Located in downtown Fort Lauderdale on the river’s south side, Sailboat Bend is a renovation of a 76,500-square-foot, seven-story senior residential building with 105 units. The existing building was constructed originally as an affordable housing project for seniors in 1972 by Hecky/Yee Architects. The project is an example of adaptive reuse of an existing structure that was successfully renovated to improve the quality of life for Fort Lauderdale residents in their later stages of life.

The program includes efficiency units, one- and two-bedroom units, and a community room. Fifteen percent of the units were reconfigured to comply with UFAS requirements and five percent of the units were reconfigured to be fully ADA compliant. The envelope of the building has been completely renovated to replace all exterior glazing and envelope elements that did not meet code requirements. The renovation also includes common areas, upgrades to elevators, and modifications to the site plan and landscape. Sustainability is a high priority for this renovation; examples include solar orientation through study of the glazing systems, consideration of the HVAC, and other options for energy efficiency. The development of the perimeter enclosure creates a unique layering of views, solar protection, transparency, and opaque components that are organized and sized within a modular system. Careful attention has been paid to developing the concepts of efficiency, value, and sustainability.