City Commission candidate Kevin Cochrane wants to halt all development in Fort Lauderdale. In 2020, Cochrane, a California native, collected signatures for moratorium on new buildings in the City. “We’ve hit a tipping point. The [task force] needs to investigate the beneficial impact a moratorium could have to help our city catch its breathe and catch up,” Cochrane told the Sun-Sentinel. As a candidate for District 4, Cochrane still opposes new buildings in downtown Fort Lauderdale and the beach.
Yet, when he relocated to Fort Lauderdale from San Francisco, Kevin Cochrane purchased multiple units in one of the tallest buildings directly on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
According to Broward County records, in June 2016, Kevin Cochrane purchased a unit in the Point of Americas condominium on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Built in 1971, the luxury Point of Americas condo is 31 stories tall. Records show Cochrane paid $945,000 for his piece of Fort Lauderdale Beach.
According to the Redfin real estate website, Cochrane’s “corner beauty offers direct eastern beach views that wrap around more than 180 degrees and showcase the ocean, Intracoastal, downtown and north to the Hillsboro lighthouse. Floor to ceiling impact windows in all rooms highlight unobstructed ocean views. Point of Americas I offers luxury amenities, 10 acres of landscaped beachfront property, undercover parking, extra guest parking, guest hotel rooms, two heated oceanfront pools, multiple gyms, BBQ area, onsite restaurant, 24-hour security, guardhouse entry, all on the widest private stretch of Fort Lauderdale beach. Watch the daily parade of boats.”
Cochrane loved Point of Americas so much he bought a second unit in February 2021.
Six months ago, Cochrane sold his first condo for $1.4 million dollars. He made $455,000 profit.
On his campaign website, Cochrane claims to represent the little guy. He wrote, “We want our city to grow. But we want it to grow responsibly, in a manner that protects and preserves the character and integrity of our neighborhoods and benefits all residents—not just a privileged class of developers, their lobbyists, and realtors.”
REDBROWARD asked Kevin Cochrane to comment.
Cochrane campaign strategist John Rodstrom III told us, “Kevin supported a building moratorium as an emergency measure following the Rio Vista sewer main break in 2020. He’s not against current zoning laws. High density has a place in the downtown core. This is why he’s against changes to the PDD. Kevin is against unmanaged development and believes our infrastructure (water, sewer, roadways and public safety) needs to be properly upgraded, funded and maintained to keep up with development. Unmanaged development is development that leads to a deterioration of our quality of life. We want our city to grow. But we want it to grow responsibly, in a manner that protects and preserves the character and integrity of our neighborhoods and benefits all residents – not just a privileged class of developers and their lobbyists.”
Point of Americas changed the “character and integrity” of Fort Lauderdale Beach when it was built in 1971.
Thanks to anti-development crusaders like Cochrane, buyers with the money to live in luxury on Fort Lauderdale Beach do not have many options.
Is Kevin Cochrane just another wealthy activist who claims to worry about traffic and infrastructure, but they don’t want common folk and newcomers ruining their rich and famous lifestyles?
Hypocrites?
Fort Lauderdale voters will have final say in November.
