De-malling has a poster child. While other South Florida malls are still pitching apartment conversions, Pompano Citi Centre already has residents moving in.
- Caroline Pompano Beach opened in September 2026 with 352 apartments on the former Macy's site.
- The garden-style community includes a 15% workforce housing set-aside and targets green building certification.
- Morgan developed the project with Carlyle as equity partner; Santander provided financing.
Malls across South Florida have been losing their anchor department stores for years, leaving behind empty buildings and underused parking lots. The question has been what comes next. At Pompano Citi Centre, the answer is housing. According to Florida YIMBY, Caroline Pompano Beach opened in September 2026 at 1200 NE 23rd Street, delivering 352 apartments on the shuttered Macy's footprint and adjacent parking areas. It is one of the first completed examples of the "de-malling" trend reshaping South Florida retail.
What is Caroline Pompano Beach?
Caroline Pompano Beach is a garden-style apartment community of eight four-story buildings developed by Morgan, with Carlyle as an equity partner. Morgan Construction served as general contractor, and Santander provided financing. The clubhouse and first residences were delivered in July 2026, with move-ins starting in September 2026.
Units range from studios to three-bedrooms. The project includes a 15% workforce housing set-aside and is targeting NGBS Green Bronze certification, the entry-level tier of the National Green Building Standard.
Amenities include a coworking lounge with private offices and work pods, a coffee bar, a clubhouse with a catering kitchen and billiards, a fitness center with a private studio, a heated pool with cabanas, poolside grilling and ping pong, a pickleball court, a dog park and dog wash, EV charging stations, and a 24-hour package room.
As Larry Mastropieri noted on the Discover South Florida Podcast: "They have the coworking lounge, which is becoming a thing. Every new apartment building seems to have either a coworking lounge or a business center now. Coworking lounge sounds way better; that is marketing for you."
Why does this project matter?
Caroline Pompano Beach stands out because it's built and open. Other mall-to-housing conversions in South Florida are still proposals or early in the approval process. This one has residents moving in.
Morgan VP Evan Schapiro framed it directly: by "reimagining a vacant Macy's and underutilized parking areas, we were able to introduce new housing, activate the shopping center, and create a community that connects residents to the retail, recreation, and lifestyle amenities" of Pompano Beach.
The location helps. Caroline sits just beside the Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course and puts residents within walking distance of the mall's remaining shops. Instead of letting retail sit empty, the mall now has built-in foot traffic from on-site residents.
Looking for apartments or investment opportunities in Pompano Beach? Talk to a Pompano Beach real estate agent who tracks what is delivering and when. Reach out to The Mastropieri Group or call (954) 388-7738.
How does Caroline compare to other mall conversions in South Florida?
The pattern is spreading. Malls across the region are proposing apartments on their dead anchor sites, but most are still working through approvals or financing.
At the Mall at Wellington Green, Bainbridge Companies has proposed 620 apartments on the former Nordstrom site. Phase 1 is advancing. Simon filed plans at Town Center at Boca Raton for 374 apartments, a 197-room hotel, and 157,000 square feet of retail on the former Sears site. At Boynton Beach Mall, Washington Prime bought the Macy's and has floated plans for over 1,700 apartments across the 92-acre property.
Caroline Pompano Beach is smaller than those proposals, but it is done. That makes it a proof of concept for what the others are trying to do.
Larry added: "Pompano's east side keeps getting more interesting. When you have older retail sites this far east, close to the beach and major roads, they become redevelopment targets. Caroline Pompano Beach is one more example of that shift."
What is NGBS Green Bronze certification?
NGBS stands for National Green Building Standard, a green-building certification system with four tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald. Bronze is the entry level, meaning the building meets the standard but at the most basic threshold.
The certification measures points across categories including energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, sustainable materials, and site design. Verification happens after the building is finalized, so Caroline's certification is still pending.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Caroline Pompano Beach
Where is Caroline Pompano Beach located?
Caroline Pompano Beach is located at 1200 NE 23rd Street inside Pompano Citi Centre, on the site of the former Macy's and adjacent parking areas. The community sits beside the Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course and within walking distance of the mall's remaining retail.
How many apartments are at Caroline Pompano Beach?
The community has 352 apartments across eight four-story buildings in a garden-style layout. Units range from studios to three-bedrooms. The project includes a 15% workforce housing set-aside, meaning a portion of units are reserved for residents earning a qualifying income.
Who developed Caroline Pompano Beach?
Morgan developed the project with Carlyle as an equity partner. Morgan Construction served as general contractor, and Santander provided financing. The clubhouse and first residences were delivered in July 2026, with move-ins starting in September 2026.
What amenities does Caroline Pompano Beach have?
Amenities include a coworking lounge with private offices and work pods, a coffee bar, a clubhouse with a catering kitchen and billiards, a fitness center with a private studio, a heated pool with cabanas, poolside grilling and ping pong, a pickleball court, a dog park and dog wash, EV charging stations, and a 24-hour package room.
Is Caroline Pompano Beach the first mall-to-apartments conversion in South Florida?
No, but it is one of the first actually to open. Other projects at Wellington Green Mall, Town Center at Boca Raton, and Boynton Beach Mall are still in proposal or approval stages. Caroline Pompano Beach is a completed example of the de-malling trend, with residents already moving in as of September 2026.
Local help for renters and investors in Pompano Beach
If you are looking for apartments or tracking redevelopment opportunities in South Florida, understanding projects like Caroline Pompano Beach matters. Reach out to The Mastropieri Group, Realtors®.
For practical, hands-on support across Pompano Beach and Broward County, call (954) 388-7738.
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