Fort lauderdale in the 1980s (Hollywood, Oakland Park: condos, buy, tenant)

[trailstothesea]

My fondest memories of Ft Lauderdale of "what was" is cruising the strip of the beach with my aunt and uncle during spring break in the early 80's. They were my baby sitters, lol, and I was so fascinated by the scene of it all as a preteen. I couldn't wait for my own "spring break" in just a few years. And then the entire scene collapsed and it moved to Daytona before I could ever have my experience.

[Retired Pilot]

Was Fort Lauderdale better back then? My ex wife is harassed every day in Las Olas by homeless. The 95 / Sunrise Ramp surrounded by Bums begging for money every day. Where are you now? Would you ever move back? I guess me and the x wife were 20 years late? Up here in Palm Beach county feels better. My rental near Las Olas is all I have there now.

[kmarc]

"Was Fort Lauderdale better back then?"

I couldn't say, since I've been gone from the area since 2000, but I don't recall being panhandled in the '80s in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Miami government center area was a different matter, however.

But this being Florida, there's always homeless people around, especially during the winter. I do recall back in the '80s, there were pockets of homeless that congregated in certain areas along the New River near Las Olas. In fact, one evening, as I was taking a walk with a friend after we had dinner at one of the Las Olas restaurants, we watched as the police pulled a homeless guy from the river, wearing nothing but his skivvies. He was pretty inebriated and apparently wanted to just take a dip in the water or a bath (ugh, the New River is hardly a place where I'd want to take a bath, even then it was already pretty murky and gross) or something.

I'll never forget it, after all the police went through to save him, after they dragged him up on the bank, he spit out some water and started cursing them out. They just walked away after doing their duty, disgusted.

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by Retired Pilot

Was Fort Lauderdale better back then?

The area's population wasn't anything like it is now. Not nearly as many people.
It seems everything and everyone was east of Federal back then.

[BonnieL]

Originally Posted by Retired Pilot

Was Fort Lauderdale better back then? My ex wife is harassed every day in Las Olas by homeless. The 95 / Sunrise Ramp surrounded by Bums begging for money every day. Where are you now? Would you ever move back? I guess me and the x wife were 20 years late? Up here in Palm Beach county feels better. My rental near Las Olas is all I have there now.

I've noticed you've said this in other posts on this board. The answer is, no, it wasn't like this 25 or 30 years ago. But then the economy wasn't in the crapper like it is now. I just moved back down here from Chicago last year and the homeless situation is just as bad, if not worse, there. Truth is, there is no big or bigger city that doesn't have this problem.

That said, I live in east Fort Lauderdale, in the Coral Ridge area, work downtown by Las Olas and I don't have the problems you are describing.

[fkostas]

I don't think I'd want to go back there now, unless I had a time machine. I probably wouldn't recognize it. I was happy to be there for the 80s, though, and happy to move on when the time was right.

Ft Lauderdale actually hasn't changed that much. There are a lot of businesses that are still going since I moved here way back in 1987. Yeah, the club scene is different, but I never went to the 80's style places and preferred the '90's for clubbing.

I think Ft Lauderdale was greatly improved by putting the kibosh on spring break. It's quieter and I think cleaner.

The things I greatly miss however are the Edge, Squeeze, the Chili Pepper, and the Cajun/Zydeco festival.

Still a great place that pretty much feels the same.

[kmarc]

"But then the economy wasn't in the crapper like it is now."

Well, the economy was in the crapper, but definitely not like it is now. I bought a house in Ft. Lauderdale in the '80s, it didn't cost that much, but my interest rate was like 13%

"I live in east Fort Lauderdale, in the Coral Ridge area"

I lived in the Coral Ridge area twice during my years in Ft. Lauderdale. Loved it. My favorite area.

Loved Las Olas, too. The Riverside Hotel had a nice little pool by the New River, beautifully landscaped with a drink and snackbar or hut at the pool. They used to let locals use the pool, I forget if you had to pay a small fee for the day or whether it was just that you had to pay for drinks and food, but it was a lovely place to kick back with friends on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, take a dip, enjoy good conversation, watch the boats go by on the river, doze off in a lounge chair under a palm tree. It was never crowded, sort of a quiet, lovely spot hidden away back of the hotel. It's probably been re-modeled since the '80s, though.

[kmarc]

"Ft Lauderdale actually hasn't changed that much."

Yes, but I have. I'd need the time machine more for myself than Ft. Lauderdale.

Speaking of Cajun, is the Lagniappe Cajun House still there? They sure knew how to blacken a grouper, among other things.

[BonnieL]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Speaking of Cajun, is the Lagniappe Cajun House still there? They sure knew how to blacken a grouper, among other things.

No, Lagniappe is long gone. I had lots of fun there, too. You wouldn't even recognize that part of Las Olas. Big bank buildings everywhere.

[kmarc]

"Lagniappe is long gone"

"You wouldn't even recognize that part of Las Olas. Big bank buildings everywhere."

No wonder crime has increased.