Stiles and Hernandez receive approval for major mixed-use redevelopment at Broward retail center

Fort Lauderdale, Florida – A major redevelopment is coming to Wilton Manors after Stiles and its development partner, led by Tim Hernandez, received approval for a mixed-use project that will bring new for-sale housing and retail space to the Shoppes of Wilton Manors.

The project is planned for the 5.4-acre property at 2200 to 2292 Wilton Drive, an established shopping center that has served the area for decades. The approved plans call for a combination of 86 for-sale condominiums, three for-sale townhouses and 51,900 square feet of retail space.

Construction is expected to begin soon, with developers planning to break ground on the retail portion before the end of 2026. Benjamin Boies, director of acquisitions for Stiles, said that portion of the project should take about a year to complete.

The residential component will be developed separately by Shoppes at Wilton Residential, which is led by Hernandez. He is also the principal of New Urban Communities and Pompano Pier Associates.

Hernandez said construction on the condominiums and townhouses will begin once half of the residential units have been placed under contract. That approach would allow the developers to establish enough demand before moving forward with construction of the housing portion.

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The approved residential units will vary considerably in size. Plans call for homes ranging from 697 square feet to 2,508 square feet under air. Developers have not yet announced how much the condos and townhouses will cost.

The property is currently home to 78,600 square feet of retail space. The shopping center dates back to 1958 and was expanded in 1985, making the redevelopment part of a larger pattern playing out across South Florida as older commercial properties are transformed for new uses.

Wilton Manors Property Owner LLC, an affiliate of Fort Lauderdale-based Stiles, purchased the shopping center for $27.63 million in 2024. The developers filed plans for the redevelopment in early 2026.

Under the approved proposal, a vacant portion of the existing shopping center will be demolished to make room for the new development. The project will retain and build around the active retail environment while adding residential properties to the site.

The redevelopment reflects a growing strategy in Broward County, where developers are increasingly looking at aging shopping centers as opportunities for new housing. With relatively few vacant parcels remaining, large commercial properties with substantial parking areas can provide developers with some of the available space needed for residential projects.

Mixed-use redevelopment can also benefit the businesses that remain on a property. New residents living in condos and townhouses can provide a nearby customer base for retail stores, restaurants and other businesses.

The Wilton Drive project will therefore change the character of the shopping center while maintaining a significant retail presence. Instead of replacing the entire property with housing, the approved plans combine residential development with more than 50,000 square feet of retail space.

For Stiles and Hernandez, the approval clears an important hurdle before construction can begin. The developers now have a path toward turning part of the aging shopping center into a new residential and commercial destination.

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The timing of the residential construction will depend on sales, with the developers waiting until half of the units are under contract before breaking ground on the condos and townhouses. Meanwhile, work on the retail portion is expected to begin before the end of this year.

If the current schedule remains on track, the retail portion could be completed sometime in 2027. The residential portion would follow based on the pace of contracts and demand for the planned homes.

The project adds another example of how South Florida’s limited supply of developable land is pushing developers to rethink existing properties. Older shopping centers that once relied heavily on large parking areas are increasingly being viewed as places where housing and retail can coexist, creating denser communities while preserving commercial activity.