Merrimac Wins Approval for 773-Unit Fort Lauderdale Towers

The Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted unanimously on October 20 to approve an amended site plan for a 773-unit residential project at 317 N Federal Highway, clearing the way for Merrimac Ventures to move forward on one of downtown’s largest pending towers. The approval, Case No. UDP-A26061, covers a Site Plan Level II amendment with an alternative design request filed under the applicant entity 616 SE 4 Avenue, LLC, an affiliate of the Fort Lauderdale-based developer.

Why it matters

Merrimac, led by Dev and Nitin Motwani, first proposed the site in 2021 as two towers of 42 and 45 stories totaling 1.4 million square feet, with 716 residential units, 8,700 square feet of commercial space and 1,083 parking spaces. The revised plan the commission approved this week grows the unit count to 773, a sign the firm is leaning further into downtown Fort Lauderdale’s rental demand rather than scaling back a project that has sat in entitlement for five years. For a city commission that has fielded a wave of residential tower proposals along Federal Highway, a unanimous vote on an amendment this large signals the project cleared its design and staff review without the fights that have slowed other sites.

The numbers

• 773 residential units in the approved amended plan, up from 716 in the original 2021 filing
• Two towers originally proposed at 42 and 45 stories, totaling 1.4 million square feet
• Original plan included 8,700 square feet of commercial space and 1,083 parking spaces
• Applicant of record: 616 SE 4 Avenue, LLC, a Merrimac Ventures affiliate

What’s next

With the Site Plan Level II amendment approved, Merrimac can proceed toward building permits for the Federal Highway towers, the next formal step before site work begins. No construction timeline has been disclosed. The project adds to a run of downtown Fort Lauderdale approvals this cycle as developers compete for sites along the Federal Highway corridor. Track the broader South Florida pipeline as permits for the site are filed.