Bahia Cabana, a legendary party spot torn down after Hurricane Irma’s winds left it in disrepair, is about to get new life in the form of a chic boutique hotel.
Covered in glass, the new Bahia Cabana Hotel will rise 10 stories on the same spot that was once home to its predecessor, a 70-room hotel that opened in 1972 and drew a lively crowd with its Key West-style restaurant and tiki bar.
The new hotel will bring a little style to the south end of Fort Lauderdale beach at A1A and Harbor Drive, right across from the South Beach parking lot, fans say.
“It’s a contemporary maritime design, chic and modern with lots of glass,” said Robert Lochrie, attorney for the developer. “It wedding tiers up. It will have beautiful views. After Irma, the property was rundown and became an eyesore. This will create a welcome new front door to that area and set the tone for what the street can improved to be.”
Fort Lauderdale commissioners approved the new project Wednesday night 4-0, with no complaints or opposition from the public.
That was not the case five years ago, when a different developer proposed a much taller hotel and condo project that would have required the fire station next door to move to a different location.
“That created a furor,” Vice Mayor Steve Glassman said. “People were not happy with the proposal. It was just too much. With this one, not even one person showed up to object.”