At 1300 Park Lane East, the new pickleball courts are open, while the 311-unit building they were planned alongside has not broken ground. On Thursday, August 27, the city cut the ribbon on Greenleaf Park. The park has a full basketball court, tennis and pickleball courts, a playground, a shaded pavilion, parking and lighting. Horizon Oakland Park LLC built it. That company is a joint venture of Falcone Group and Kaufman Lynn Construction, and it spent more than $2 million on the park. According to the City of Oakland Park, the park cost taxpayers nothing and opened "ahead of the larger mixed-use project."
That timing explains how most of Oakland Park's parks changed this summer. Almost every upgrade leaned on outside money: developer investment, federal grants and state-administered trail funds. In more than one place, residents got the amenity well before the growth it was planned around.
The Park That Showed Up First
Horizon is the mixed-use project planned for the old City Hall and Spiher Recreation Center site. The city describes it as 311 homes, 31 of them attainable, with more than 20,700 square feet of retail and 195 public parking spaces. Under the original schedule, Falcone would have closed on the land in early July and broken ground in August or October.
OutSFL reported in July that the project is on hold. The developers raised the delay at the June 17 city commission meeting. They cited inflation and said they wanted to rework the parking garage plans, but they are not changing the approved exterior design. Alfonso Costa Jr., Falcone Group's chief operating officer, told OutSFL, "It's not us stepping back. It's us saying this is where we are right now."
Falcone added $350,000 in good-faith money to the $550,000 it had already paid. The money counts toward the purchase at closing, and the city keeps it if the deal falls through. OutSFL reported that the five-month delay moves closing to around Thanksgiving and pushes groundbreaking into 2027.
So right now, the people living near Park Lane East have the courts, the playground and the pavilion without the construction next door. If OutSFL's timeline holds, that gap should last at least into next year.
Who Paid for What
Greenleaf is the clearest example, but the same thing happened across the city. In an August 4 announcement, the city listed four ribbon cuttings between August 6 and September 25. Each one came with a funding line, and most of that funding came from outside the city budget.
| Site | Address | What changed | Funding the city cited | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenleaf Park | 1300 Park Lane East | New park: basketball, tennis, pickleball, playground, pavilion | More than $2 million in private investment from Horizon Oakland Park LLC | Opened Aug. 27 |
| Richard E. Giusti Heart Par Cours | 600 Park Lane East | Trail upgrades, new fitness equipment, shade, seating, signage | Nearly $200,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds | Reopened |
| Stevens Field | Not listed | Perimeter walking trail, restroom building, LED sports lighting, drainage, new sod, seating | $1 million federal grant | Reopened |
| Royal Palm Park | 1701 Park Lane West | Upgraded trails and paths, lighting, landscaping, stormwater work | More than $476,000 in grants | Ribbon cutting scheduled Sept. 10 |
| Veterans Park | 3401 NW 21st Avenue | New kayak launch on Blue Heron Lake, paved trail, lighting, accessibility upgrades, resurfaced parking | $400,000 Recreational Trails Program grant | Ribbon cutting scheduled Sept. 25 |
The city says it has secured more than $72 million in grant funding since 2015 for parks, public facilities, infrastructure, mobility and resilience. It also says it has added or unlocked more than 30 acres of parkland and green space in recent years, as part of its preparation for the city's centennial in 2029. Mayor Steven R. Arnst summed up the Greenleaf opening this way: "Greenleaf Park is another completed project we can point to."
Park Lane, East to West
Most of this summer's work sits along one road. Giusti Heart Par Cours is at 600 Park Lane East, and Greenleaf Park is at 1300 Park Lane East. Royal Palm Park is on the other side at 1701 Park Lane West.
Because they're so close together, the sites now cover different needs. Giusti is the fitness trail, now with new equipment and more shade. Greenleaf has the courts, which suits a pickleball game or a pickup basketball run. Royal Palm Park's grants went to trails, walking paths and lighting, so it's better for a long evening walk. The city's August announcement scheduled Royal Palm's ribbon cutting for September 10. The city facility pages are the place to check current hours and access before you go.
Stevens Field also reopened this summer with a perimeter walking trail, a new restroom building and LED sports lighting, supported by a $1 million federal grant. The restrooms and lighting are what make it usable for longer stays and after dark.
A Library Inside a Park
The newest building in this group is indoors. The Oakland Park Library opened in July at 3900 NE 3rd Avenue, inside City Centennial Park. It has reading and study areas, public computers, a technology hub, children's and family spaces, and flexible community rooms. It also has a Zoom Pod, a private space for virtual medical visits, job interviews and online classes.
Library hours, according to the city's opening announcement:
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The city lists more improvements as planned for City Centennial Park and Glenwood Garden, so the park around the library isn't finished yet.
Veterans Park and the West Side
Veterans Park, at 3401 NW 21st Avenue, got the most unusual upgrade on the list. The city's plan adds a kayak launch onto Blue Heron Lake, along with a paved trail, better lighting, accessibility upgrades and resurfaced parking. The work was supported by a $400,000 Recreational Trails Program grant. The city describes it as "expanding outdoor recreation on the west side."
The ribbon cutting was scheduled for Friday, September 25. Before you load a kayak onto the car, check the Veterans Park facility page for current launch access and any posted rules.
Where the Fall Calendar Lands
The city's event calendar uses several of these spaces through the end of the year. Starting from the last week of October:
- Halloween Bash, Friday, Oct. 30, 6 to 9 p.m. at Wimberly Field, 4000 NE 3 Ave, just up the street from the new library. It's free and includes Trunk or Treat, costumes, games, inflatables and music.
- Library storytime, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 10 to 11 a.m. at the Oakland Park Library, with Oakland Park firefighters and BSO officers.
- Library storytime, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 10 to 11 a.m. at the library.
- Holiday Village, Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5, 5:30 to 10 p.m. both nights at Jaco Pastorius Park, 4000 N Dixie Hwy.
City offices close on Wednesday, November 11, for Veterans Day. Dates can change, so check the city calendar before heading out.
Under the schedule OutSFL reported in July, the Horizon land deal won't close until around Thanksgiving. Greenleaf Park's courts, lights and pavilion are open there now.
New public spaces like these affect how a street feels day to day, and that becomes part of what a home is worth to the person who lives there. If you're curious how Oakland Park's park investments might factor into a future move, or you just want to talk through the area, Lois Rutigliano is glad to share her local perspective. Let's Connect.
