Something has been shifting in Old Town Pompano Beach over the past couple of years, and it’s now impossible to ignore.
The neighborhood — roughly bounded by Dixie Highway to the west, Atlantic Blvd. to the south, and the FEC rail corridor to the east — has been the focus of the city’s $2 billion downtown redevelopment effort, and the investment is starting to show. New mixed-use projects have filled in vacant lots. The Green Market has grown. Old Town Untapped, the free monthly concert series on NE 1st Street, has become a genuine community gathering point.
What makes this different from the typical “revitalization” story is the texture. It’s not just luxury condos appearing; it’s small restaurants, local shops, and community events building an actual neighborhood identity. The bones of Old Town — the historic buildings, the walkable blocks, the proximity to the water — were always there. What’s changed is that people are showing up to use them.
The master developer agreement with RocaPoint Partners, approved last year, ensures that the next phase of investment is organized rather than ad hoc. That’s a meaningful distinction. Cities that revitalize successfully usually have a coherent plan. Pompano now has one.
Worth a visit if you haven’t walked the neighborhood lately. It looks different than it did 18 months ago.
