The “We Care” City,
Forging a Walkable, Family-Focused Hub in the Heart of Broward County
In the compact four-square-mile footprint of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, a transformation is
underway. With roughly 35,000 residents and the distinction of anchoring Broward County’s
most traveled intersection—State Road 7 (441) and Oakland Park Boulevard—this small city
is positioning itself as the county’s central economic and community hub.
Mayor Veronica Edwards Phillips and Acting City Manager Venice Howard sat down with Business View Magazine to outline an ambitious vision of controlled growth, multi-use development, and resident-centered progress that blends economic vitality with unbreakable community ties.
The Hub of Broward County
“We are a little city in the center of Broward County that is moving out and progressing to
become the hub of Broward County since we are the center city of Broward County,” the mayor relays.
Edwards Phillips declared. That strategic location is more than geography; it is destiny. At any
given moment, traffic counts confirm that virtually anyone traveling through Broward County
passes through the city’s core. Rather than letting that traffic simply pass by, city leaders are
determined to turn the intersection into a destination.
The plan centers on transforming the 441/Oakland Park corridor into a vibrant, mixed-use
hub. “We are absolutely looking to make 441, the intersection of 441 and Oakland Park
Boulevard, the hub of the City of Lauderdale Lakes,” the mayor emphasized. With limited
vacant land available, leaders are embracing multi-use development—blending retail,
residential, entrepreneurship, and public space.
The goal is clear: residents should no longer need to leave the city for big-box shopping, groceries, dining, or banking.
“We will not have to go out for big box stores. We will not have to go out for big box grocery stores,” Phillips stated. Instead, the city is designing safe, walkable streets complete with new bike lanes for“our bikers and our non-vehicular residents and visitors.”
The Economic Roadmap
Economic development is anchored in targeted attraction. “Businesses that we would like to
attract in Lauderdale Lakes, of course, are businesses targeted towards our family,” Howard
explained. “We are a diverse community. We are a family community, and we have a lot of
younger people who are moving into the City of Lauderdale Lakes.”
Family-oriented restaurants, small businesses, and entrepreneurial ventures top the wish list. To accelerate that growth, the city recently launched its own Chamber of Commerce.
“We started this chamber of commerce so that they can interact with our businesses, as well as encourage developers who would like to come into our community,” Howard noted. The mayor added,
“We’re looking forward to our newly formed chamber of commerce, also to be a great
assistance to us in economic development and in community development.”
A formal working plan now guides conversations with developers. “When we do have our
discussions with developers, we can say to them, ‘This is what we’re looking for. What
can you provide? These are the resources that we have,” Phillips described. The city is not
interested in just any development – it demands projects that deliver mutual benefit. “We’re
not looking just for something, we’re looking for something great,” she insisted. “Controlled
growth” is the guiding principle—beneficial to both the city and its partners, yet always with
Lauderdale Lakes’ long-term interests first.
Housing Options
Affordable and workforce housing remain priorities despite land constraints. The Community
Redevelopment Agency (CRA), which sunsets in 2030 but still holds significant funds and
parcels, has already proven an effective partner. The recent Cassia Estates and Cassia
Commons project delivered single-family homes and townhomes, with the developer
reserving three units for low-income residents through CRA incentives. “We had residents
who were able to move into newly built single-family homes, single-family townhomes with
incentives that were much lower,” Phillips recalled with pride.
New momentum is building at Reef Plaza in the Town Center District. “We’re gonna have a
wonderful development in our town center district, which we have high hopes for in the
future,” Howard said. The mixed-use project will feature a supermarket, banking, retail, and
dining options. “When you come to the town center of Lauderdale Lakes, you can do your
shopping, you can do your banking, you can do your retailing, you can do your dining, you
can do your walking, you can do your veranda, you can do your promenade,” the mayor
envisioned. Some existing businesses will relocate as leases expire, but the payoff will be a
modern, pedestrian-friendly core.
Keeping Safety Top of the Civic Agenda
Public safety underpins every initiative. “The priority, of course, for me, would be
community safety, public safety,” Phillips stated unequivocally. “If you do not have a safe
community, then everything else sort of just falls to the side.”
The CRA has funded dedicated police officers for the business district. A new fire station—affectionately nicknamed “Lady Lakes 37”—is in design, replacing an aging facility and adding an extra bay to accommodate population growth and an expanding fleet.
“It’s going to improve our emergency response.”Howard noted, “and it’s a great just community service expansion.”
The city is also modernizing infrastructure: stormwater and drainage systems were upgraded in a special meeting, old pipes are being replaced, neighborhood by neighborhood, street lighting is brighter and safer, and the public works fleet now includes hybrid and electric vehicles.
Community development runs parallel to economic progress.
Community Momentum
Lauderdale Lakes celebrates its diversity through signature events that strengthen the social fabric. The Caribbean American Fest draws visitors from across South Florida. Black History Month features a parade and festival of excellence on February 7. Breast cancer awareness, Relay for Life, line dancing, homeownership webinars, town halls, Florida City Week, Martin Luther King Day of Service, and neighborhood cleanups keep residents engaged. “We have lots of activities,” Howard affirmed.
“We focus on bringing the community together.” Partnerships with four A- and B-
rated schools—two elementary, one middle, and one high school with an ROTC
program—further anchor the city’s future. “We are very proud… that our schools
are providing an excellent educational opportunity,” the mayor said.
The Path Ahead
Looking ahead, leaders are exploring public-private partnerships to unlock additional growth.
“Maybe it’s time for us to look into private partnerships,” Phillips mused. “It’s just something
That’s been on my mind for a couple of years now.”
The city also envisions becoming more self- sustaining—offering retirees the full Florida lifestyle without leaving the county. “When they get ready to retire… they can also come to Lauderdale Lakes because we will have all of those things to offer them,” she promised. Proximity to beaches (just 10–15 minutes away) and cultural amenities round out the appeal.
Lauderdale Lakes is proving that a small city can punch far above its weight. By leveraging its
central location, embracing multi-use development, investing in safety and infrastructure, and
nurturing both businesses and residents, the ‘We Care City’ is writing a new chapter. As Mayor
Phillips and Acting City Manager Howard make clear that this is not random growth—it is
intentional, resident-first, and community-driven progress that will make Lauderdale Lakes the
destination Broward County has been waiting for.
AT A GLANCE
Who: Lauderdale Lakes, Florida
What: A fast-growing and vibrant community that is focusing on critical infrastructure, safety and housing as it looks forward
Where: Broward County, Florida
Website: www.lauderdalelakes.org
