tag:blogs.trb.com,2012:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340 2012-02-01T15:47:31Z Movable Type 3.36 tag:blogs.trb.com,2012:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.314145 2012-02-01T15:42:00Z 2012-02-01T15:47:31Z

The recent Neighborhood Action Walk in Middle River Terrace Park was a crime walk on a truly grand scale. Members of four neighborhood associations in the city’s northeast section began gathering in the park an hour before noon, about the...

Staff Writer FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2012:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.313463 2012-01-18T17:28:20Z 2012-01-18T17:36:51Z

Three years of effort by residents of the Colee Hammock neighborhood will pay off in April when three entryway signs, approved by the Fort Lauderdale City Commission near the end of last year, will finally be put in place. “We...

Staff Writer FOLLOW YOUR LOCAL NEWS ON FACEBOOK! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.305929 2011-09-14T21:16:33Z 2011-09-14T21:21:40Z

The Community for a Better Lake Ridge, a coalition of residents representing the Lake Ridge neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale, is filing papers to become an organized association. The coalition was created roughly four months ago by residents eager to cut...

Staff Writer The Community for a Better Lake Ridge, a coalition of residents representing the Lake Ridge neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale, is filing papers to become an organized association. The coalition was created roughly four months ago by residents eager to cut down on crime. Said the group’s founder, Mary Pat Rhodes. “We’re gonna show the bad guys we don’t want [them here] anymore.” Rhodes put together a series of monthly crime walks, the next of which is scheduled for Sept. 21. tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.305925 2011-09-14T21:13:19Z 2011-09-14T21:15:50Z

Efforts to rescue the old Shippey House at the edge of the Sailboat Bend neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale - including move it to a better spot - have inched forward. Last month the City Commission reviewed the preservationists' work and...

Staff Writer Efforts to rescue the old Shippey House at the edge of the Sailboat Bend neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale - including move it to a better spot - have inched forward. Last month the City Commission reviewed the preservationists' work and concluded it should continue, though without any taxpayer money. The 1914 structure is “better than I expected,” said District Four Commissioner Romney Rogers. Right now, the dirty-white house at 215 SW Second Ave., just behind the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, is a derelict. Paint is blistered, windows are smashed and boarded. The whole battered building, its foundation gone, sits atop huge rusted metal girders. “The house is a contributing structure to the Sailboat Bend Historic District,” said Alysa Plummer, head of the neighborhood association and co-founder of the Save the Shippey effort. “It's one of the structures that helps identify and create the actual district.” Plummer and her colleague, city Realtor Jackie Scott, hope to resuscitate the house and move it to city land at the Cooley Landings Marina, about 1,000 feet to the south. The present story began in 2009, when the city's Unsafe Structures Board decreed the building should be flattened. The Historic Preservation Board ruled against the demolition and the matter went to the City Commission, which concluded last spring that a nonprofit organization was called for. It must raise about $200,000 to relocate and restore the structure. Plummer and Scott created a website, which includes a brief bio of Judge Frederick Shippey of which the house takes its name. The website also estimates the cost of the move including everything from drywall to electrical wiring and the fee for relocating the home. “The house can't stay where it is,” Scott said. The owner, a New York debt collection agency, bought it for the land about a year ago, she said, and has been tolerantly waiting for the house to go. The spot at Cooley's Landing was chosen for relocation, she said, “because it's at the western edge of Riverwalk, which begins with the Stranahan House to the east. We want it to end with the Shippey [house].” Mark Budwig, chairman of the board of Riverwalk Trust, said “funds are being raised to relocate and renovate the Shippey House, which would become the offices of Riverwalk Trust upon completion.” However other matters need to be resolved, as city commissioners outlined at their Aug. 23 meeting. What zoning laws apply? Are county and state grants available? Will FPL have access to a transmission line that goes over the water at the proposed site? Nothing is definite but the need for more money. Two fundraisers have produced “almost $10,000,” Plummer said. “The city will not spend any money. This is a community project and the funds are to be privately raised.” The project has a ways to go, “but that's part of fundraising.” “You've just got to keep puttin' it out there,” she said. tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.305923 2011-09-14T20:54:05Z 2011-09-14T21:12:17Z

West Marine, one the largest boat supply chains in the U.S., is going to open its grandest store on South Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. That was startling news, since the California-based company has two stores here now. One of...

Staff Writer West Marine, one the largest boat supply chains in the U.S., is going to open its grandest store on South Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. That was startling news, since the California-based company has two stores here now. One of them is just a few blocks away on Federal Highway near State Road 84. “We just outgrew that building,” said Bobby Greenwell, West Marine’s South Florida district manager. The new structure, at 2401 South Andrews Ave. in the Poinciana Park neighborhood, takes up 50,000 square feet. But when the massive parking lot is included, the whole enterprise will cover nearly three times that. Greenwell declined to say just how much West Marine is spending on the new store but called it “a significant investment.” The new store will hire “about 75 associates,” he said. “Nearly all are expected to be local.” So far, the South Andrews community is welcoming the new store. The area has been struggling for decades to recover from its slump in fortune after the city grew northward. tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.302425 2011-08-03T14:41:44Z 2011-08-03T14:45:09Z

The Pantry of Broward Inc. describes itself as “a one-stop shop for seniors in need,” and since it was created three years ago in a gleaming white building in Progresso Village, the organization has helped the fixed-income elderly with everything...

Staff Writer FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.295601 2011-05-18T18:36:47Z 2011-05-18T18:45:52Z

Critics of offshore oil drilling will return to Fort Lauderdale beach next month as a part of a Hands Across the Sand event. Last June, demonstrators also gathered along the shore near Las Olas Boulevard just two months after...

Staff Writer Critics of offshore oil drilling will return to Fort Lauderdale beach next month as a part of a Hands Across the Sand event. Last June, demonstrators also gathered along the shore near Las Olas Boulevard just two months after the BP oil spill began in the Gulf of Mexico. “It’s important for people to remember what happened a year ago,” said Matthew Schwartz, executive director of the South Florida Wildlands Association, referring to the BP spill. Schwartz's group is helping to organize the gathering on Fort Lauderdale next month. Hands Across the Sand was the idea of Dave Rauschkolb, an avid surfer and restaurant owner from Florida. “We wanted to convince legislators not to take oil drilling up, which they did not and we’d like to think we had an effect,” he said. Next month's demonstration begins at 11 a.m. June 25 at the intersection of Las Olas Boulevard and State Road A1A. Participants are scheduled to join hands for 15 minutes beginning at noon. “It’s a very powerful expression to show up in unity and send a powerful message that clean energy is the course to take,” Rauschkolb said. For information, visit www.handsacrossthesand.com. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.294051 2011-05-05T15:49:05Z 2011-05-05T16:10:01Z

Folks looking to enjoy an alcoholic beverage at a Lauderdale-by-the-Sea restaurant on Sundays will no longer have to wait until noon - now that town commissioners have approved a measure to allow restaurants to serve on Sunday mornings. “If...

Staff Writer Folks looking to enjoy an alcoholic beverage at a Lauderdale-by-the-Sea restaurant on Sundays will no longer have to wait until noon - now that town commissioners have approved a measure to allow restaurants to serve on Sunday mornings. “If we can give an advantage to our restaurants ... and get more people to our town then that’s great,” Mayor Roseann Minnet said. The issue was first brought up at a February meeting at the request of Vice Mayor Stuart Dodd, after he noticed several other cities passed similar ordinances. Dodd cited Fort Lauderdale as the reason he brought the issue up, adding that it was time for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea to update its policy. “I just feel that telling a tourist who’s coming into one of our establishments that they can’t have an alcoholic drink before noon isn’t really promoting [the town as] a tourist destination,” Dodd said. Under the new ordinance, alcoholic beverages can be sold at establishments Monday through Sunday beginning at 7 a.m. with the purchase of food. Town commissioners did not change alcohol sale times for off-the-premises use; grocery stores and gas stations still are not permitted to sell alcohol from 2 to 9 a.m. Saturdays and 2 a.m. to noon Sundays. -Sean D'Oliveira FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! AND CHECK US OUT ON YouTube! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.293031 2011-04-27T22:24:42Z 2011-04-27T22:29:29Z

Community block parties are a chance for neighbors to get out of the house and forget about the dismal economy. But in some neighborhoods, like Middle River Terrace, they serve a dual purpose. “The needs of our neighborhood have changed...

Staff Writer FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! AND CHECK US OUT ON YouTube! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.292395 2011-04-21T23:10:54Z 2011-04-21T23:14:00Z

Whenever they hear a screech or the sound of a crash, Poinsettia Heights residents who live near the roundabout on Northeast 15th Avenue and 18th Street are likely on their feet and out the door, with cell phones in hand....

Staff Writer FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! AND CHECK US OUT ON YouTube! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.291317 2011-04-13T16:44:59Z 2011-04-13T17:48:21Z

The newly-famed 'Riverwalk Burger Battle' will return next month. The second annual best burger contest will take place on May 13 at the Riverside Hotel Lawn, 620 E. Las Olas Blvd. Judges for the competition have already been announced...

Staff Writer The newly-famed 'Riverwalk Burger Battle' will return next month. The second annual best burger contest will take place on May 13 at the Riverside Hotel Lawn, 620 E. Las Olas Blvd. Judges for the competition have already been announced and includes former Miami Dolphin John Offerdahl, Jack Kane from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, “Hells Kitchen” finalist Chef Ralph Pagano, and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler. Although no likely favorites have risen as of yet, much is to be expected from last year's winner -- "The Champ" from Georgie's Alibi in Wilton Manors. The winning burger featured a challah bun, 3 to 4 oz. of chipotle aioli, caramelized onions and American cheese. Georgie's beat out 15 other competitors to take the title last year. -FPG staff FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! AND CHECK US OUT ON YouTube! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.290388 2011-04-06T16:13:33Z 2011-04-06T16:35:23Z

The area near Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale is now part of a newly created Community Redevelopment Agency following a recent decision by city commission. The CRA area will begin at Sunrise Boulevard, west of Federal Highway, and run north...

Staff Writer FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! AND CHECK US OUT ON YouTube! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.289530 2011-03-30T22:23:22Z 2011-03-30T22:25:51Z

A new component has entered Fort Lauderdale’s debate over short-term rentals: crew housing. The city has been considering whether to impose restrictions on property owners who regularly rent homes for less than a month. Now, the city must consider the...

Staff Writer FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! AND CHECK US OUT ON YouTube! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.288507 2011-03-23T15:55:27Z 2011-03-23T16:07:47Z

Late last year, a Burger King went up on North Federal Highway at the corner of Northeast 55th Court despite neighbors’ strident protests. But now it appears as though the neighbors have carried the day. Fort Lauderdale city commissioners recently...

Staff Writer FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! AND CHECK US OUT ON YouTube! ]]> tag:blogs.trb.com,2011:/community/news/fort_lauderdale/forum//340.287695 2011-03-16T20:42:04Z 2011-03-16T21:00:42Z

Surrounded by urban development, the city's Dolphin Isles Park recently opened in an effort to preserve the remaining ‘green space’ near the beach while also offering area residents a new neighborhood park. The park, located at 2125 NE 33rd...

Staff Writer Surrounded by urban development, the city's Dolphin Isles Park recently opened in an effort to preserve the remaining ‘green space’ near the beach while also offering area residents a new neighborhood park. The park, located at 2125 NE 33rd Ave., sits on 0.25 acres of land acquired in 2006 through a grant via Broward County’s Safe Parks and Land Preservation Bond program. City officials said they hope the park can thrive as one of the last remaining green spaces near the beach. “It's such a beautiful, quaint park that I know the area residents will truly cherish,” said Angela Sabina DiPietro, spokeswoman for the city of Fort Lauderdale. The park also features environmental-friendly amenities like artificial play turf to reduce irrigation costs, recycled park benches and picnic tables and a solar-powered trash/recycling receptacle. Other amenities include a swing set and play structure made from recycled steel. -Sean D'Oliveira FOLLOW THE NEWS ON FACEBOOK! AND CHECK US OUT ON YouTube! ]]>