In 1984, the City of Fort Lauderdale, FL decided to reposition the Central Beach area to appeal to family-oriented and international vacationers. After years of accomodating an increasing influx of Spring Break students, the beachfront's private and public sector facilities had suffered. Another problem was that the uninterrupted diagonal and parallel parking of the area flanked the beach, creating a visual barrier, a traffic hazard, and an overall environment that was unfriendly to pedestrians.

To reestablish the city as a world-class destination resort, the City of Fort Lauderdale retained the services of Edward D. Stone, Jr. and Assoc. (EDSA) to lead a multi-disciplinary team of consultants to guide the entire project. EDSA's master plan responded to the increasingly urban scale of the beach development by designating a series of "People Streets" to accommodate pedestrians as they travel from proposed parking facilities, private redevelopment to the beachfront. Furthermore, beachfront parking was relocated to newly created side street parking, and right-of-way in the A1A corridor was significantly reduced in favor of pedestrian facilities.

The focal point of the project was on the beach strand or promenade. Originally, the seat wall along the promenade was an uninviting concrete block sand barrier. EDSA transformed the wall into a wave-like sculpture, suggesting natural seaside elements linking Fort Lauderdale with its seaside location. The design of the wall and its lighting address the city's nesting Sea Turtle relocation and protection plan. The lighting fixtures cast light away from the beach, keeping hatchlings from being drawn to the light and into the high level of travel along the A1A, the main street along the beach. The sculptural wall invites beachgoers to sit, sunbathe, and linger from mid-blocked wall openings to columned intersections.

More About the Wall

The wall is built atop a varying width, reinforced C.I.P. footer that has a continuous cold key joint running the length of the wall and across the footer every 5'4''. The seating wall itself varies in width from 2'0'' to 3'6'' and moves vertically and horizontally, creating an undulating "wave" effect. The faces of the wall are built with standard 16'' length concrete masonry units of 4 and 8 inch widths, half high units and 8''x8''x8'' blocks when sharp, smooth horizontal turns are required in the face of the wall. The masonry was mudded in place, following the required vertical and horizontal changes of the design at every 5'4'' cold key joint location in the footer. Finally, the concrete cap was cast in place atop the block walls. To maintain frangibility in the design, cavity caps were placed in all but the four corners of the 5'4'' block wall sections. The wall was finished with PVC stucco stops and joints, white portland cement stucco with a latex additive and white paint.

Citizen participation has been characteristic throughout the entire public project. Endorsed by citizens and private interests, voters approved the $13.8 million 1986 General Obligation Bond, used in part for the project, which totaled $20.8 million (the remaining $7 million was contributed by the Florida Department of Transportation). Support from beach property owners, residents, and businesses was maintained throughout the entire 2.5 years of construction, with refinements contributed by all sectors of the community.

Was it a success? One piece of evidence lies in the private redevelopment and reinvestment that has been stimulated. Several new hotels, restaurants, and retail complexes are either completed, under construction, or under plan approval. There is new life in this destination resort, welcoming visitors all year around. LASN