South Florida Local News

(Editor’s Note: The Sun Sentinel invited our readers to voice their views on the proposed new Fort Lauderdale City Hall. The readers who responded strongly oppose the preliminary design and estimated cost of $344 million. We invited Mayor Dean Trantalis to respond to his own constituents’ criticism, including a lack of transparency in the posting of renderings online. He did not respond. We invite readers to send their opinions to letters@sunsentinel.com, and we will publish more letters soon.)

The new Fort Lauderdale City Hall looks like they’re trying to recreate the Taj Mahal.

It’s totally out of context. It’s ugly, the design is out of proportion. It’s inappropriate for our city — except for the part that resembles a sinking ship.

I saw no mention of any green initiatives, and I am doubtful it can get a LEED certificate. Surprisingly, for a city that says it wants to plant 246,000 trees, the rendering shows they managed to remove every single shade tree on the swale next to the property.

They apparently wanted to make sure no mature trees were anywhere nearby.

Pat Roth, Fort Lauderdale

I love Fort Lauderdale. I consider it my home.

A city hall is a government building. It’s supposed to be functional, resilient and sturdy. It shouldn’t break the budget.

I agree with Vice Mayor John Herbst that the P3 process is not appropriate for this project. The city should have listed specifications, and contractors should have competitively bid for the project. Instead, we seem to have contractors running the show and telling the city how much taxpayer money they want, and the majority of commissioners seem willing to hand it over.

Kathryn Summer lived in Fort Lauderdale for 37 years and is a member of the civic group Leadership Broward.

This city has trouble with construction projects. A new fire station developed mold problems, a public parking lot’s exterior lighting feature failed and will require $3 million to replace. A new police headquarters with a cracked roof will cost $50 million more, all while infrastructure continues to fail as broken sewer lines pour waste into our waterways. Estimates are that Fortify Lauderdale (the city’s infrastructure resiliency program) is 10-15 years from completion.

The public should have had more time to review and comment on this extremely hot topic. I’d like to see the commission address flooding and infrastructure with the same fervor they have for dumping taxpayer money into projects like City Hall, the Swimming Hall of Fame and re-landscaping Las Olas. Yes, we need a city hall. We don’t need a $300+ million Taj Majal.

Kathryn Summer, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea

The writer came to Fort Lauderdale in 1957 and was a permanent city resident for 37 years.

I think the new City Hall design is awful.

It’s wasteful, and the money would be better spent in so many ways. Infrastructure, affordable housing — anything but that ugly, ostentatious design. Why don’t the mayor and commissioners listen to the outcry of residents, from overdevelopment to ignoring residents’ needs? Please stop hurting our city.

Susan Lazarus, Fort Lauderdale

As a student of architecture and design, I have never seen a more unsuitable design than the one presented to our city commission.

I find it despicable. I respect our commissioners greatly, but must ask: Do they have any experience judging architecture?

This building will long outlast our current community and, I believe, we should strive to make this design live beyond our lifetimes. I totally agree with Commissioner John Herbst and I don’t see it as a serious civic building.

What are we saying with this design? To me, it looks like the last few minutes of the Titanic sinking.

I believe a cityscape should reflect its community, and at least nod to other structures around it. Take for example, the new county office building.  It sits in the same sight line as the old jail, but it conforms beautifully. Well done.

I dislike the design immensely. For the love of and pride for my city, I would hate to see my tax dollars go to its construction.

We can do so much better!

Joanne M. Snead, Fort Lauderdale

It is a disgusting show of bad taste and an unmitigated waste of hard-earned tax dollars. At the very least, they could have put the design out to the citizens for input. I guess their only consideration was erecting a monument to their time in office.

In my view, it merely shows that their time in office should be cut short as soon as possible so we can replace them with people who have good taste in their decision-making and an honest desire to spend the people’s money wisely, as we all must do in these difficult times.

Maureen Solomon, Fort Lauderdale

It’s an ugly anachronistic disaster.

Any new construction should include renewable electricity generation. Where are the solar panels or wind turbines? Do the windows open? Will those windows attract migrating birds that fly into them and are killed? Will it generate glare? Does it add to a pedestrian lifestyle?

Isobel Sturgeon, Fort Lauderdale

Who really thinks it looks like the bow of the ship in a vertical position? Maybe to a drunken sailor with billions of tax dollars to spend.

To me, it’s an unimaginative architect’s vision of a cool, futuristic building.

While it’s nice to have a building with design flair, this deviates too far to be taken seriously, and it’s way too expensive.

The Broward County Courthouse, the new Fort Lauderdale headquarters and now Fort Lauderdale City Hall were all built, or will be built, on incredibly valuable downtown land that could have been sold to developers to offset their cost.

These buildings should be built away from the downtown core on more affordable property.

George Mulhorn, Fort Lauderdale

I hate it! And yes, it looks like a vagina — or a sinking ship!

Jennifer Sakaris, Fort Lauderdale

I enthusiastically support the proposed design of Fort Lauderdale’s new City Hall.

While I understand this bold, boat-hull-inspired structure has sparked debate, I believe it represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking vision our city needs.

Fort Lauderdale has long branded itself as the yachting capital of the world, and this design celebrates that identity in a meaningful way. Rather than settling for another forgettable glass box, our city has the opportunity to create a true landmark that reflects our maritime heritage and coastal character.

Iconic architecture has the power to define a city’s skyline and identity for generations.

Commissioner John Herbst’s concerns about cost and process are worth noting, but we should remember that great civic buildings are investments in our city’s future.

If this new structure can serve us well into the next century while making a bold architectural statement, the investment is justified.

Yes, the design is unconventional. That’s precisely what makes it exciting. Cities that embrace distinctive architecture, from Milwaukee’s art museum to Sydney’s opera house, create landmarks that residents grow to cherish and that attract visitors and new residents alike. I urge my fellow residents to embrace this opportunity for something truly special, rather than settling for the safe and ordinary.

Dr. Bret M. Ribotsky, Fort Lauderdale

It’s a welcoming and distinctive work of art. I love it!

Richie Baptista, Fort Lauderdale

I love it. It’s futuristic, eye-catching, bold. Not all that radical. We’re in 2025, not the 1900s.

Tomas L. Perez, Fort Lauderdale

As a Sun Sentinel subscriber and an old man of 85, I want you to know that I love, love, love it. It needs to happen. I’m tired of the same old brutalist designs for government buildings.

Geoffrey Calderone, Fort Lauderdale

It’s a waste of my tax dollars. A functional building can be built for much less. The things that need to be focused on are infrastructure and open space. Stop the sewage leaks and stop the building.

Traffic is out of control even before all the new construction from Searstown to Galleria Mall is completed. Do the mayor and commissioners actually drive on these roads?

I’ve been a Fort Lauderdale resident since 1973 and have seen many negative changes. I hope the powers-that-be rethink this foolish waste of tax dollars.

Carol Pundai, Fort Lauderdale

I do not think it’s attractive or appropriate. It should be a functional city government building, built at a reasonable price, since taxpayers are paying. I care more about service than looks. The boat design is trying too hard to be something the city is not interested in becoming.

Can we please see what the other options are?

Michelle Nassar, Fort Lauderdale

There’s no reason for such extravagance. My main concern is whether they are using all of a requested $88 million FEMA grant to fund this building.

I understand that City Hall suffered flood damage. But so did we, residents of the River Oaks and Edgewood neighborhoods. FEMA didn’t give people squat in relief dollars, and most of us didn’t have flood insurance because we’re not in a flood zone. Are we going to be victimized again?

Shirlee Sandler, Fort Lauderdale

The four City Hall renderings and their costs were on the city website since August, but were difficult to find.

Commissioner Herbst acknowledged there was no specific effort to present them to the public for input until the Dec. 2 conference meeting.

On that date, only three residents spoke (all were against the design, cost and lack of taxpayer input). It was obvious, very few knew of the options until the Sun Sentinel published the design and its costs, likely due to the ambiguity of where to find the renderings.

The mayor confirmed they were shown to civic association presidents, but there was no robust taxpayer input from HOA presidents, many of whom were not in attendance. In short, public outreach was practically nonexistent.

This is why residents responded in droves when they saw the selected top design and its cost. About 200 people commented negatively on Next Door. I forwarded those comments to commissioners to demonstrate how few people had any idea of these four choices, or that there were four choices.

The city commission now knows that its choice and its cost are unacceptable to many. It’s time for the commission to go back and make a robust effort to obtain public input on all four contenders.

It’s not too late — and it’s the right thing to do.

Nancy Thomas, Fort Lauderdale

Please submit a letter to the editor by email to letterstotheeditor@sunsentinel.com or fill out the online form below. Letters may be up to 200 words and must be signed with your email address, city of residence and daytime phone number for verification. Letters will be edited for clarity and length. 

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Q: I’ve been having an issue while trying to rent a condo apartment. I have a good job, drive a nice car and have a credit score of 690. The condo’s board has refused to let me rent in their building because they say the rules require a minimum credit score of 700. Are they allowed to deny my application for this reason? — Gordon

A: Yes, they probably can.

Condominium boards often have the authority to set rules and standards for who can rent or live in their building. These rules are outlined in the condo association’s governing documents, such as the bylaws or rental policies.

A minimum credit score requirement is a common way for boards to evaluate financial reliability and reduce perceived risks. If their rules clearly state that renters must have a credit score of 700 or higher, they are within their rights to enforce that rule.

That said, there are several steps you can take to understand your situation better and possibly challenge the decision.

First, review the condo’s rules and policies by requesting a copy of the condo association’s bylaws or rental policies. As a prospective renter, the landlord may need to do this part. Look for specific language about credit score requirements.

If the rule is clearly stated, the board is likely acting within its authority. However, if the rule is unclear or inconsistently applied, there may be grounds to question their decision.

Also, rules like this cannot be discriminatory. While condo boards can establish reasonable rules, they cannot discriminate against applicants based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, gender, disability, or familial status under Fair Housing rules.

Nor can it use any ‘rule’ as a pretext for discrimination, such as if the credit score requirement is only being applied against people in a protected class, for example, people of a specific religious affiliation.

Since your credit score seems to be the only issue, and is very close to the threshold, try reaching out to the board to explain the situation and supply evidence of your financial stability, such as proof of income, savings, or a history of on-time rent payments.

Some boards may be willing to make exceptions or reconsider their decision if you demonstrate reliability as a tenant.

If the board remains firm, exploring other rental options might be the best approach, as not all condos have the same requirements.

Another option is to speak with a reputable credit repair agency to see if they can quickly raise your score.

Board-certified real estate lawyer Gary Singer writes about industry legal matters and the housing market. To ask him a question, email him at gary@garysingerlaw.com, or go to SunSentinel.com/askpro.