Brief Description
The Civic Commons District of Downtown Pompano Beach is anchored by the Cultural Center/Library and City Hall. The majority of the land is owned by the City and the placement of the existing buildings offers tremendous development opportunity. A high density, commercial district with an emphasis on cultural and civic uses is envisioned. Educational facilities, hotels or even residential uses are compatible with the surrounding area.
Groundwork Laid for Civic Commons
- $24 million Cultural Center and Library featuring children’s services, new materials collection, computer lab, multi- purpose room, and library offices / support spaces.
- The current realignment of the Atlantic Boulevard/Dixie Highway intersection, is the infrastructure necessary to ensure a safe, pedestrian friendly experience connecting the Civic Commons District with the Old Town Entertainment District.
City / CRA Investment
- $67,500 CRA funds for a cultural facility study to analyze the feasibility of a cultural venue on top of the library
- $737,000 of CRA funds for the preliminary design for the center
- $1.19 million in CRA funds for infrastructure around the Cultural Center
- $19.25 million of City funds for design and construction of the Cultural Center
Public Benefits
- The first all-purpose state of the art cultural facility open to residents and visitors
- Access to multi-cultural programs and activities for the residents
- A new brand for Pompano Beach that catapulted the City into the national spotlight with the iconic design
- Provide the City with a stellar amenity for improved quality of life for residents
How it Will Happen
The next phase of development will include marketing the remaining vacant parcels as well as reconfiguring the City Hall parking lots into Downtown urban development projects.
Civic Campus Phase I - Public Library/Cultural Center
Phase I of the Civic Campus project consisted of the construction of a new two-story 46,000 sq. ft. county library and a City owned Cultural Center including green space. The building is located at the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and SW 1st Avenue, adjacent to the Pompano Beach City Hall. The Public Library component features children’s services, new materials collection, computer lab, multi-purpose room, and library offices / support spaces. The Cultural Center component features a public lobby, digital media suite, offices, gallery, and a flexible multi-purpose event space and support spaces (dressing rooms, lobby space, etc.). The project was completed in April 2017.
City / CRA Investment
- $67,500 CRA funds for a cultural facility study to analyze the feasibility of a cultural venue on top of the library
- $737,000 of CRA funds for the preliminary design for the center
- $1.19 million in CRA funds for infrastructure around the Cultural Center
- $19.25 million of City funds for design and construction of the Cultural Center
Public Benefits
- The first all-purpose state of the art cultural facility open to residents and visitors
- Access to multi-cultural programs and activities for the residents
- A new brand for Pompano Beach that catapulted the City into the national spotlight with the iconic design
- Provided the City with a stellar amenity for improved quality of life for residents
How it Happened
- The CRA encouraged the City to embrace culture as a redevelopment strategy because cities with a strong cultural presence are healthier economically
- The County had long since planned a library but the project was stagnant. RMA assumed management of the project and through the CRA hired William Webb & Associates to determine the feasibility of a Cultural Center.
- An agreement was negotiated between the CRA, the City and Broward County to fund the new Public Library and Cultural Center, including infrastructure improvements.
- On October 30, 2014, a groundbreaking ceremony was celebrated with a Grand Opening celebration on May 11, 2017.
Atlantic Blvd & North Dixie Highway - Complete Streets Project
Brief Description
The Atlantic Boulevard and Dixie Highway Complete Streets Project is an initiative by the City of Pompano Beach and Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to redesign the stretches of Atlantic Boulevard and Dixie Highway that run through Pompano Beach’s proposed Downtown District. These roadway renovations are essential to the success of the new Downtown because these heavily traveled roads bisect and disconnect the quadrants of Downtown. These stretches of road need to become pedestrian and bike friendly and minimize the vast number of lanes while maintaining good traffic flow.
Groundwork Laid for Atlantic & Dixie
- In 2016, the City approved transfer of ownership for Dixie Highway & Atlantic Boulevard from FDOT to the City and began the Complete Streets project planning.
- The conceptual designs by EDSA make the streets more pedestrian friendly by decreasing the number of traffic lanes, adding bike lanes, increasing the sidewalk width, and adding landscaping
- Preliminary traffic studies were conducted that show the realignment of the roadway will not have a material impact on the traffic flow
- Nine public meetings were held over the last two years
- The reconstruction of the travel lanes began in October 2021 with the installation of temporary traffic delineators to test new traffic patterns and inform the design team of adjustments that may be necessary to achieve a successful Complete Streets design.
Public Benefits
- A safer roadway for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic
- Downtown connectivity between the Civic Commons, Old Town and the Innovation District
- A beautified Downtown as the entry to the City and the beaches
- Substantial economic impacts as described in the Innovation District section
- An improved image for the City at large
