By Noreen Marcus, FloridaBulldog.org
The Related Group, the developer behind a divisive plan to build a private condo tower on a public Hollywood beach, seems to be anticipating that litigation may be needed to clear its path forward.
But a lawsuit could further delay the mega-millions oceanfront “1301 project” that has been stuck in pre-construction limbo for almost four years. The developer still faces the challenge of convincing resilience experts that a tower built on a low-lying barrier island wouldn’t intensify flooding and other hazards; plus, Related must jump through a series of regulatory hoops at the county and state levels.
In short, a project launched by the Hollywood City Commission in March 2022 is nowhere near breaking ground at the end of 2025.
“It won’t be built anytime soon and most of us hope, not at all,” said Catherine “Cat” Uden, a leader of the local opposition to Related’s Hollywood Arts Residences at 1301 S. Ocean Dr. She ran an unsuccessful campaign last year to unseat Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy, a staunch supporter of the project.
Related’s 2022 deal with Hollywood gives Related a 99-year lease for a 30-story tower in exchange for $400,000 annual rent, a slice of condo sales and 30 percent of rental payments from a restaurant Related will build inside a new, two-story community center. The developer promised the city a $5 million contract-signing bonus, The Real Deal reported.
Perhaps out of frustration, Related seems to be toughening its legal stance.
An Oct. 30 letter from Keith Poliakoff, a lawyer for Related, to Andria Wingett, director of Hollywood’s development services office, accuses an unidentified government employee of “mysteriously” changing an online county zoning map so it conflicts with Related’s interpretation of how 1301 S. Ocean Dr. is zoned.
The online county zoning map was changed. However, it wasn’t mysterious. The county says it had a legitimate reason.
The revised county zoning map, like the city’s, permits community facilities such as the neighborhood center that currently occupies the site. However, the 1301 project requires “medium-high residential” zoning – as per the county map before the change.
The map was changed “in complete violation of Florida law and without any public body’s knowledge or consent,” says the Poliakoff letter obtained by Florida Bulldog. It says Related will proceed as if the 1301 project already has the proper, medium-high residential zoning designation “until a court tells us otherwise.”
Related’s spokesperson Sara Lazar did not return a call seeking comment. Wingett did not respond to emailed questions from Florida Bulldog.
HOLLYWOOD TOWER VOTE WEDNESDAY
A Nov. 18 letter responding to Poliakoff from Barbara Blake Boy, executive director of the Broward County Planning Council, disputes his characterization of how and why the zoning map was changed. The city was right about the zoning, the county was wrong, and when the county discovered its error, the map was changed accordingly, Boy wrote. She did not respond to emailed questions from Florida Bulldog.
Short-term prospects are good for Hollywood to advance a revised plan that includes a 27-story condo tower, a redesigned park and a two-story community center with a privately operated restaurant. Led by Levy, a majority of the commission has supported the project in the face of strong resident opposition.
Levy, who won reelection on a pro-development platform, had significant financial backing from entities connected to Related. A political action committee supporting Levy accepted $100,000 in contributions from corporations associated with Related during the final three weeks of his campaign.
Meanwhile, public pushback against the 1301 project has never slackened. Opponents have a Facebook page called “No Condo Tower on Our Public Oceanfront Land” with 1,400 followers. They just posted a second Change.org petition; the first drew 6,680 signatures, Cat Uden said.
Residents also turn out to comment and protest at practically every opportunity. Emotions on both sides of the issue have boiled over repeatedly.
For example, at a Nov. 19 commission meeting, a resident likened the 1301 project to a “zombie” that returns from the dead, according to resident Steve Schneider, who wrote about the meeting in a Substack post. Commissioner Kevin Biederman denounced “lies” about the project. Levy silenced Biederman, who later apologized.
At a 4 p.m. meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 10, the city commission will consider an ordinance to do exactly what Related wants: change the land-use designation for 1301 S. Ocean Dr. from “community facility” to “medium-high residential.”
Uden said she expects a big turnout of opponents who want to have their say before the vote. She called the process that led to this point “despicable.”
“It’s terrible. This is not the way the city should treat residents,” Uden said.
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