Fort Lauderdale’s Galleria mall could undergo a dramatic transformation under plans calling for eight residential towers, each roughly 30 stories high. The redevelopment would turn the longtime shopping center into a mixed-use destination featuring a 170-room hotel, new shops and restaurants, and nearly 3,200 residential units, including workforce housing. Five towers would make up Galleria East, while three would comprise Galleria West.

All eight towers are proposed at approximately 308 feet to the roofline, with rooftop equipment bringing the total height to about 339 feet. The project was submitted under Florida’s Live Local Act, but more than a year later, developers are still awaiting city approvals, so construction is not expected to begin anytime soon.

The developer says the redevelopment reflects a nationwide shift away from traditional enclosed malls as e-commerce, changing shopping habits and the decline of department stores reshape the retail industry. Attorney Stephanie Toothaker argues that incorporating housing alongside retail, dining and other amenities is essential to creating a successful “live, work, play” environment and preventing aging malls from becoming obsolete.

According to Toothaker, the Live Local laws have encouraged Galleria ownership to consider investing hundreds of millions of dollars to preserve the strongest elements of the property while transforming it into a modern lifestyle center that could provide economic, recreational and social benefits to Fort Lauderdale. For now, however, the ambitious project — along with its accompanying traffic analysis — remains under review by the City of Fort Lauderdale.

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