Rio Vista Residences: 440 Rentals Proposed on Federal Highway

Big plans are on the table for the Federal Highway corridor just south of downtown Fort Lauderdale. Rio Vista Residences, a proposed two-tower project at 633 S Federal Highway, would bring 440 new rental residences to the edge of the Rio Vista neighborhood, according to reports from The Real Deal and Florida YIMBY.

Here is what we know so far.

Rio Vista Residences at a Glance

• Location: 633 S Federal Highway, a few blocks south of the U.S. 1 tunnel under the New River, bordering the Rio Vista neighborhood.
• Developer: A joint venture between Cain International and Kushner Companies. The site is under contract from OKO Group, which has owned it since 2020.
• Size: Two towers of 28 and 22 stories on a nine-story podium, about 570,000 square feet in total.
• Residences: 440 rentals, from studios to three bedrooms, ranging from 565 to 1,625 square feet.
• Retail and parking: About 11,550 square feet of retail, a restaurant of more than 4,000 square feet, and 841 parking spaces.

The design by Palma Architecture includes a pedestrian paseo beneath the podium, and the amenity list reads like a resort: two pools, hot and cold plunge pools, a fitness and Pilates studio, a club lobby with a bistro, a cafe and a spa.

Rentals, Not Condos

One detail worth pointing out: every residence is planned as a market-rate rental. There are no condos for sale in this plan, and no affordable or workforce housing component under Florida’s Live Local Act, the state law several recent South Florida projects have used to add height and density.

What Happens Next?

Rio Vista Residences is still a proposal. Fort Lauderdale’s Development Review Committee reviewed it in early September and asked for changes to the design and the streetscape. No rents and no construction timeline have been announced.

Why This Matters

The site holds roughly 53,000 square feet of office buildings today. Replacing them with 440 homes is a clear vote of confidence in housing demand this close to downtown, and it comes from two well-capitalized developers putting real money behind this stretch of Federal Highway.

It also fits a bigger picture. Downtown Fort Lauderdale has been one of the region’s strongest growth stories, which we covered in our look at downtown Fort Lauderdale’s economic boom and the wider South Florida new construction boom.

The Bottom Line

Rio Vista Residences is an ambitious plan for a busy corridor between downtown and one of Fort Lauderdale’s most established neighborhoods, and it is still early. Marder Group will keep following it through city review and share updates as they happen.

Quick Answers

Where is Rio Vista Residences? At 633 S Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, just south of the New River and bordering the Rio Vista neighborhood.

Will Rio Vista Residences have condos? No. All 440 residences are planned as market-rate rentals.

When will it be built? No timeline has been released. As of September 2026 the project is in city review.

Thinking about buying or selling in Rio Vista or downtown Fort Lauderdale? Contact Marder Group today.

Sources: The Real Deal, Florida YIMBY, South Florida Sun-Sentinel and South Florida Business Journal.