When I was 20 years old, my Saturdays consisted of shopping at Plantation’s Fashion Mall & always stopping into Aeropostale (my generation’s Abercrombie & Fitch). So it is has been sad to see the demise of the Fashion Mall in the last decade & it is bittersweet in some ways to hear of its upcoming demolition.
Luckily what is being built is better than I could have ever imagined. 321 North will incorporate residential, office, shopping & entertainment into the 33 acre site off of University Drive & Broward Boulevard (literally the heart of Broward County). Truly a urban town center that will not only service the City of Plantation but also the neighboring areas, such as Weston, Davie, Sunrise, etc. The project will yield 550,000 square feet of retail space, 300,000 to 400,000 square feet of new Class A office space & 400 to 600 residential units. The objective of the project is for it add new life to the area & foster a vibrant neighborhood that is active 18 hours per day & 7 days a week. Construction is expected to begin in the next 12 months.
Economic Development Coordinator Wayne Burns stated: “Upon completion, I expect that the proposed project, advantageously situated, in the northeast section of Plantation’s thriving core will serve as a destination of excitement & vigor during daytime, evening & weekend hours. Such a project proposal exemplifies Plantation Midtown’s rapid growth as a pedestrian-friendly place of commerce & entertainment that continue to experience outstanding development & offers fantastic opportunities for redevelopment. The planned mixed-use project equates to an increase in jobs & enhancement of the city tax base for the economic benefit to all Plantation residents.”
321 North is also being designed for upscale shopping & as a social gathering place in a convenient area, which at present only exists on the very-concentrated east side of the county. The owners of the project, U.S. Capital, realize the underserved market & hoping to attract new businesses & luxurious venues. It is definitely the right place, considering that over 50 Fortune 500 companies such as, Motorola, American Express & DHL are already located in city of Plantation.
In addition to providing a live, work & play community, 321 North has also been accepted into the new LEED for Neighborhood Development pilot program. Only communities that protect & enhance the overall health, natural environment & quality of life by reducing vehicular traffic, promoting pedestrian foot & public transit activity & promoting efficient energy & water use are accepted into the program. As a participant in the program 321 North can work towards receiving a LEED certification for both the office & residential components of the development. Besides using green building features, such as, highly efficient mechanical & plumbing systems & energy efficient glazes, paints & finishes that enhance indoor air quality, the developers are planning to incorporate greenways, links to public transportation, open spaces, an on-site filtration pond & a heavily vegetated parking structure that will help mitigate the heat of the sun. Landscaping, which includes making use of a large canopy trees & native plants to shade pedestrians paths, will also be part of the green features. City of Plantation Mayor Rae Carole Armstrong stated: “It is our hope that 321 North will act as a catalyst & model for future developments in the city.”
Click here to watch a news segment on the project by NBC Channel 6.
So a green, luxurious, live, play & work community is on its way stay-tuned!