The once-proposed vision of a “downtown Tamarac” with restaurants and shops may end at the Wednesday, February 14, 2024 Commission meeting. That is because the City Commission is now contemplating voting on a 10-11-story apartment building on the site.
On Monday, February 12, 2024, during the City Workshop, Mayor Michelle Jaye Gomez said residents are getting more than they requested. She said, residents asked for Commercial shops but the City wants the spaces to be more viable by adding more than 300 rental apartment units.
Commissioner Marlon Bolton expressed concerns, arguing that Tamarac Village already boasts 401 luxury apartments and already makes Commercial spaces viable there. And already in the area is the City of Lauderhill’s massive apartment building newly constructed at University Drive, and Commercial Blvd, just a few blocks away.
“I am not against smart development, but this is way too much” said Bolton, “beyond that, we promised our residents all of the remaining property would be reserved as Commercial, supported by the already 401 apartments there”
He criticized the intention of this development, adding it will only add to traffic on Commercial Blvd, an F-rated road by FDOT. “Moreover…,” he said, “our residents have asked us many times that we do not add more residential but focus on fixing dilapidated plazas and invite more restaurants to the City.”
He said while the Mayor claims we will still have 38-45,000 square feet of Commercial space, it will not meet the vision of the residents’ expectations. The City Manager confirmed that the space, with 312 apartments, will fit a “restaurant and a small bakery.”
That’s not enough.
“To put that kind of square footage in context, residents can expect to have a small Publix Supermarket,” Bolton said.
Commissioner Villalobos, who once said he wants to “halt overdevelopment” is poised to vote YES on the deal. If he does, he will be going back on his promises made to residents on Nextdoor and Facebook. And, If Villalobos votes yes tonight, it’s a tell-all sign that voters cannot trust his promises.
But Villalobos seems he never reads enough to understand Tamarac’s history, and its promises to residents. He often makes decisions based on emotions rather than facts. For example, Award Winning SunSentinel writer, Lisa J. Huriash, wrote an article on August 18, 2007. She reported that “the city would sign off on a $5 million deal to buy the largest synagogue in town and tear it down” and in its place, the city would build “another phase of its downtown Main Street project, envisioned to be a destination hub.”
The Main Street corridor – Main Street Village – now Tamarac Village would see 53,892 square feet of retail stores and restaurants.
Tamarac Post obtained City Memos and renderings dating back to City Manager Jeff Miller in 2007, showing the City’s commitment to developing the parcel as 53,000+ square feet of Commercial space, spaced out on the land and never a massive 10-11 story foot building, with 312 residential apartments and 38-45,000 sqt of commercial space that would block the view of everything around it while lowering the quality of life of the City’s residents.
The memos and SunSentinel article contradict the staff’s position that they will deliver what was promised.
“Give the residents what was promised!” said Bolton.
