Fort Lauderdale takes 1st step to rein in Himmarshee nightlife
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Fort Lauderdale is cracking down on the rowdy Himmarshee entertainment district. Photo: Michael Laughlin/Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Major changes are on the horizon for Fort Lauderdale's Himmarshee entertainment district.
Why it matters: Himmarshee Village has earned a reputation for underage drinking, disorderly crowds and violence, which officials say threaten public safety and give the city a bad rap.
Driving the news: The city commission unanimously voted to end the special district status for the area that permits higher sound levels and bars to stay open until 4am.
- If the second reading passes next month, bars would have to stop serving alcohol at 2am Sunday through Thursday and 3am Friday and Saturday.
Catch up quick: The special entertainment district was established in 1999 to create a booming nightlife district with venues, retail and restaurants.
- Over the last five years, residents and city officials say the area has gotten out of control.
- Last December, five people were shot outside Dicey Riley's. Last month, a man was shot as police tried to break up a fight around 3:30am. In July, a 43-year-old man died after he was shot in a parking garage.
- And there was the viral video of a violent brawl during spring break last year.
The latest: Earlier this month, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department announced increased law enforcement in the area alongside Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
What they're saying: Dozens of people, including board members of the Downtown Development Authority and the Broward Performing Arts Center, urged the commission to decertify the district.
- They said locals avoid the area, especially after dark, and that it doesn't fit in with the thriving cultural institutions nearby.
- "It's a red-light district, that's the way I see it," developer Alan Hooper, who chairs the Performing Arts Center Authority, said. "We have crime, shootings, massive brawls, underage drinking, drugs, and I don't see why we want to preserve this."
- Dev Motwani, leader of the Performing Arts Foundation board, added that nothing has changed even after the city banned open containers and outdoor alcohol sales.
- Joe Cox, president and CEO of the Museum of Discovery and Science, said the city's growth depends on people feeling safe and comfortable coming to downtown.
The other side: Ian Lowe, co-owner of Original Fat Cats, said decertification will "cripple the good actors that are trying to keep the district great."
- "If you take away two hours on the weekdays and one hour on the weekend, Original Fat Cats will lose 50% of its sales," Lowe told commissioners.
- Bar owners pointed to the "bad actors," who allow underage drinking, and people — not their patrons — loitering in the streets bringing their own alcohol.
The big picture: The city is trying to revitalize the district as part of a beautification plan that would add new sidewalk activations and landscaping.
- Developer Charlie Ladd said the area could become another "crown jewel," pointing to the neighboring museums and Brightline station.
What's next: If commissioners approve decertification on second reading Nov. 17, the new hours and reduced sound levels will take effect immediately.
- The city will consider creating a new permit for certain businesses in the district to stay open later.