The City of Fort Lauderdale initiated the Downtown New River Master Plan to develop a compelling vision for the areas north and south of the New River, and to outline design guidelines that will set the standard for future development and open space improvements within the Riverwalk District.

The study area for the Downtown New River Master Plan is generally bounded by Broward Boulevard, SW 2nd Street and Las Olas Boulevard to the north; SE 8th Avenue and Federal Highway to the east; SE 6th Street and SW 7th Street to the south; and SW 7th and 4th Avenues to the west.

Concepts that guide the framework for the Downtown New River Master Plan include: 

• Envisioning the river as a center (and not as a barrier) by connecting clusters of uses and destinations to and across the river;
• Encouraging daily life and activity to complement special events, serving both locals and tourists;
• Allowing for a variety of experiences along the Riverwalk, balancing river based activity (boating, maritime uses, and transportation) with land based activity (culture, housing, recreation, entertainment, and commerce);
• Strengthening links to surrounding neighborhoods and destinations; and
• Improving the visual experience with exceptional architecture, landscape and streetscape design.

Downtown New River Master Plan 

• Introduction
• Chapter 1 - The Vision
• Chapter 2 - Context
• Chapter 3 - Framework
• Chapter 4 - Design Guidelines
• Chapter 5 - Implementation
• Appendices
• Restaurant, Retail & Entertainment Market Study