Fort Lauderdale will ask residents how to respond to Amendment 3
Plus a five-acre arts district in Progresso Village, a county call for art conservators and a hazardous waste drop-off.
Mayor Dean Trantalis is pointing to Fort Lauderdale's rental developments as one reason he thinks city services can hold steady after the Nov. 3 vote on Amendment 3. This week, City Hall says residents will get a say in what comes next. We also look at a warehouse district in Progresso Village, a county search for public art conservators, a beachside park still waiting on money, and two dates worth saving.
Fort Lauderdale projects a $17 million deficit in the first year and a $27 million shortfall in the second year following the Nov. 3 vote on Amendment 3, which drew about 62% support in unofficial results, above the 60% threshold. Those numbers are projections, and the city has not adopted any cuts. Fort Lauderdale plans to gather public input on how to respond. Mayor Dean Trantalis has described two broad paths: reducing spending and looking for different sources of revenue. He also said he believes the city can keep its services going, and he pointed to the city's rental developments as part of his reasoning. The city has not yet said when or how residents will be able to weigh in. Once that schedule is set, it will be the clearest chance for residents to shape what the city keeps, trims or pays for differently.
Thrive District turned Progresso Village warehouses into a five-acre hub
Brothers Jonathan and Abraham Fish started buying industrial properties in Progresso Village in 2016. Today those holdings make up Thrive District, which covers 10 buildings on five acres. Axios counts roughly 40 businesses there, a mix that includes a romance bookstore, Alma Matcha, a record shop, a brewery and several fitness studios. The center of it all is Music Square, a courtyard surrounded by studios and walls covered in murals. The district also runs street art tours and graffiti classes for anyone who wants a closer look at the work. The project picked up the South Florida Business Journal's 2026 Best Reuse and Rehab award. This is not a new opening, but if you have not wandered through lately, it has grown into one of the city's more interesting examples of keeping old buildings in use.
Broward is looking for artists and conservators to care for its public art
Submissions are due Nov. 20 for a new roster of South Florida artists, teams and vendors who know how to repair and conserve public artworks. Broward County's Public Art & Design program, which the county traces back 50 years, is putting weight on experience with materials that can hold up in the local climate, a real concern for sculptures and installations that sit outdoors through heat, salt air and storm season. This is a roster, not a set of awarded jobs, so getting on the list does not guarantee work. Local artists and conservation firms with a track record in repair work have about two weeks to apply.
Vista Park upgrades are planned, but not yet funded
The Vista Park project at 2851 N. Atlantic Blvd. in District 2 calls for crosswalks, picnic tables, signage, a pavilion and ADA upgrades. It is valued at $183,000 under the city's parks bond program. The work has not started. The project remains pending approval and funding, with no project number or project manager assigned yet, and sits in a pending phase of the bond program. Residents who use the park should consider this a plan on paper for now. Any change in its status would come through city approval and a funding decision.
Clear out household hazardous waste and old medications at Mills Pond Park on Nov. 21
- When
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026 · 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Where
- Mills Pond Park
- Address
- 2201 NW 9th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
If household hazardous waste or unwanted medications have been piling up at home, the city's next drop-off is a chance to get rid of them properly. The event runs Saturday, Nov. 21, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mills Pond Park on NW 9th Avenue, and it includes on-site medication disposal. Registration is required by noon on Friday, Nov. 20, at fortlauderdale.gov/hhwregister.
NSU Art Museum sets a Frozen Gestures celebration dinner for Dec. 5
- When
- Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026 · 6 p.m. cocktails, 7:30 p.m. dinner
- Where
- NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale
- Price
- Tables of ten from $30,000
NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale will host a celebration dinner on Saturday, Dec. 5, honoring Jerry Taylor and Nancy Bryant. The evening opens at 6 p.m. with cocktails and a viewing of Frozen Gestures, the museum's current exhibition, followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. Dress is cocktail attire. Tables of ten start at $30,000. Proceeds support the museum's exhibition and education programs.