Oakland Park Reaches Major Milestone as
Sky Building Breaks Ground
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Sky Building Groundbreaking Ceremony on December 12th | |
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The future home of Oakland Park’s City Hall, the Sky Building project on North Dixie Highway, broke ground on Monday. The Sky Building is an innovative public/private partnership between the City and developer NR Investments and represents $48 million in private investment in Oakland Park. The City will move operations to the west side of Dixie Highway and serve as a landmark tenant in the mixed-use development that will also include residential units and ground-floor retail. Moving City Hall is part of an effort to relocate services to the west side of Oakland Park to strike a greater balance of operations where more of the City’s population resides. The signature Sky Building will overlook Jaco Pastorius Park and become the new civic, commercial, and entertainment heart of Oakland Park.
Click here to read more about the Sky Building groundbreaking.
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Djenane Gourge from the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce and the Afro-Caribbean Groove | |
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Djénane St-Fleur is the President of Afro Caribbean Groove PR Inc. and the Vice President of the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce located right here in Oakland Park. Djénane St-Fleur carries the Haitian culture in her heart, and everywhere she goes. She is involved in various cultural, health, and social activities varying from Haitian Heritage Month,
Breast Cancer Awareness, Kreyol Month, and political campaigns to ensure
the Haitian community’s voice is heard.
She is a dedicated advocate who has been recognized by the communities she serves. She was a Media Sponsor of the Susan G. Komen Miami/Fort Lauderdale Affiliate "More than Pink" race in October 2019; she received the Women of Distinction Award from the Lauderhill Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2018 and the "Community First" award from the City of Miramar in 2017.
Ms. St-Fleur hosts a Global Business Talk Show on WAVS and a weekly radio show, “Prekosyon Pa Kapon,” which has a large audience throughout Broward County. Ms. St-Fleur is a cancer survivor with an unparalleled joie de vivre that she brings to Oakland Park. Read more below.
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Q & A with Djenane Gourge | |
What tip would you give to someone who wants to open a business? | "Everybody has an idea, many people will have the same idea ... but the person who is going to open the business and stay in business is the person who's going to actually make it happen. When you have an idea, you put it down on paper ... if you don't write it down, it doesn't become tangible. It's volatile; it's virtual. And you can forget. Until you put it on paper, it's not real." | |  |
What is the secret to your success? | |
"Well, the secret to my success, I would say, is time management ... and patience. I believe that you have to give time to time. I think in assessing the clients, I'm very patient in listening to their needs to see how we could grow. And that growth needs to be gradual, it needs to be a steady growth ... So time is really of the essence ... those two things are the secrets to my success."
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Why did you choose Oakland Park for the Chamber? | |
"Accessibility. The chamber covers both Broward County and Palm Beach County and we wanted to be in the center of it all. So whether you are coming from Miami, Wellington or West Park, you can join us, just get off I-95, and you're right here ... We [also] love the fact that ... you know, Oakland Park is moving and growing very fast economically ... and I love the Oak Trees!" | |
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CareerSource Broward
CareerSource Broward offers grant funding and training programs for Broward County companies that want to remain competitive in today's economy. They offer on-the-job training, a paid internship program, apprentice programs, work opportunity tax credits, and more. Visit the CareerSource Broward website to learn more.
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Business Incentive Program
The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) offers a Business Incentive Program (BIP) to help businesses in the CRA make interior and exterior improvements. The BIP provides grant funding (up to $20,000 in the CRA and up to $35,000 in the Culinary Arts District) to improve commercial space, through façade improvements and interior buildouts. During Wednesday's CRA Meeting, Forest Hills INV was awarded up to $20,000 for improvements to their property at 3655 North Dixie Highway. If you’re in the CRA and thinking about enhancing your property, call 954-630-4477 or visit the CRA website to learn more.
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Funding Opportunities For Your Business | |
Additional Funding Resources | | |
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SCORE Webinars
SCORE is offering several webinars in January 2023:
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Jan. 12, 19, 26 - Simple Steps for Starting a Business Series
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Jan. 17 - Effective Employee Selection, Interviewing & Hiring
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Jan. 17 & 18 - QuickBooks
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Jan. 31 - Branding 101
Link to SCORE Calendar
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SBA Training
Online
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Jan. 17 - How to Organize Your Company for Tax Purposes
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Feb. 16 - Federal Contracting 101
In-person Training: Start, Get Funding, Grow and Run a Successful Business:
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Feb. 2 - Carver Ranches Library, 4735 SW 18 St., West Park, FL 33023
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Feb 9 - North Regional/Broward College Library 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd, Coconut Creek, FL 33066
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Feb. 16 - Dania Beach-Paul DeMaio Library 1 Park Ave East, Dania Beach, FL 33004
Link to SBA Events
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Let's welcome these new businesses to Oakland Park! | | |
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- Envirocure LLC
- Joy Berger, LLC
- JP Luxury Painting Corp.
- Mane Affair
- Max Zaslavsky DMD, PA
- Oakland Park Family Medicine
- Prospect Pizza and Subs
- Tyjean Logistics LLC
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New Businesses to the CRA
- Snappers Fish and Chicken - 4098 N. Andrews Ave.
- GB Woodarts and Design - 3181 NE 5th Ave.
Coming Soon:
- Satellite Pinball Lounge - from the owners of Glitch Bar in Fort Lauderdale, 3501 N. Dixie Highway
- Darma Fine Art and Design - 3455 NE 12th Terr. #8
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Table from GB Woodarts and Design | |
Oak Tree in West Oakland Park
The Oak Tree development is a collection of 273 single-family homes, 132 townhomes, and a modern amenities center being built by the Pulte Group, one of the country's largest developers. The property includes a nine-acre linear greenway that will add outdoor green space to Oakland Park and connect to existing walking and jogging trails along NW 44th Street. According to the General Sales Manager for Pulte for Southeast Florida, Jeremy Needelman, 275 homes are already sold and the project is on schedule for completion! We want to welcome Oak Tree residents to Oakland Park!
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Oakland Park Moves Closer to Construction on Fire Station 9
Oakland Park is getting ready to break ground on Fire Station 9, a brand new, state-of-the-art, two-story facility with three fire-truck bays representing a $16 million investment in public safety. At its November 30th meeting, the City Commission approved the construction and work authorization of the new fire station. Kaufman Lynn Construction will build Station 9 at the corner of NE 6th Ave and Park Lane/NE 38 Street. ACAI Associates will work hand-in-hand with Kaufman Lynn to provide engineering services and oversee the project. The City held a public pre-construction meeting on Monday and plans to break ground in early 2023. Station 9 is one of the many facility bond projects aimed at Building Oakland Park’s Second Century. The City cut the ribbon to open the City Park bond project in October. Click here for more information about the City's 10-year facilities plan.
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Alliance of Entrepreneur Resource Organizations Business Resource Expo
January 11 - 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Broward County Main Library, 100 S. Andrews Ave. 1st Floor
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
The AERO South Florida Business Resource Expo showcases free and low-cost resources available to entrepreneurs and business owners in South Florida.
Link to AERO Business Resource Expo
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Biz to Biz Business Expo 2023
January 25 - 4 - 8 p.m.
Broward County Convention Center
1950 Eisenhower Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Exhibiting at the 2023 Biz To Biz BUSINESS EXPO allows your company to showcase your products and services face to face. Everyone is welcome to attend.
For more information on attending or exhibiting, click here.
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New City Commissioners Sworn In
The City of Oakland Park held a Swearing-In Ceremony for Commissioners Steven R. Arnst (left) and Tim Lonergan (right) on Nov. 30th, 2022. The Commissioners were each elected to serve a four-year at-large term through November 2026. Both elected officials previously served on the Oakland Park City Commission. Commissioner Arnst served from 1993 to 2001 and 2003 to 2011; Commissioner Lonergan served from 2013 to 2020. Arnst and Lonergan join Oakland Park Mayor Aisha Gordon, Vice Mayor Mitch Rosenwald, and Commissioner Matthew Sparks on the City Commission.
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Small Business Proclamation: The Wander Shop
The City of Oakland Park appreciates local small businesses and the contributions they make to our economy and community. According to the United States Small Business Administration, there are 33.2 million small businesses in the United States; they represent 99.7% of firms with paid employees, and they are responsible for 66% of employment growth over the last 25 years. The City celebrated Small Business Saturday by presenting Marisa Folz of the Wander Shop (picture here center with Vice Mayor Rosenwald) with a proclamation during the Commission Meeting on Nov. 30, 2022. Click here to visit The Wander Shop website.
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Oakland Park Hosts Art and Antique Walk
The City hosted the Art and Antique Walk on Dec. 10. Thank you to The Frug, 50s 60s 70s Living, Jasper Kane, Odd Balls, DAFA, Snooty Fox, The Wander Shop, CJ's Comics and Collectibles, Chainbridge Distillery, Rebel Wine Bar, and 15 local artists for participating in this event. Attendees enjoyed finds from local shops, artwork, a live pottery demo, henna tattoos, and art activities. The event was centered around Art Park in Downtown Oakland Park and offered attendees a free shuttle service to vintage nearby vintage and antique stores. We hope to see you at the Marketplace next holiday season.
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Holiday Village
Another Holiday Village is in the books! This year over 15 local businesses participated in the tree decorating contest and donated trees to local families in need. Businesses competed in three categories: Traditional, Children, and Florida. There was also a special category for the People's Choice Tree.
The tree decorating contest winners were:
- Traditional: La Empanada Loca
- Children: ARS Countertops
- Florida: State Contracting & Engineering Corporation
- People's Choice Winner: State Contracting & Engineering Corporation
Winners received a handmade trophy by Oakland Park business 'Stoked On Salt' owner Lisa Miceli. Thanks to Adamo Auto Repair for helping staff deliver the trees to local families.
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