Meet a 2020 Structures Awards honoree: Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale - Pool Area

South Florida, like many growing markets, is a reflection of its real estate. From suburban neighborhoods and luxury waterfront condominiums to government facilities and commercial and industrial properties, development drives the market’s appearance, appeal and prosperity.

The tri-county region has seen transformational development taking shape. Investors and developers are reviving once-overlooked or dated communities. They’re building millions of square feet of facilities to fuel the growing logistics and warehouse sector. They’re even building homes and neighborhoods for inbound residents of all stripes who’ve discovered the region is an ideal getaway during the pandemic – and beyond.

This year’s honorees are leaving their mark on South Florida. Their innovative architecture, land use that’s elevating communities, and commercial and industrial development that keeps the gears of business in motion are proving vital to the region’s growth and prosperity. Especially during the pandemic, construction has been deemed “essential.”

Due to Covid-19, the Structures Awards winners and finalists were celebrated during a virtual event on Nov. 19. During the festivities, the People’s Choice Award winner – determined after several weeks of online voting – was announced. Housing Trust Group’s Hudson Village is this year’s honoree.

A special thank you to corporate sponsors Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors + CPAs, First Horizon Bank and Stiles Corp., and VIP reception sponsor Comcast Business.

FINALIST: Best Architecture/Design

Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale

Key Partners

General contractor: Stiles Corp.

Architect: Huitt-Zollars

Landscape architect: Architectural Alliance

Insurance: Willis Towers Watson

When Belmont Village Senior Living set out to open the company’s first community in Florida, CEO Patricia Will and her team researched the region for five years, looking for market opportunities and the perfect piece of land. Sites were scarce, but they found a narrow strip of developable land in South Florida, what Will calls a “hidden gem” across the street from the Intracoastal Waterway.

The development and design teams worked creatively to transform the parking lot into a 12-story luxury senior living community in a market their research also revealed lacked a community like the product her company would offer. The need was clear: Broward County’s 75-and-up population tops 100,000 and should double over the next 20 years.

“Access to quality senior housing and care is extremely important to the future of the local economy in order to retain the existing population and avoid a migration to other parts of Florida in search of the product,” she said. “It also helps to attract younger people … who are still in the workforce, and need a place for their parents to live nearby.”

Completed in March, the $90 million project incorporates safe social engagement, with common areas comprising 50 percent of the total space. Amenities include gourmet dining, concierge and transportation services, full-service housekeeping, a heated saltwater pool, fitness center, salon, library, and innovative enrichment and social programming.

Belmont Village Senior Living operates 31 senior living communities in eight states and Mexico City. The company develops programs that support wellness and a “whole brain fitness” lifestyle.