Commission clears Oakwood Plaza site plan; DICK'S House of Sport and outdoor sports area approved

The Hollywood City Commission voted unanimously March 19 to approve design and site plan review for Oakwood Plaza, clearing the way for a two‑story, approximately 20,000‑square‑foot commercial building at 2800 Oakwood Boulevard that will replace the Regal movie theater and include a DICK'S House of Sport featuring indoor retail and an outdoor sports area.

Andrea Winget, Director of Development Services, told the commission the site covers just over eight acres within the Oakwood shopping center. The proposed building will be 64 feet tall, provide about an acre of open space and include required parking within the phase area. Winget said the applicant reworked facade materials, increased glass on the east side to highlight an interior rock wall feature and added a small pedestrian plaza with benches and shade elements to improve connectivity across the center.

Dennis Meeley, representing the applicant, said the developer will reduce surface parking in the southern portion of the site as the overall redevelopment proceeds and that some long‑term leases constrain the timing of northern phases. Josh Gelfman, developer representative, said the immediate sequence of projects will place DICK'S and a later Lakeside multifamily project on the eastern parcel, and that unlocking Oakwood North remains dependent on leases and easements across the larger property.

Commissioners raised several concerns during the public discussion and staff review: traffic and circulation, the visual quality of rooflines that will be visible from future high‑rise developments, shade and heat exposure at the outdoor sports court, air quality and vegetation screening along I‑95 to buffer vehicle exhaust, and the need for additional pedestrian landscaping to tie the center together.

Commissioner Gruber said he liked the project but wanted reassurance that the larger Oakwood master plan would remain the guiding document as redevelopment proceeds over a multi‑decade horizon. Gelfman replied the developer remains committed to the previously approved entitlements and said the south side of the center is the natural starting point because leases there expire sooner.

Vice Mayor Quintana and Commissioner Bitterman asked the applicant to consider shade structures and larger‑caliper trees for the field and to design the building rooflines to present better to future neighbors; the developer said it will coordinate with city landscape staff to increase plantings and screening. Commissioners also discussed lighting for evening use of the sports area and asked for foliage to buffer noise and emissions from I‑95.

Commissioner Hernandez made the motion to approve the resolution; Commissioner Gruber seconded. The measure passed unanimously. City staff's approval included standard conditions to ensure the project is developed in line with the Oakwood master plan and to require coordination with the master developer as tenants proceed through permitting.

Why it matters: Oakwood Plaza is a long‑planned multi‑phase redevelopment of an aging shopping center on a major corridor. The approved building introduces experiential retail — DICK'S House of Sport — with a unique outdoor playing field that the developer says will be a South Florida first.

Next steps: The applicant will proceed to permitting and construction for the approved phase. Staff and commissioners said they expect future site plans and residential phases to come forward as leases expire and the developer advances the master plan.