Fort Lauderdale cracks down on Himmarshee entertainment area

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Fort Lauderdale says enough is enough.

The city commission voted to eliminate the Himmarshee Entertainment District, which is the area from Northwest 7th Street east to the railroad tracks and north to Broward Boulevard. It includes the performing arts center, the Museum of Discovery and Science, several restaurants and a string of late-night bars and clubs. Just last week, the city increased police enforcement in the district.

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By eliminating the special entertainment district status, bars would have to close an hour earlier, at 2 a.m. during the week and 3 a.m. on weekends.

“It’s a magnet for kids who want to come there and conduct themselves in this way,” said Mayor Dean Trantalis at Tuesday night’s city commission meeting, referring to young adult clubgoers.

He and the commission are fed up with crime on Himmarshee Street, at least 124 arrests so far this year, which does not include the mass shooting event last December in which five people were injured.

“It used to be part of Fort Lauderdale, this used to be a place to come to for dining and casual drinking. It’s no longer, it’s become a party city, so we want to do away with the Bourbon Street attitude,” Trantalis said Wednesday.

The restaurant owners tell us they’re glad to see the bar hours cut back. At Pizza Craft, for example, the owner told us he’s been closing his speakeasy bar at 11 p.m. just to keep the nightclub partiers out because, he said, they wrecked his restrooms and were too rowdy.

“The ongoing shootings, stabbings, violence and criminal activity have created an environment that is unacceptable for residents, visitors, businesses, and employees,” said Adam Peterson at the city commission meeting, representing a restaurant owner.

Representing bar owners, Ellen Bogdanoff told the commissioners the increased police presence is working, and there’s no need to cut back bar hours.

“You have to attack the problem, not a broad brush where you put people out of business who invested their hard-earned dollars,” Bogdanoff said.

Ian Lowe says half of his earnings come after 2 a.m. at Fat Cats bar, catering to first responders and entertainment industry workers.

“I firmly believe that everybody deserves a happy hour, no matter what shift you work,” Lowe said.

He thinks an earlier last call will do nothing to prevent crime.

“It’s all been in these parking lots, and the loitering and the parking lot parties and bringing their own drinks from outside, none of these people come inside our businesses,” Lowe explained.

The issue is not yet officially settled. The city commission will have to pass it again on second reading at its next meeting in November.