Fort Lauderdale's Historic Sistrunk

A virtual look at the on-going revitalization of Fort Lauderdale's Historic Sistrunk.

About Historic Sistrunk

Historic Sistrunk, the heart and soul of the city, is Fort Lauderdale’s oldest African American community. The neighborhood surrounding Sistrunk Boulevard was established in the early 20th century by settlers who migrated from Georgia, South Carolina and the Bahamas as the railroad was extended from Jacksonville to South Florida. Named in honor of Doctor James Sistrunk, a Black physician who helped establish Broward County’s first African-American hospital in 1938, Sistrunk serves as a good revitalization and placekeeping example for similar urban core mixes use districts.

Historic Sistrunk Photo Tour

Located at 2130-2140 and 2162 Sistrunk Boulevard, River Gardens Townhomes is a 25-unit affordable owner occupied for-sale unit development that was completed in 2021. The 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom units, ranging from 1,443 to 1,757 square feet, were priced from $249,900 to $259,900. $1.5 million in CRA funding was provided for the $6.8 million infill project.

Donna’s Caribbean is a 2,226 square foot restaurant under construction on a former parking lot that will specialize in West Indian Cuisine. The project is located at 2012 Sistrunk Boulevard.

Lincoln Park is a 16.5-acre complex that includes a former municipal incinerator site, Lincoln Park School and recreational area.

The intersection of Sistrunk Boulevard and NW 16th Avenue.

The Dr. Mack King Carter Enrichment Center.

The intersection of Sistrunk Boulevard and NW 15th Avenue.

The LA Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center at Sistrunk Boulevard and NE 14th Terrace. The $17 million building was completed in September 2021 and included $10 million in CRA funding. The state of the art community center includes space leased by Broward College, ground floor retail, including a business incubator/co-working space, pre/afterschool, wellness center, gym, pool, community conference space, roof top patios, and a black box theatre.

The New Hope Missionary Baptist Church was originally organized in August 1925. At the time, Sistrunk was a small unpaved road that began at the Florida East Coast Railroad tracks and ended at the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad tracks.

The Roy Mizell & Kurtz Funeral Home.

Smitty’s Wings is a new restaurant at 1134 Sistrunk Boulevard. $450,000 in CRA incentive funding was provided for the retrofit of an existing vacant building into the restaurant located in the center of the Historic Sistrunk corridor.