Fort Lauderdale mall to be transformed into a mixed-use office/retail center

A struggling 1970s shopping mall will get new life as an upscale mixed-use complex just north of downtown Miami, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Developer Argent Ventures, New York, is renovating the former Omni International Mall in two phases. The first phase will convert the top four floors of the structure into 320,000 sf of Class A office space. The second phase will add a 300,000-sf retail complex, a fourth story to the building, and a parking deck. Local contractor Miller Construction has been awarded a contract for the initial phase of redevelopment, which began this fall.