A depressed part of the city has landed a rare proposal for a new project, but it’s not exactly what the city had in mind.
A 308-unit, five-story complex called Deerfield Trace is proposed for a stretch of Dixie Highway that consists largely of industrial buildings, vacant lots and a few convenience stores.
The area, in the city’s southwest section, has seen just three new entrepreneurial efforts over the last 15 years. But the city has targeted the area for economic redevelopment, hoping for a mix of businesses, maybe an ice cream parlor or a yoga studio, on the ground floors, topped with a maximum of two stories of apartments above.
Instead, the proposal for Deerfield Trace is nearly five times greater than the allowed density. The complex would be built on a vacant lot between Southwest 13th and 15th streets and would include a fully enclosed parking garage and “urban style buildings with a modern look,” according to a letter to the city written by developer Henri Hage, of Dixie Centers, LLC, based in Pompano Beach.