Do you want an amphitheater? Fountains? What types of businesses should be encouraged to be opened in the city’s downtown?
The Margate Community Redevelopment Agency wants to know.
It’s hosting a workshop at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Margate City Hall, 5790 Margate Blvd.
Residents will be encouraged to come up with suggestions, and offer feedback on ideas that will be presented by Madison Marquette, a development firm that hasn’t been officially hired by the CRA yet, but is the only contender to become the agency to develop the downtown.
The downtown is 38 acres of property at Margate Boulevard and State Road 7.
The city for years has said it envisions the corridor as a mecca of culture and entertainment.
The ideas over the years have included construction of new housing built on top of new retail and office space.
Over the past nine years, the city has spent $30.3 million to buy 38 acres consisting of a bank building, shopping centers, a former 50-room motel on State Road 7, a former 17-acre flea market and other buildings, and more on other improvements such as a four-face, 26-foot-high, green metal clock tower and landscaping.
“I’m curious to see what the residents suggestions are,” said Commissioner Lesa “Le” Peerman. “We want to build the downtown so the residents will enjoy it. It’s not just our idea, it’s the whole town’s. The idea is for Margate residents to have a place to come down to and Coconut Creek residents and North Lauderdale residents because it’s a great place to hang out: ‘Meet me in Margate!'”
“I envision it as being great. The sky is the limit.”
lhuriash@tribune.com or 954-572-2008
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