While five decades of extraordinary growth has transformed cities from Miami-Dade up through Palm Beach County and beyond, the exuberance seemed to have skipped over Pompano Beach. Covering an area of 27.4 square miles, including three miles of beachfront, the town maintained an identity as a place one passes through on the way from Fort Lauderdale to Boca Raton. But now, those days are over. Pompano Beach has become a hot spot for commercial and residential development. 

What Changed? 

The answer lies in a successful joint effort by the City of Pompano Beach, the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), the Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council to craft a plan for long-term financing, redevelopment and private investment in the City’s East and Northwest Redevelopment districts. They did it right and businesses took note. 

Evidence of the new Pompano Beach vitality is everywhere, starting with the redevelopment of its historic fishing pier and Pompano Beach Boulevard east of A1A, complete with a convenient new parking garage and great restaurants. Along the picturesque oceanfront promenade, children’s playgrounds, adult fitness areas and all the other amenities of an attractive public beach make it one of the most scenic and people-friendly parks in South Florida. 

Heading west on Atlantic Boulevard, beautiful streetscape enhancements, lighting and a creative sail motif on the Intracoastal Bridge have attracted trendy new restaurants serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Condominium and townhome developments are underway, some with views of canals and marinas, and at a range of price points.  

On the high end, Sabbia Beach, the luxury high-rise on the ocean south of the 14th Street Causeway, sold out its units with prices starting in the $900s. Encouraged by Sabbia’s success, The Related Companies recently announced plans to move forward with the development of a luxury condominium on 2.8 oceanfront acres it purchased eight years ago.

In October, Boca Raton-based developer MAG Real Estate & Development received the green light from Pompano Beach commissioners to transform the former auto junkyard at 1621 S. Dixie Highway into Aviara East Pompano, a two-building, 228-unit apartment project featuring up to 14,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space and amenities such as a pool and gym.  

With the City’s approval, the proposed Aviara complex will include 188 “flex” residential units. As a condition of receiving the flex units, the developer is now required to include a certain number of affordable housing units. Ultimately, the former junkyard eyesore will be transformed into Aviara East Pompano and become an economically productive area where people will live, work and enjoy life.

West of U.S. 1, the newly restored historic district at Atlantic Boulevard and Dixie Highway in the heart of “Old Pompano” showcases a new cultural arts center with a library, theater, banquet center and art gallery.  

A Hot Commercial Market

The city’s mantra, “We're Open for Business!” is delivering results as prominent institutional investors flock to Pompano Beach in search of opportunities. Owners, operators and developers are scouring the city for industrial property investments. The CRA is fulfilling its mission by encouraging public/private partnerships in the CRA district.  

What’s more, Pompano Beach offers gaming. Having a casino and racetrack in town is a big plus, considering that more than a quarter of all Americans engage in gambling as a pasttime. The Cordish Companies and Eldorado Resorts, Inc. are partnering to develop a world-class, mixed-use hospitality destination in Pompano Beach on a 223-acre site, which is one of the largest remaining undeveloped parcels in South Florida.  

The development will complement and encompass the site of the existing Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park and bring new upscale retail, dining, and entertainment to Pompano Beach, including a corporate office campus, residences and a hotel. Adjacent redevelopment is likely to follow. 

On its website, the City of Pompano Beach promises to be “For people who value genuine hometown qualities but also want the lifestyle a progressive, modern city offers.” Thanks to effective local leadership, the city’s vision has become its reality and Pompano Beach is now among South Florida’s top commercial real estate investment hot spots.