Florida City awarded contract to build four-story buildings located east of Northwest Third Avenue and south of Southwest 328th Street

In other action, Florida City awarded developer James L. Brown Sr., a contract to build four-story buildings located east of Northwest Third Avenue and south of Southwest 328th Street, across from Tatum Park on Lucy Street.

Brown was awarded the permits and a height variance to add the fourth floor in a three-story limit zone.

That extra floor, he said, would help make the building affordable for both housing and for mom-and-pop shops that could not otherwise rent a costly space on U.S. 1.

The property is a just over an acre and is surrounded by properties zoned for multi-families and mixed-use.

”It’s not going to be out of character if the adjacent properties are developed to their full potential,” city planner Henry Iler said.

”What’s been proposed is in keeping with Florida City’s long-time vision,” added Mayor Otis T. Wallace.