Cindy Abraham, Secretary of the Hillcrest Leadership Council, called the Jan. 9 Town Hall meeting to order, at 6 p.m. in Rec Room II, at 1151 Hillcrest Ct. Abraham explained that our District 6 Commissioner, Idelma Quintana, who rarely misses monthly Hillcrest Leadership Council or Town Hall meeting, was under the weather and would not be attending. She started the meeting by reminding residents that we are all in this together when dealing with spiraling condominium costs related to inflation and government structural mandates. She also cited information from leaders of Hillcrest buildings who calculate at least 104 residents face the prospect of cutting back on essentials or even losing their condominium because they do not have the money to meet the steep increases.
Abraham then introduced Marie Woodson, our State House representative, who also routinely attends our meetings when not in Tallahassee. Woodson said she is collaborating with Republicans who control our government to seek ways to fund grants to help people remain in their condos. Woodson is working with Miami-Dade Republican Rep. Vicki Lopez on legislation for the upcoming session that runs from March 3 to May 3. She has also been speaking with Daniel Perez, the Miami Dade Republican who serves as House speaker. Woodson called him a man of his word and believes he understands the needs of condo owners who feel crushed under the burden of skyrocketing costs.
Preparing for two weeks of work sessions this month, and three weeks in February, Woodson added that she and Lopez will ask to meet with Gov. DeSantis to discuss the topic. “I don’t want you to lose your condo,” she said. “I want to provide relief because you didn’t see this coming.” Woodson noted that while some politicians seem bent on creating a low-cost loan program, this tactic does not solve the problem for seniors, people with disabilities and those living on fixed incomes.
Next up was Hollywood Police Department Officer Josh Grotenhuis, our Neighborhood Team Leader. He reminded residents not to speed in school zones. And Grotenhuis said the digital cameras that catch people speeding 11 miles per hour or higher in school zones will receive $100.00+ speeding tickets in the mail. Striking a more positive note, the officer said property crime is down 12% in Hillcrest. He also asked residents to call police if they see a Hispanic female wearing all black picking up packages in the low and mid-rises. She is being sought in connection with several package thefts here in Hillcrest. He also advised that there was an arrent made in the shooting incident in front of Building 9.
Finally, Grotenhuis said HPD is dealing with two online fraud complaints. DO NOT click on links sent to us by banks, credit card companies, Comcast, or any other entity with whom you do business. Instead, he encouraged residents to call their bank or credit card company if they receive emails or text messages that they do not trust. Abraham also reminded everyone that the Police and Firefighters NEVER solicit for money. They have been targeting Hillcresters by phone.
Returning to the needs of seniors, Abraham introduced Kevin Corriveau, the Senior Education and Intervention Specialist with the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County, a non-profit organization that helps people 60 and older. Services range from in-home health workers, meal programs, help with paying FPL bills, funding to make minor home repairs, and a fall detection monitor, among other worthy services. See next page for details. Call the ADRC Helpline at (954) 745-9779 for more information.
Abraham then introduced the featured speaks, the three representatives for the Park Road Development project adjacent to Hillcrest 25. Eric Metz, the principal for Park Road Development LLC, and Louis Birdman, the principal owner at BRD Real Estate Development, and attorney Pedro Gassant. Metz and Birdman had previously met with Hillcrest leaders in June.
PARK ROAD DEVELOPMENT
Hollywood, Florida – Partnership with BRD Development & Collarmele Partners
- 30-acre brownfield site
- 600+ multifamily units
- +/- 70,000SF of neighborhood retail
- Revitalization of city public works facility
The property was city owned and served as an ash dump for years. Declared a brownfield, developers want to buy the property and remediate the contamination at their cost. Plans also call for construction of a medical building, a convenience store and gas station off Park Road and Pembroke Road, as well as a drive-through restaurant. The land between the commercial properties and the planned apartment complexes to the north is set aside for the city and its Public Works Department. There will also be a private parking garage and a lake at the northwest portion of the property by Park Road.
The development team members updated residents on the status of the project, including some changes that were made after meeting with Hillcrest leaders in June. More colorful landscaping will be added and in response to Hillcrest 25 concerns, the parking garage will now face north to south instead of east to west. This way Metz said Hillcrest 25 residents will have less of a chance of seeing the garage when looking east from their windows or balconies. The four-story garage will also be shaded with tall plant life.
Other changes include adding a second access point on Hillcrest Drive, which leads in and out of the five-story apartment buildings. Just to the west, developers now plan to create a drop off area on Hillcrest Drive, which will serve as the entrance to the apartments in that area. The developers reported Broward County agreed to change the zoning from commercial recreation and community to commerce and high residential, although more meetings are required with the City of Hollywood.
Construction of the 618 apartment units may begin ln about 12-18 months. Metz added that Broward County required that 15% of the units be set aside for “affordable housing” which is defined as being affordable for people making up to 120% of the area median income. The affordable housing unit comes with a 30 year covenant, and under the law these units must be maintained as affordable housing even if the apartments convert to condos, Metz said.
Birdman responded to concerns that the project was not desirable. He said it will improve the area by addressing and remediating the brownfield which is now currently not being addressed will generate tax revenue for the city. Sidewalks will be installed along Hillcrest Drive and Park Road. Additionally, space on the property will absorb some of the increasing amounts of rainwater that collect on Hillcrest drive after a storm. And Birdman noted the eastern entrance to Hillcrest off of Park Road is dark and isolated currently. But the development will install lighting and make the entrance more attractive, he said.
Even so, Steven Hurtig, President of Building 25, pressed his point that the city and developers stand to benefit while making Hillcrest residents live with the risk of a “miscalculation” related to improving the contaminated site. He questioned whether tests have uncovered all types of contamination. And based on the possible lack of information, Hurtig said Hillcresters may pay the price eventually if substances left in the ground are merely capped but turn out to be dangerous.
Birdman sought to reassure Hurtig that that although the brownfield designation dates back to 2011, the level of contamination has dissipated over the years and the process of remediation will not bring the remaining underground arsenic, ash, and organic compounds to the surface.
Hurtig also raised concerns about traffic problems on Hillcrest Drive, although developer representatives said traffic studies had been done, and the results did not see a heavy increase in traffic. Hurtig, who said similar studies before Parkview at Hillcrest went under construction, reached the same conclusions, but the traffic on Hillcrest Drive has increased substantially.
The mixed-use project is near the Orangebrook Golf and Country Club, where the city and private developers plan to remake the golf course, add a hotel and 750 units of apartments in three high rise buildings off I-95 and Pembroke Road. The builders will have to invest their own money to remediate the brownfield on that golf course also, providing the city approves the deal.
A Sun Sentinel article at the time the process started said it would cost between $5 and $10 million for the remediation. However, now the developers claim that it will cost them at least $10 to $15 million or more.
Emails re: Town Hall Meeting Hollywood District 6 Commissioner Idelma Quintana – Iquintana@hollywoodfl.org.
State Representative Marie Woodson, Marie.Woodson@myfloridahouse.gov
HPD Officer Joshua Grotenhuis – JGROTENHUIS@hollywoodfl.org
Kevin Corriveau, Area Agency on Aging of Broward County, corriveauk@adrcbroward.org
Eric Metz, Park Road Redevelopment – emetz@metzreg.com
Louis Birdman, BRD Real Estate Development – louis@brd-dev.com
