The affiliate of Coral Springs, FL-based Amera Corp., a company controlled by commercial developer George Rahael, beat out two other competitive bids for the right to redevelop the site at Interstate 95 and Broward Boulevard, Downtown Fort Lauderdale's primary traffic artery.

In a 3-2 vote, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission approved the Broward Barron proposal over a city staff-recommended plan submitted by Novi, MI-based Crosswinds Communities Inc., which proposed a mixed-used residential project on the site. Another plans submitted by Broward Development, which proposed construction of government facilities, ranked third.

"It's not very often you come across a site like this," Rahael tells GlobeSt.com. "It is midway between Miami and West Palm Beach. This property has all of it, when you think about visibility and access to Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades."