Business View Magazine September 2018

314 315 this will be a multi-year program involving work with many public and private sector partners,we are already working on numerous improvements, including: n Assembling land for redevelopment. n Water, sewer, and drainage improvements. n Road reconstruction and resurfacing projects. n LED street light upgrades. n Recreational facility enhancements. In 2018, the City refinanced $89 million in utility bonds, saving our utility customers $12 million. In 2018, Fitch Ratings upgraded the City’s utility bonds from“AA” to “AA+”, citing Sunrise’ strong finan- cial management and position. THE FUTURE Going forward, in addition to the City’s growth, economic development, and reinvestment efforts, we are actively engaging with property owners to encourage/incentivize redevelopment projects. As land values increase and land becomes increasingly scarce, this will be particularly true for commercial and retail space that is under-utilized or may no longer meet today’s needs and markets.We are already seeing successful outcomes in Sunrise: n Avacant big-box warehouse club is being rede- veloped for more than 200 luxury apartments with ancillary retail. n Approximately half of a large retail shopping center is being redeveloped for almost 300 luxury apartments,with additional improvements for the remaining retail areas. n An aging shopping center at a major intersec- tion is being partially demolished to accommodate a free-standing pharmacy, and the remaining por- tion of the shopping center is being completely SUNRISE, FLORIDA PREFERRED VENDORS n Brown and Caldwell www.BrownandCaldwell.com Brown and Caldwell is a nationally recognized, full service engineering and design firm with an outstanding record of delivering successful projects for a wide range of clients. For over 70 years, we have been building a nationwide reputation for delivering innovative and economical solutions that are both highly effective and responsive to each client’s needs. Brown and Caldwell employs a staff of over 1,600 in more than 50 offices nationwide. n Arcadis www.arcadis.com Arcadis is the leading global Design & Consultancy firm for natural and built assets. Applying our deep market sector insights and collective design, consultancy, engineering, proj- ect and management services we work in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the lifecycle of their natural and built assets. We are 27,000 people, active in over 70 countries that generate €3.2 billion in revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowl- edge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. renovated with a new façade. n Avacant automotive retail location is scheduled for demolition and new development. The City Commission and staff have committed themselves to developing public art installations throughout the community,with funding added to current year and future year budgets. SUMMARY “There are very few communities of similar size, anywhere in the United States, that welcome the millions of visitors that we do here in Sunrise, or that can boast about the amount of regional as- sets found here,” says Salamon.“The residents of this community are fortunate to have local elected representatives that for more than 20 years have consistently committed themselves to creating a highly desirable and attractive community with world-class amenities and a diverse economic base. By continuously investing in the future and managing the City to the highest standards,we are creating something very special that we believe will sustain this community for decades to come.”