Two years of heavy lifting has finally moved a new CrossFit gym closer to reality. During their Aug. 3 meeting, they approved So-Flow, a massive, four-story gym at 1048 E. Oakland Park Blvd.

The proposed facility already has a lot of fans. Several clients of the property owner spoke on behalf of his expertise in the field. The modern building with lots of glass will be 38,826 sq ft, including ground-floor retail space.

Westside Land Grab

Commissioners also approved buying two blocks between 2530-2700 along West Oakland Park Blvd. The site of CareerSource Broward (CSB). The nine plots of land are owned by the state and Oakland Park would pay about $6.2 million.

Despite a letter of intent (LOI) already being signed, the city still has to do its due diligence. That means surveys, environmental studies and more. That could cost up to $75,000. The city is also targeting Dec. 18 as the deadline to close. 

The purchase has been secretly circulating through city hall for months, and many residents say they were blindsided when they saw it on the agenda. The money isn’t in the proposed FY27 budget and there is no plan for what will eventually go there. Whatever is built will take years.

CSB could become a long-term tenant of the city. The organization can stay through June 2028, and, if they don’t find other accommodations, will move to 5399 N. Dixie Hwy.

Residents are lamenting the lack of transparency. City Manager David Hebert says the project was kept secret in the name of fiscal responsibility. He wanted to avoid a bidding war for the property, keeping potential competitors and city residents in the dark.