowntownFTL is a “real powerhouse of economic growth” with WLRN.       

3. The Downtown Fort Lauderdale population now exceeds 27,000 people, fueled by an 83% increase in families with kids since 2018. By 2030, 1 in 3 new Broward residents will move into Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

   
   

4. Exciting progress is in motion at the Hines and Urban Street Development-led FAT Village project.  The six-story, 180,000 square foot mass timber office building rising on Andrews Avenue topped off in November and is on track to be delivered over the next year. Tour FAT Village with CBS Miami.

   
   

5. Major downtown condo projects continue to move forward, with The Related Group breaking ground on Andare and Ocean Land Investments advancing the construction of Sixth & Rio. Pre-construction sales continue to advance at Dependable Equities’ Ombelle and Naftali Group’s Viceroy Fort Lauderdale.

   
   

6. Downtown Fort Lauderdale opened a dynamic mix of residential buildings in the past year, including Veneto Las Olas, Harbour at New River, Gables Riverwalk, Rivr Lofts, and Gallery at FAT Village. Projects expected to open in 2026 include Hanover Riverwalk, Society Las Olas Phase 2, and the residential phase of FAT Village.                                                                                                                                            

7. The 2026 ULI and PwC Emerging Trends in Real Estate report named Fort Lauderdale as the second-best city in the country for homebuilding prospects for the second consecutive year. The report also highlighted that the “city’s long-term job growth and income projections outpace neighboring Miami, reinforcing its position as a magnet for investment and talent.” Read more in the FTL Focus.                 

8. The Florida Panthers, our back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, are true pillars of the Fort Lauderdale community. Their consecutive championships and multiple Cup Final appearances since 2023 have generated over $100 million in economic impact locally. Beyond on-ice success, the team’s revitalization of FTL War Memorial was recently recognized by the Urban Land Institute as the real estate project of the year for South Florida.          

   
   

9. The Fort, home to the world’s first pickleball stadium complex, celebrated its grand opening and quickly put Fort Lauderdale at the epicenter of the world’s second fastest growing sport by hosting the Pickleball World Cup and multiple APP pro tournaments.

   
   

10. While most U.S. downtowns are dominated by office space—often exceeding demand by millions of square feet—Downtown Fort Lauderdale stands out with a more balanced mix of office, residential, retail, and entertainment space, creating a thriving, 24/7 urban core.

    
    

11. Vacancy at Downtown Fort Lauderdale office product built over the last 35

    years remains below 10%. Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s office vacancy is 16%, six points better than the national average.  

    
    

12. In a city truly Fueled by Water, 70% of Downtown Fort Lauderdale residents live within a 10-minute walk of the New River.

    
    

13. Fifty-five percent of all out-of-state movers to Fort Lauderdale come from New York City and its surrounding suburbs. California is emerging as a fast-growing source of new residents, with 22% of all out-of-state movers now arriving from the Los Angeles or San Diego areas.          

Stay tuned for part 2 of “26 in 26” next week.