By Attiyya Atkins
If all goes as planned, downtown Pompano is set to be a destination comparable to Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, and the county’s other thriving downtowns. Still, there is work to do. That’s why the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency has been working to transform vacant lots and buildings into a downtown area worth visiting.
Recently, a vacant building nicknamed the “Wash House,” located at 11 NE 1 St., which has been empty for eight years, has found a developer and operator who will turn the former laundromat into a surf and turf restaurant with “tropical-infused cuisine,” one-of-a-kind cocktails at an indoor/outdoor bar and rooftop seating.
Palm 78 LLC submitted a plan to the CRA to pay for the design, operation and maintenance of the 6,000-square-foot building. If the project is approved, the restaurant would be one of the anchor locations for Pompano Beach’s downtown.
This wouldn’t be Palm 78’s first location. Owner Lino Joseph already opened a Palm 78 in Alpharetta, Georgia. Menu items include tomahawk steak, snapper, Cajun lobster fettuccini, and more. The restaurant also serves brunch. Lino expects the demolition of the current building and the creation of the new restaurant will cost about $5 million.
Joseph’s business partner Henri Crockett, a former NFL player for the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons, and a Blanche Ely alum, recommended the location. The area, which city officials have dubbed “Old Town,” has already gained attention as an arts and entertainment district with its monthly Old Town Untapped event. Other restaurants have flocked to the location like South PMP Bar & Kitchen and Papamigos, both of which will open soon
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