CORAL GABLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--All Aboard Florida, the highly anticipated passenger rail line, announced today plans to develop its Fort Lauderdale station on parcels of land adjacent to the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) corridor on NW 2nd Avenue, between Broward Boulevard and NW 4th Street. Located in the northern portion of downtown Fort Lauderdale, the station will catalyze growth, spur job creation and stimulate underutilized areas.
Planning and design is underway for the Fort Lauderdale station – one of four planned along the All Aboard Florida route. The station development will include a multi-story lobby which will accommodate ticketing and luggage handling. The lobby will connect to an elevated passenger lounge with comfortable seating and food and beverage offerings for customers. The facility will also accommodate other transportation systems so passengers can conveniently reach their end destinations. The selected station location was chosen to provide convenient connections to the Sun Trolley, Broward County Transit system and the future Wave Streetcar.
“For decades, Broward County’s residents and businesses have advocated for passenger rail in the FEC corridor, and soon that vision will become a reality with All Aboard Florida,” said Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief. “The downtown Fort Lauderdale station will help stimulate our economy and boost our tourism industry.”
“This is an exciting day for the City of Fort Lauderdale. All Aboard Florida’s station will be an ideal complement to the forward-thinking transportation initiatives and development we have planned for our city and aligns with our `Fast Forward Fort Lauderdale' vision,” said City of Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler. “This intercity passenger rail system, station and transit oriented development will continue to solidify our city as a world class destination and a great place to live, work and play.”
“The announcement of our Fort Lauderdale station is just the start of All Aboard Florida’s overall program to revitalize the area north of Broward Boulevard,” said P. Michael Reininger, President and Chief Development Officer of All Aboard Florida. “We have plans to develop additional parcels surrounding our station as a mixed-use transit oriented development, encouraging the increasingly popular social, cultural and business environment. We selected this area since it’s strategically located in close proximity to cultural, entertainment and employment centers and connections to other transportation options.”
“We continue to make significant progress to develop this privately funded intercity passenger rail system,” said Don Robinson, President and Chief Operating Officer of All Aboard Florida. “This announcement is another major step forward as we advance the rail infrastructure and station designs. All Aboard Florida will transform the way Floridians move and do business by connecting the major central business districts within the South Florida region and with Central Florida.”
“All Aboard Florida will be a great asset to Broward County and the entire state of Florida,” said Bob Swindell, President and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance. “Having seamless travel service as an option to and from Orlando will make Broward County and South Florida an even more competitive business location as the new service provides efficiencies for business people traveling around the state. Another benefit will be the private investment surrounding the FEC stations that will drive large capital investments and create numerous new jobs.”
All Aboard Florida’s three other stations will be located in Orlando, as part of the International Airport’s new Intermodal Station; in downtown Miami on 9 acres bordered by NW 1st Avenue and the elevated MetroRail tracks between NW 8th and NW 1st Streets and on two acres of land bordered by NW 1st Court and NW 2nd Avenue between NW 7th and NW 6th Streets; and in West Palm Beach on two acres of land bordered by the FEC corridor and Rosemary Avenue between Datura and Evernia Streets.
The architect for the stations in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach is Florida-based Zyscovich Architects in association with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, who are leading the overall design and planning efforts for the All Aboard Florida program.
About All Aboard Florida
All Aboard Florida is an intercity passenger rail project being developed by Florida East Coast Industries, Inc. (FECI) – owner of Florida’s premier passenger rail corridor – that will connect Miami to Orlando with intermediate stations in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. This rail service will provide Floridians and visitors a viable transportation alternative to congested highways and airport terminals. All Aboard Florida will provide a high‐quality experience for passengers and will be the first privately owned, operated and maintained passenger rail system in the United States. For more information, visit www.AllAboardFlorida.com.
About Florida East Coast Industries, Inc.
Florida East Coast Industries, Inc. (FECI) is one of Florida’s oldest and largest full-service commercial real estate, transportation, and infrastructure companies. Headquartered in Coral Gables, Fla., FECI has a rich history dating back over a century. Mr. Henry Flagler first established a predecessor company in 1892, which became a pioneer in the development of Florida's eastern coast. Today, FECI continues to transform Florida as the parent company to four distinct business lines including Flagler, a full-service commercial real estate company; All Aboard Florida, the United States’ first privately owned and operated intercity passenger rail system; Flagler Global Logistics, an integrated logistics company that offers a wide range of logistics services and real estate solutions; and Parallel Infrastructure, a leader in third-party Right of Way (ROW) investments and management services. FECI is owned by private equity funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC. For more information, visit www.feci.com.
