Two new towers will rise in John Knox Village, a senior community that’s seeing many changes
John Knox Village, a destination for retirees for decades in South Florida, is seeing big growth — embracing younger residents while looking forward to two new luxury towers that are under construction. It’s even soon getting a new performing arts auditorium, restaurants and a bar.
The senior community in Pompano Beach, at 651 SW Sixth St., has seen construction for what’s being dubbed “Westlake,” a $120 million project that will open in 2024. It will include 146 lakefront apartment homes ranging in size from 1,277 to 2,346 square feet in two towers, The Vue and The Terrace.
The Vue will be 15 stories, and The Terrace will come in at 11 stories.
Pompano Beach Mayor Rex Hardin called it a “fantastic transformation.”
“Everyone knows John Knox — behind the hedge,” he said, referring to the landscaping off Dixie Highway. “Now they are coming out from behind that hedge.”
The fees for Westlake range from $335,000 for a smaller unit to $670,000 for the largest model. The monthly fees, which generally range from $3,700 to $4,600 a month, cover nursing care and other services, including meals and transportation. A second person moving in will be another $30,000 for the apartment, and $2,000 a month additional.
The first-floor common area lobby of the towers will be the site for amenities, including a theater, business center, art studio, spiritual space, club room, library, and two restaurants, the French Press and Westlake Eatery.
On Thursday, John Knox celebrated the grand opening of its $35 million pavilion center, which includes a 380-seat performing arts auditorium and two restaurants and a bar. It will be open to the public starting this fall.
Broward County Commissioner Lamar Fisher represents the John Knox Village voting district and said as Pompano’s former mayor he’s seen the growth explosion over the last decade.
The staff “wants you to have a long and productive life,” he said.
“The amenities are stellar,” he said. “You can be busy every minute of the day if you wish.”
“I always tell them, ‘I’ll be there, I’ll be your resident’” one day.
What does Fisher’s wife have to say about that? “She’s all in.”
John Knox Village, a retirement community built in 1967 as Baptist Village of Pompano Beach, currently has 662 independent living apartments and villas.
Monica McAfee, a John Knox spokeswoman, said the trend of people moving in has been one of growing diversity — younger folks from all walks of life. Traditionally the center has been white and Christian, but there’s now a growing number of Buddhist residents, African-Americans, Jewish and Latin.
The trend has also been moving to a younger demographic, with the average now 71 and more couples.
She said the community is “vital, there’s so much to do, people want to move in younger and enjoy it.”
Because the incoming population is moving in younger, that clientele is seeking two-bedroom homes instead of just one.
“Psychologically, [because] they are coming in younger, they are still working, still entertaining, they are still very connected to the outside community,” McAfee said.
There are already 647 residences at John Knox of villas and apartments, home to 837 people. When they move out or pass away within four years, they or their heirs receive a percentage of the original investment, excluding the monthly fees.
Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com or 954-572-2008. Follow on Twitter @LisaHuriash.
