Board approves legal nonconforming status but rejects several variances for 801–817 N. Federal Highway redevelopment

The Fort Lauderdale Board of Adjustment on July 9 granted variances to preserve the legal nonconforming status of the existing building at 801–817 North Federal Highway but rejected related variances for streetscape, landscaping and parking requirements that the applicant said were necessary to avoid demolition.

Andrew Schein, attorney for the property owner, told the board the building has been largely vacant since 2015 and that redevelopment is constrained by the Downtown Master Plan’s requirement that setbacks be measured from the centerline of adjacent streets. Schein said the property was "left in the dust" when neighboring blocks vacated a small street (Northeast Fifth Terrace) that allowed larger, more developable lots elsewhere. "If we had to bring this into compliance, the new building would need to be 35 feet from the center line of the West Street ... and 70 feet from the center line of Federal Highway," Schein said, adding that complying with current setbacks would likely force demolition of much of the…