Plantation,Florida G r e e n
a n d
G r o w i n g
City of Plantation at a glance
Population: Area: County: Government:
85,157 22.8 square miles Broward Strong Mayor and five elected Council Members, incorporated in April, 1953 Location: Just west of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; 20 miles north of Miami/Dade County; 15 minutes from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades Housing: Mixture of single and multi-family dwellings ranging in cost from $72,000 to over $2 million Business Retail, office, light industrial and general business; Environment: 5,400 registered businesses; 44,433 persons employed; Bachelor’s Degree or higher: 40.2% Medical Two general hospitals, four nursing homes, various clinics, rehab Services: services and professional offices Utilities: City-owned water and sewer; electric – Florida Power & Light; telephone – BellSouth, various long distance, cellular and fiber optic service providers; television – Comcast Cable and various satellite TV providers; Internet providers – AT&T FastAccess DSL, Comcast High Speed Internet and more Climate: Subtropical; average rainfall: 62 inches; average temperature: 75.4°; winter mean temperature: 66.5°; summer mean temperature: 84.2° Parks & 42 parks and playgrounds; 6 golf courses, extensive recreation Recreation: programs for all ages, including tennis, swimming, baseball, football, soccer, track and jogging Protection: City Police Department and Emergency Medical Services,Volunteer Fire Department Schools: 7 public elementary, 2 public middle, 2 public high schools & numerous private schools (PreK – 12) Transportation: County and community bus service, close proximity to major highways, including access to I-595 and Florida’s Turnpike, international airport, Amtrak train,Tri-Rail commuter service, and a major deepwater port (passengers and freight), and Foreign Trade Zone Median Household Plantation: $53,700 • Broward County: $41,700
Income: Median Age:
Plantation: 39 • Broward County: 41
2 Plantation – The Grass is Greener
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City of Plantation 400 NW 73 Avenue Plantation, Florida 33317 954.797.2622 www.plantation.org PUBLISHED BY:
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Table of Contents
Plantation
City at a Glance, Demographics
2
Community Profile
4
Midtown
6-7, 10
Gateway Redevelopment District
11
Technology Park
12
City Government
13
Top Reasons to Live in Plantation
14-15
Plantation... once you visit you will want to call it home
Businesses call Plantation home for its unique location and lifestyle. Situated in the heart of the South Florida region, Plantation and its business districts – Plantation Midtown, Plantation Gateway, and Plantation Technology Park – offer an alternative to a traditional “urban downtown.” Here you will find tree-lined streets, prominent, professional office buildings in a park setting, and signature details such as brick bus shelters and pavers, identification signs, landscaping and other decorative elements that provide a “sense of place,” and let you know you are someplace special. Everything a business would need to be successful can be found within the City limits: Class A office space, one of the lowest millage rates in Broward County, a highly educated labor force and an environmentally friendly local government committed to quality redevelopment, neighborhood improvement and enhanced government services.
Customers and employees enjoy easy access to Plantation via Interstate 75, Interstate 595, and Florida’s Turnpike. It is only 15 minutes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Broward County’s Foreign Trade Zone, and Port Everglades, one of the western hemispheres most accessible deep-water seaports for cargo, cruises and trade. James Inklebarger, President of Brinwo Development Corporation, states,“For over 30 years, I’ve enjoyed working and having my office located in Plantation. The central location to our commercial real estate properties, and those outside of Plantation, are easily accessible with the main highway systems nearby.” Plantation’s office market comprises more than 6.8 million square feet of space and is one of the largest and strongest office submarkets in the County, with a 95 percent occupancy rate. The area includes over 5,400 registered businesses that range from small retail and service companies to national and international corporate headquarters. Plantation Midtown, the City’s central business district, is challenging the conventional 4 Plantation – The Grass is Greener
wisdom of what a suburban commercial district should be. With a 25year Master Plan in place to guide growth, Plantation Midtown is becoming a true town center, encouraging mixed used development with residential, commercial and office space. Thanks to public and private investment, Plantation Gateway, the eastern business district located along the State Road 7 corridor, is quickly becoming one of South Florida’s most desirable locations for redevelopment. In the Gateway district, new mixed use developments are spurring redevelopment of existing business and residential properties. Many of those who work in Plantation also call it “home.” Plantation offers a wide range of premier residential neighborhoods to choose from, with homes ranging from $72,000 to well over $2 million. Residents are also treated to great local shopping, delicious restaurants that accommodate a wide range of tastes and price ranges, excellent public and private schools, beautiful parks and recreation facilities, and proximity to the beach and downtown Fort Lauderdale – all within a stable, beautifully landscaped, safe community. Plantation’s quality environment is unsurpassed by other South Florida cities. It continues to be recognized year after year as one of only a handful of communities nationwide to receive the prestigious Sterling Tree City USA award. In addition, the City exceeds County standards for parks and recreation with 42 parks totaling over 650 acres. It has drawn national attention for its world-class recreation facilities such as the Frank Veltri Tennis Center, Camp Everglades and the Plantation Equestrian Center, both located within Volunteer Park, and Plantation Preserve, a nationally recognized, Audubon certified 18-hole championship golf course, clubhouse and multi-use recreation trail – the first of its kind in the nation. The City of Plantation offers the best of all worlds, having the perfect environment to live, work and play. Rich in amenities, the City of Plantation has a competitive business environment and a landscape not often found in South Florida communities. For more information, please visit our website, Plantation.org or contact the City’s Economic Development division at 954-585-2373. Come see Plantation for yourself, and make it your new home.
Plantation Midtown an urban alternative
Metropolitan meets suburbia in Plantation Midtown – a distinguished business arena for corporate America, nestled in a tranquil suburban setting and offering a sense of community for those who work and reside within the District. The Midtown district is home to more than 50 Fortune 500 companies including DHL, American Express, CNN and Tradestation. In 2004, Plantation City Council designated 860 acres to be a prominent central business community for the City of Plantation. It ultimately was branded “Plantation
Midtown,” and consists of corporate office space, retail shops, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, parks, apartments and townhomes. It is centrally located in the City of Plantation, Broward County and the tri-county area, and is convenient to major interstates, Fort Lauderdale International Airport and Port Everglades. The City of Plantation adopted a Central Plantation Conceptual Master Plan for Plantation Midtown. The 25year Plan is used as a guide for both the public and private sector, and will continue to direct economic development, urban design, transportation systems, public improvements and real estate development for years to come. The main objective of the Master Plan is to establish a “vision that reflects the ideas of the citizens, community leaders and City officials.” Objectives include: • Improve traffic circulation, reduce congestion, and provide for alternative methods to transportation • Create transportation links throughout the District to the surrounding area
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Midtown at a glance Welcome to Plantation Midtown! Want to know more? Take a look … • Spans two miles from north to south and comprises 860 acres • Contains approximately 2.5 million square feet of retail space, and approximately 3 million square feet of office space, two-thirds of which is Class A • Approximately 20,500 people are employed within the District • Home to more than fifty Fortune 500 companies • Roads carry more than 275,000 cars daily
• Plan for a sustainable mix use of businesses, residences, and public services
• Approximately 34,500 households within a one mile radius
• Define and design for plazas, streetscapes, and public places
• Easy access to downtown Fort Lauderdale, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties
• Create pedestrian-oriented environments
• Major businesses located within the District include DHL Worldwide, American Express, Balfour Beatty, Broadspire Services, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Cornerstone Corporate Center, CNN,Westside Regional Medical Center, Publix and University of Phoenix
• Provide for the infrastructure to encourage strategic economic development and redevelopment Additionally, capital improvement projects should improve traffic circulation, reduce road congestion, allow for connectivity of streets, offer pedestrian walking paths and improve parks, and will include brick pavers, crosswalks, street shade trees, widened sidewalks, bicycle paths, benches, and more. Mall plazas will include park settings to allow for public gatherings, landscaped pockets and an amphitheater. Plantation Midtown offers the ideal environment for businesses and developers to experience growth and prosperity. Here our grass is greener. And more important, it’s growing!
Over a 25 year period, the Central Plantation Conceptual Master Plan predicts a demand for 3,010 residential units, 1.8 million square feet of office space, 400,000 square feet of retail space, and 550 additional hotel rooms. The Plan is divided into three phases:
Years
2003-2007
2008-2012
2013-2025
Residential units
950
1,050
1,010
Office sq ft
250,000
500,000
1,050,000
Commercial sq ft
150,000
250,000
Visit the City of Plantation’s website, Plantation.org, for more information about Plantation Midtown. www.Plantation.org
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Plantation Midtown … green and growing in prosperity
Plantation Midtown has one of the hottest real estate markets, not only in Broward County, but in South Florida as well. Midtown’s Conceptual Master Plan has paved the way for future growth, and makes recommendations for capital investments that will make the area alluring to the development community. In order to create a thoughtful mix of businesses that provide residents, businesses and visitors with the services and goods they need, City officials take into consideration all aspects of a project’s impact, including its effect on the surrounding neighborhoods, current and future traffic issues, parking requirements, landscaping and potential economic impact. The following is a list of businesses that are “green and growing” in Plantation Midtown.
• Plans are moving forward for The Fountains two-phase redevelopment, which includes over 440,000 square feet of office and retail, and 478 residential units. • Royal Palm I has opened its office plaza, offering approximately 240,000 square feet of Class A office space.
City officials take into consideration all aspects of a project’s impact, including its effect on the surrounding neighborhoods, current and future traffic issues, parking requirements, landscaping and potential economic impact.
• 321 North, a major mixed use redevelopment, including over 500 residential units, and over one million square feet of new and reconstructed office space, retail shops and entertainment venues, is designed to be environmentally friendly, and has been accepted to the LEED for Neighborhood Development pilot program. • Cornerstone Corporate Center, designated “Best Suburban Office Park” by the Building Owners and Managers Association, is planning for over 200,000 square feet of office space.
10 Plantation – The Grass is Greener
• One Plantation Place mixed use development project is currently in the planning and preconstruction phases. This complex will offer approximately 500 residential units and over 110,000 square feet of combined office and retail space. • Regency Midtown is planned for the construction of over 80 residential units and 88,000 square feet of retail and offices. • Westside Regional Hospital will be expanding the medical complex by adding offices.
• Veranda, Midtown’s first mixed use project, currently offers over 200 luxury condominiums, retail shops and a grocery store. Additional condominiums and townhouses are planned for the future. • Broward County has expanded its facilities, located at One University Drive, to ensure County services such as the Property Appraiser’s office, building and permitting, public works and more, are readily available. Additionally the Broward County West Regional Library is a new state of the art facility.
Great Successes Achieved in the Plantation Gateway Redevelopment District
The Plantation Gateway Redevelopment District was once a deteriorating commercial corridor characterized by vacant lots, small buildings, uninviting storefronts, vast underused parking lots and desolate landscaping.
zoning sub-district, a variety of compatible land uses are permitted allowing for opportunities for new business growth and development/redevelopment. Property improvements range from disabled parking spaces to sufficient customer parking, landscaping, signs and façade improvements.These standards are carefully maintained by Code Enforcement.
Fast forward to 2008!
In order to spur new development and redevelopment, the City designated the Plantation Gateway District as a Local Activity Center (LAC), allowing for future long-term residential, mixed-use residential, commercial and office developments similar to Park Place and Grove East. Greater densities along the State Road 7 corridor will create a higher number of potential transit riders, bringing people in and out of the District from north and south along State Road 7, or east and west from Fort Lauderdale and central Plantation.
Through substantial capital investments and close cooperation between the City and the business community, Plantation Gateway is quickly becoming an economically vibrant business and residential district.
Gateway District Defined The area is generally defined as all properties fronting State Road 7 from Sunrise Boulevard to Davie Boulevard. It also includes commercial property just west of State Road 7 on Peters Road, Broward Boulevard and Sunrise Boulevard. It is home to over 400 retailers, professional and medical offices, national auto dealerships, service oriented businesses, eating establishments, community health facilities, Plantation Elementary School and Plantation General Hospital. It also includes two newly built residential communities: Park Place, located on NW 8th Court just west of State Road 7; and Grove East, residential and retail/office mixed use community at Broward Boulevard and State Road 7.These projects will further contribute to the economic vibrancy and cultural diversity of the District.
Gateway Zoning Redevelopment of the Gateway District is a deliberate detailed plan with four interactive elements that provide guidance for continually enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the District while improving infrastructure and functionality. Ongoing improvements include business signage and façade improvements, capital projects and pleasing landscape. Much of the District’s success can be attributed to the City’s implementation of a new zoning ordinance that divides the area into six zoning sub-districts: Auto Mall, Four Corners, Hybrid/Commercial, Healthcare, Professional Office and Artesian Commerce.Within each
Business Support Through its Community Redevelopment Office (CRO), the City promotes revitalization and increased exposure to the local real estate market. CRO assistance includes real estate market inquiries, grants and information about current and future construction projects.The CRO maintains updated market study reports that may be used to target developers and attract specific commercial enterprises to the area. The Plantation Gateway street banner program promotes the District to visitors and travelers. Other marketing tools include advertising in the Miami Herald’s Where We Live publication, the Plantation Chamber of Commerce Business and Information Guide, and articles in Plantation Quarterly.The CRO also publishes The Gate, a quarterly business newsletter distributed to over 400 businesses within the Gateway District. The Gateway District is the eastern-most “Gate” to the City of Plantation, an economically sustainable and aesthetically pleasing District that is serving local community needs. For more information, please contact the Community Redevelopment Office at 954-585-2330. www.Plantation.org 11
Technology Park
– Broward’s first, and still #1!
Plantation Technology Park was Plantation’s first business district, and Broward County’s first industrial park. Located off Sunrise Boulevard between 65th and 70th avenues, the Tech Park is readily accessible to the Florida Turnpike and other major interstates. In 1999, the City worked with businesses to develop a master plan for the Plantation Technology Park. Short-term plans call for Park beautification and property upgrades. In the long term, additional emphasis will be placed on landscaping, roadway improvements and other infrastructure enhancements. South Florida is a hot spot for industrial development, with a demand for one million square feet more industrial space than is currently available. The City and Tech Park property owners plan on capitalizing on this tremendous opportunity. Plantation Technology Park is currently zoned for light and clean industrial development, neighborhood business, commercial and educational-institutional. It is home to many small-to-largesized cutting edge firms that specialize in industries such as aviation, robotics, biotechnology research, medical equipment manufacturing, cellular and wireless services, defense, software development and aerospace. It reflects some of the most innovative manufacturing and technology-based businesses, such as Goodwin Biotechnology, offering bio-therapeutics for incurable cancers and other diseases, and Kenig Aerospace that provides aerospace metal for Boeing and others. Both have been tenants for over ten years.
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Plantation Technology Park offers competitively priced space, in a safe, easy to access, lushly landscaped, industrial park setting. For more information, please visit the City’s website at Plantation.org.
Plantation Government
offers “Quality of Life” for all
Rae Carole Armstrong, Broward County’s only strong Mayor, has a deeprooted history with the City of Plantation, spanning over 40 years, as a private citizen, an educator, a business owner and today, as an elected official. She was the first woman elected to City Council, and is proud and honored to have been chosen for her third consecutive term as Mayor. Mayor Armstrong and members of City Council work to develop world-class recreational facilities that draw visitors from around the county and around the nation. In the past several years alone, the City has seen the completion of Plantation Preserve, an 18-hole championship golf course, clubhouse, multi-use recreation trail and wetland preserve, the multi-million dollar expansion of Plantation Central Park and the Frank Veltri Tennis Center, and the Volunteer Park expansion, which included construction of Plantation Equestrian Center, Camp Everglades tot lot, boardwalks, and nature trails, all overlooking a beautifully landscaped wetland preserve. Future plans include the complete
renovation of the Plantation Community Center and Kennedy Park, Liberty Tree expansion and ongoing additions to our vast multi-use recreation trail (MURT) system. Quality of Life doesn’t just mean a better life for residents and visitors. Plantation City government understands that it’s important for businesses to have an outstanding “quality of life,” as well. That means a City that is easy to do business with and supports and works with a company’s growth and expansion strategy. A City that listens to its business base, and works to communicate its strengths, and attract growing companies in profitable target sectors. A City that can offer employees an array of superior residential housing options. And a City that provides commercial real estate opportunities in all ranges and sizes to accommodate a start-up or small business opportunity or the well-established, larger corporate headquarters. Together, Mayor Rae Carole Armstrong and City Council establish clear and consistent priorities for business district redevelopment and neighborhood improvement plans that ensure continued quality of life and stability of home values. Improved government operations and a strong technology infrastructure make Plantation a great place to do business, and are key elements of a customer friendly environment. Their vision and goal is to provide a warm, hospitable place for people to raise their families and a strong, stable environment in which to grow a business. Council members, L to R: Dr. Robert Levy, Rico Petrocelli, Sharon Moody Uria, Mayor Rae Carole Armstrong, Diane Veltri Bendekovic, Jerry Fadgen
www.Plantation.org
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Plantation’s Competitive Edge … the top reasons to be where the grass is greener! leader in State Road 7 improvements, which continues to revitalize the business area and serves as an example for the rest of the corridor. Zoning ordinances have been adopted that allow for mixed use properties, activity centers and revitalization of our business districts. And City staff actively encourage developers to use sustainability practices when developing and redeveloping properties within the City.
Business Friendly Government
Plantation’s Competitive Edge … the top reasons to be where the grass is greener! You may know of the City of Plantation as a vibrant, growing community in central Broward County, but are you truly aware of all the City has to offer? Plantation has one of the lowest millage rates in the county, a technology savvy and welleducated work force, and world class parks and recreation facilities. And if that is not enough, here are more reasons…
Quality of Life The City of Plantation offers everything great about South Florida: a well-balanced community with available housing for all income levels, safe neighborhoods, beautiful parks and recreation facilities, major hospitals, education opportunities for all ages, shops, restaurants, and an established, stable economy. Just recently, Plantation has been recognized by America’s Promise as one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People.” And according to a recent Harris Poll, Florida continues to be at the top of the list of “desirable places to live.”
Visionary Development Thanks to the progressive vision of the Mayor and elected officials, the City of Plantation has prospered. Plantation is a
14 Plantation – The Grass is Greener
Plantation is business friendly. Its staff recognizes the needs, desires and concerns of both new and old businesses, and understands that Plantation’s success stems from their success. Plantation regularly partners with local businesses and the Greater Plantation Chamber of Commerce, and has established various business support committees such as the Midtown Advisory Board, the Gateway Advisory Board, the Technology Park Task Force and the Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee to help guide plans and make decisions on behalf of their respective constituents.
Business Environment Plantation is home to over 5,400 large and small businesses. Some of the names you may recognize include DHL International, CNN, American Express,TradeStation and Broadspire Services. Class A office space is available at Royal Palm I, and Cornerstone Corporate Center, which was recognized as “Best Suburban Office Park” by the Building Owners and Managers Association.
City staff and community members have formed the “Shade Brigade” and “Operation Habitat” to preserve the natural beauty of the City.
Beautiful Landscaping The City of Plantation is recognized throughout the State of Florida for its natural beauty, with tree-lined streets offering great shade canopies and beautiful views from home or office windows. City staff and community members have formed two advocacy groups to promote tree planting and proper pruning techniques, water conservation and wildlife preservation. For the past 28 years, the City has received the prestigious “Tree City USA” award and is one of a handful of cities nationwide to receive the “Tree City Growth Award.”
Environmental Friendly In Plantation, not only is the grass greener, but our citizens are, as well! The City and its residents alike are diligent in promoting energy conservation and recycling programs to protect our natural environment for today and future generations. New buildings are being constructed to be environmentally friendly, and existing businesses are adopting energy efficient measures.
Central Location The City of Plantation is ideally located in the center of Broward County and the tri-County area. The City is adjacent to major roadways such as Broward and Sunrise boulevards, State Road 7 and Flamingo Road, and to interstates such as I-95, I-595, I-75 and the Florida Turnpike. It is also convenient to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades.
www.Plantation.org
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