By David Lyons, South Florida Sun Sentinel

If there is to be a repeat of the COVID-era New York-to-Florida migration in 2026, it is more likely to come in small increments as opposed to a thundering herd.

Now that Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist, has been elected mayor of New York City, Palm Beach and Broward counties — as well as their friendly neighbor to the south, Miami-Dade County — are again viewed as potential landing spots for out-of-state residents and business operators in search of lower tax bills and living costs and more friendly business climates. (Story Continues)

Bob Swindell, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the economic development agency for Broward County, said he’d like to entertain larger firms with a need for 50,000 square feet if the area had the space to offer.

“I don’t have anywhere to put them right now,” he said.

Swindell is eagerly awaiting the completion of the mixed-use FAT Village high-rise complex in Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village section, which has ballooned into a neighborhood of high-rise apartments and hotels.

“We definitely need that,” he said. “The market is able to absorb that. When they get to their occupancy number, they will get to phase two, which will add another 270,000 square feet.”

He said a strength in Broward is the industrial sector, which is home to a number of manufacturing firms, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry.

“Obviously with the number of people relocating we experienced from the pandemic through today, we’ve seen it slow down,” Swindell said. “But there is still so much to offer.”

He said he recently hosted a group of prospects from Orange County, California, on an Intracoastal Waterway boat outing to show off Fort Lauderdale. The conversation focused on California’s high tax structure and “barriers to business.”

Swindell said he and his guests also discussed Broward’s status as a home to multiple companies in the aviation and pharmaceutical industries.

“They had no idea our aviation is as strong as it is,” he said, adding there is considerable industrial capacity for manufacturing firms to occupy in Sunrise and Coral Springs. (Story continues)

 

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