A walkable, mixed-use community proposed for South Federal Highway — homes, shops, and gathering space, reimagined.
1015–1219 South Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441 | Owner / Applicant: JBL Rivertowne Square LLC
Call the Project Line Email UsArtist’s conceptual rendering. Illustrative in nature; subject to City approval and refinement.
About
JBL Rivertowne Square LLC (JBL) acquired the Rivertowne Square shopping center in 2022 and is proposing to redevelop it. The roughly 13-acre property on South Federal Highway — anchored by Winn-Dixie and originally built in 1980 — is today about half occupied.
The proposal transforms an underused, surface-parked commercial site into a walkable, professionally managed mixed-use community: new homes, preserved and new neighborhood-serving retail, structured parking, upgraded public spaces, and enhanced landscaping along the Federal Highway corridor — all while keeping the Winn-Dixie grocery anchor open and operating throughout construction.
The proposed community will include 106 homes reserved as deed-restricted affordable housing for the local workforce — at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI). More on what that means, and the county program that guarantees it, is in Affordable Homes below.
Overview
Vision
Rivertowne Square is proposed to turn an aging, single-purpose retail center into a vibrant gateway on U.S. 1 — a place to live, shop, and gather. The design keeps what the community values (the Winn-Dixie anchor and daily-needs retail), adds high-quality homes for the local workforce, and introduces real public space where there is now only asphalt.
The proposal reflects the direction Deerfield Beach has set for itself. The City’s Strategic Plan 2023–2028 commits to “grow in a smart way, becoming a lively and attractive place where everyone can thrive,” and envisions the city evolving “responsibly and carefully into a dynamic hub that magnetizes individuals, jobs, and prospects.” The same plan sets a vision of “a vibrant, safe, and resilient smart city,” and aims to offer residents “a vibrant environment where you feel protected, respected, and connected with your City.”
The City’s Office of Economic Development describes its mission as “fostering economic growth, neighborhood stability, and community well-being.” Rivertowne Square is proposed to deliver exactly that.
Smart Growth
Rivertowne Square is smart development in an infill location with excellent transportation access — the kind of compact, transit-adjacent redevelopment the City’s Comprehensive Plan calls for.
The site fronts Federal Highway, a state arterial built to carry regional traffic, so the project is served directly by the major regional road network.
SW 10th Street has its own interchanges with I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike and continues west as the Sawgrass Expressway — connecting the site straight into the regional highway system.
FDOT’s planned SW 10th Street Connector will improve how regional traffic moves through the corridor and add a landscaped shared-use path, improving the corridor for everyone.
The project redevelops an already-developed, fully utility-served site — reusing existing infrastructure instead of consuming open land.
Served by Broward County Transit; the project adds a new bus shelter, public EV charging, bike parking, and improved sidewalks and crosswalks.
The Proposal
The proposed redevelopment consists of two new midrise mixed-use buildings, with homes and structured parking above ground-floor retail and resident amenities, while retaining the existing Winn-Dixie supermarket and the outparcel restaurants.
A mix of market-rate and affordable residences (studios, one-, and two-bedrooms) designed for working professionals and the local workforce. 106 residences are proposed as affordable housing for households at or below 120% of the Area Median Income, deed-restricted for 30 years (see Affordable Homes).
Existing neighborhood retail is preserved, and approximately 24,000 square feet of new ground-floor retail is proposed in the first phase. Importantly, the public improvements and ground-floor retail are incorporated into Phase 1, so residents enjoy the complete package from day one.
Artist’s conceptual renderings. Illustrative in nature; subject to City approval and refinement.
Missing-Middle Housing
Of the homes proposed, 106 are reserved as deed-restricted affordable housing for households earning at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI) — built to the same finishes and floor plans as the market-rate homes and dispersed throughout the community.
“AMI” is a federal income benchmark set for each county every year. In Broward County, 120% of AMI currently equals about $152,000 a year for a family of four (2026). Florida Housing publishes the qualifying income and rent limits annually — by county, by household size, and by the number of bedrooms in a unit — so the thresholds adjust over time. (Current limits: Florida Housing income & rent limits.)
The affordable homes are delivered through Broward County Land Use Plan Policy 2.16.3 — a countywide program created specifically to encourage affordable housing. The policy allows residential uses on qualifying sites (including “Commerce”-designated properties such as Rivertowne Square) in exchange for a guaranteed, deed-restricted affordable set-aside.
For Rivertowne Square, the program guarantees that at least one in every seven homes will remain affordable for at least 30 years, secured by a covenant recorded against the property and enforceable by the City.
Renderings
Artist’s conceptual renderings. Illustrative in nature; subject to City approval and refinement.
Existing Tenants
Throughout the redevelopment, care will be taken to avoid impacts to properties not owned by JBL that host businesses such as Yoga Joint, Walgreens, TD Bank, Cumberland Farms, and Unique Care Academy. Ultimately, the improvements being proposed are expected to benefit these established neighborhood businesses.
The proposal is designed to accommodate the long-term operation of Winn-Dixie, Tijuana Taxi Company, and the building currently occupied by Buffalo Wild Wings.
Buffalo Wild Wings has independently elected not to renew its lease and is expected to vacate in summer 2026. This is the tenant’s own business decision and is unrelated to the proposed redevelopment. The restaurant building is one of the existing structures planned to remain, and the space will be re-tenanted with a complementary, neighborhood-serving use.
Some existing buildings are proposed to be removed as part of the plan, including the former Bealls store, which has already vacated its space. Other small-shop businesses in the south wing — Brutus Barbershop, Katz Louise, Hard Exercise Works, and Nail Face Spa — are located in buildings that would eventually be removed. JBL is working with its contractor to keep these tenants in place for as long as possible.
Why It Matters
Rivertowne Square is proposed as a Planned Development District (PDD) that delivers public benefits beyond what the current commercial zoning allows:
106 homes reserved as deed-restricted affordable housing (≤120% AMI — about $152,000 for a family of four) for 30 years, built to the same finishes and floor plans as market-rate homes and dispersed throughout the community.
An independent traffic study projects fewer vehicle trips than the existing center — about 12,172 per day versus roughly 16,300 today, a net reduction of approximately 4,100 daily trips. A residential community simply generates far less traffic than a shopping center.
The project substantially expands the local property-tax base and brings significant private investment into the community — at no cost to taxpayers for the new public spaces, which are privately maintained.
Hundreds of construction jobs during build-out, plus permanent on-site jobs in retail, property management, and services once the community opens.
Gateway Plaza, the Colonnade of Shoppes, and the Decorative Portal are privately owned and maintained at no cost to the City.
A new Broward County Transit bus shelter and reinforced pad, public EV charging, lockable bike parking, widened sidewalks, and improved crosswalks.
Along SE 6th Avenue, the existing solid concrete wall is replaced with an enhanced, landscaped streetscape and picket fencing, with new street trees and improved lighting.
Energy-efficient HVAC and LED dark-sky lighting, Energy Star appliances, low-flow fixtures, native and drought-tolerant landscaping, bioswales, and underground stormwater storage beneath the parking.
Process
Rivertowne Square is moving through the City of Deerfield Beach’s public review process. Here is where the project stands:
Specific hearing dates will be posted here and mailed to nearby residents and stakeholders as they are scheduled.
This project is moving through a public process, and resident input is welcome. Attend a public meeting or hearing (dates posted here and mailed to nearby residents), or reach out anytime:
Call 954-218-4405 Email to Join UpdatesQuestions & Answers
Library
Key project documents will be posted here as they become available, including the project narrative, site plan, renderings, and public-hearing materials.
Contact
Have a question or comment? Send it to us directly using the form below — it goes straight to the project team, with no email app required (handy on a shared or public computer).
For more information, or to be added to the email update list for new renderings and public-hearing dates, contact the Public Involvement Manager:
Cheryl Scott
The Merchant Strategy, Inc.
Updates are shared through: