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The People’s Park continued

Rush Hour at the Park

With Melinda Bowker, Downtown Fort Lauderdale Civic Association
Groups working together toward a good solution

rowing pains and the particulars of making things work are a regular part of making a changing Fort Lauderdale work.
When it comes to the new Huizenga Park - and in particular, new three-story Sweetwaters - much of the concern and
Gongoing conversation concern how traffic is going to work, particularly on SE 1st Ave, the street that runs along the east
side of the park and dead ends at the Riverwalk.
For the past year, talks have been ongoing between organizations
including the DDA, the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Civic
Association and the condominium associations of the two condos
that sit across SE 1st Ave from the park, Las Olas River House and
100 East Las Olas. 100 East Las Olas is adjacent to the Hyatt
Centric Las Olas hotel.
According to the civic association’s position letter, traffic is a
concern because Las Olas River House has two loading areas
and two residential vehicular entrance points that use SE 1st
Ave, while the street is also the entry point to the 100 E Las
Olas Condominium and the Hyatt Centric; the hotel’s valet also
operates on the road. Sweetwaters has also proposed a valet on
the road.
Proposed solutions include a vehicle queuing area on the north
side of Las Olas where there is now on-street parking, or a cut-out
into a portion of the park on the west side of SE 1st Ave allowing
cars to drop off customers and immediately be diverted back to
Las Olas.

“I think we will reach a good solution for everyone,” Downtown
Fort Lauderdale Civic Association president Melinda Bowker said.
More broadly speaking, Bowker also suggests that it’s time for a
full intersection there.
“It needs to be a four-way traffic stop,” she said. “It’s really a mix
right now that’s confusing for pedestrians.”
Bowker also notes that it’s easy to get near the area without using
valet right at the park; options include the public garage adjacent
to the main library.
“There are hundreds of parking spots within several blocks of
Huizenga Park,” she said.

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