City designates Frank Creuson House a historic landmark despite objections from condominium owners

Fort Lauderdale commissioners voted April 1 to designate the Frank Creuson House at 1313 South Andrews Avenue as a historic landmark, limiting the designation to the building itself and not the surrounding land. The vote followed public testimony both for and against the designation and more than an hour of quasi‑judicial discussion.

Why it matters: the building dates to the 1920s, is associated with architect Francis Abreu and is one of a shrinking set of surviving early‑era structures in parts of the city. A historic designation triggers review procedures for alterations and can enable incentives the city has created to preserve historic structures.

Key facts and process - The Broward Trust for Historic Preservation brought the nomination to the Historic Preservation Board for review. The HPB recommended designation and the item came to the City Commission for final action. - The commission limited its action to designating the structure itself (the house), rather than the underlying land or adjacent parking areas, to reduce legal friction with condominium ownership. - Commissioners split on the question of owner consent and on whether the city’s Unified Land Development Regulations (ULDR) require different owner notice or assent; several commissioners said the city should review the ordinance to provide clearer owner input in the future.

Public testimony - Mikaela (Broward Trust for Historic Preservation) argued the house met multiple criteria for designation and noted the public historic value: the structure “is an exquisite example of Mediterranean‑Revival architecture” and, she said, “this building deserves to be preserved for future generations.” - Ira Marcus (representing one ownership entity) and other condominium owners told the commission they opposed the designation because the property is part of a condominium structure and the condominium associations had not given majority approval for the action. Owners said designation could affect their property interests and resale value. - Several residents and preservation advocates urged designation, citing precedent and the history of other preserved buildings in Fort Lauderdale.

Vote and legal context The commission considered a motion to designate only the house (not the land). The motion passed on roll call: Commissioner John Herbst voted no; Commissioner Beasley Pittman voted no after requesting changes to owner‑notification procedures; Vice Mayor Dean Glassman, Commissioner Ben Sorensen and Mayor Dean Trantalis voted yes. The measure therefore passed 3–2.

Commissioner concerns and next steps Commissioner Beasley Pittman said she would vote no and asked staff to examine changes to the ULDR to provide owners more opportunity for input before designation. Several commissioners agreed to direct staff to review the ordinance and the city’s obligations as a certified local government on historic preservation and to consider options that provide more owner notification or assent while preserving the city’s ability to protect significant structures.

Ending The commission’s designation applies to the Frank Creuson House building only; owners may still apply for certificates of appropriateness and the city’s historic‑review procedures will govern future changes to the structure. Commissioners also asked staff to propose possible ordinance amendments to strike a better balance between owner rights and the city’s preservation goals.