Michael Stamm, Assistant City Manager & Director of Planning and Economic Development, City of Pembroke Pines

May 2026 — Invest: spoke with Michael Stamm, assistant city manager and director of planning and economic development for the city of Pembroke Pines, about how a built-out city is using redevelopment and regional collaboration to stay competitive. “When our region’s successful, we are all successful,” Stamm said.

What recent major changes have influenced how Pembroke Pines approaches planning and economic development?

Pembroke Pines is approaching build-out, so our focus is where and how we can approach redevelopment as an economic driver. In the past couple of years, we’ve approved teardowns of older commercial properties and repositioned them into new uses, like turning a former Toys R Us retail store into a new cancer center that is part of the Memorial Healthcare system.

We have about 170,000 people spread over 34 square miles, and some portions of the city are starting to show their age. We’re looking at properties that may be ripe for redevelopment. One of our biggest successes was redeveloping a former women’s prison into an industrial hub, and that area is being built out right now with new distribution warehouse space that is very accessible to US 27. Redevelopment is how we’re approaching economic development moving forward.

How do you ensure the city’s capital improvement program focused on parks, roads, and drainage also strengthens long-term economic competitiveness?

The city went to voters to see if they would support a bond referendum to fund a variety of capital projects including a new police station, parks improvements, affordable housing and traffic improvements. The public wants certain things done, but they weren’t ready to support it financially with the bond. Even so, the commission is committed to completing the projects, so we’re allocating reserve dollars toward priority projects and looking for alternative sources of funding.

We’re trying to do more with less, and that means being disciplined about sequencing and selecting what matters most. We’re also continuing to look at strategic real estate investments where the city can play a catalytic role, especially in areas that need reinvestment. When we pair basic infrastructure with targeted site work, it helps private capital move with more confidence and keeps projects aligned with community priorities.

Investments in parks, road infrastructure, and drainage support the community as a whole, which helps us remain a place where families and employers want to be.

How does the mayor’s emphasis on prioritizing Pembroke Pines’ identity over high-rise growth influence redevelopment and land-use decisions?

We know what we are. We’re a bedroom community with roughly 65,000 residential units, and we typically don’t build high-rises. Our tallest building is our hospital. Some newer residential projects are a bit taller than what we’re used to, but they still fit within the scale of the community.

When we evaluate redevelopment, we start with context. We set expectations with development partners about what fits here and how we can work together to keep projects aligned with community character. That approach also helps the commission earn public support.

We’ve added townhome communities in places that make sense, and we’ll consider infill density when it’s appropriate. For example, a recently approved apartment project near  the Shops at Pembroke Gardens is about 268 units on four acres, which will feel dense on its own footprint, but it sits within a larger area where that intensity makes more sense. The goal is growth that fits.

On traffic and mobility, what planning strategies are being used to improve connectivity and support future growth within the city and to the broader region?

A major effort is the expansion of Pembroke Road all the way to US 27. This is a joint project with the City of Miramar utilizing the surtax program, also known as the penny sales tax. That project is moving quickly, and it’s regional by design.

We also look at multimodal options where they fit. We completed the Flamingo Greenway in partnership with Broward County and have finished additional multi-use paths with federal funding. We have a mobility hub project coming to City Center with new multi-use path connections and improved transit stops to move people through the area more efficiently.

We have to think locally, but transportation is often regional in nature, especially west of I-75 where transit options are limited and population is still significant.

How do you leverage partnerships with regional agencies, private developers, and other municipalities to advance key projects?

I’ve been at the city for about 22 years. My philosophy has always been that if it doesn’t work in Pines, maybe it’ll work in the region. If we don’t have the right asset for a project, I’ll call colleagues in neighboring cities and figure out how we can still support the opportunity in our broader area.

We work well with Broward County, and the Pembroke Road project is a good example of how collaboration can beat competition. By partnering with Miramar, we improve our chances of getting funding and deliver a benefit that extends beyond any single municipal border.

Healthcare growth is another area where local projects have regional impact. We’re seeing new freestanding emergency rooms from providers like HCA and Baptist Health, and those facilities support the broader  healthcare network.

Regional collaboration shows up in everyday outcomes, too. When the FBI headquarters moved to Miramar, just south of our municipal border, many of their employees chose to live in Pembroke Pines and send their kids to schools here. In practice, a lot of data and market conversations talk about Southwest Broward as one ecosystem. When our region’s successful, we are all successful.

What makes Pembroke Pines an attractive place for professionals and families deciding where to live?

We try to be a little bit of everything. We take care of seniors, we take care of children, and that helps the working population in between. We have strong schools, including an award-winning charter system, plus parks and services that support a high quality of life.

We’re also a bedroom community with access. You can move north or south quickly on major corridors, and you can get to Miami via U.S. 27 or I-75. That connectivity matters for commuting and business.

On the economic side, redevelopment of the former women’s prison site is bringing new technology, medical device, and manufacturing activity, including a window manufacturer taking over a roughly 250,000-square-foot space. We’re also seeing new industrial construction and continued healthcare investment. It’s a mix of blue-collar and professional jobs that helps keep the city balanced.

Looking ahead three to five years, what are your top priorities for planning and economic development?

A lot depends on what happens at the state level with property tax. If homesteaded property taxes were eliminated or materially changed, it would be a significant blow to municipal finances, and it would affect what cities can realistically plan and deliver.

No matter what happens, we’ll keep recruiting companies, building smart, adding density where it’s appropriate, and redeveloping aging properties to support the community. The strategy stays consistent, but the pace and the tools we can use may shift depending on what comes down through legislation and what voters decide.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Pembroke Pines is one of the largest cities in Florida, but we’re still a family-focused bedroom community, and we want to maintain that identity. Looking forward, our challenges include adapting to potential revenue changes from property tax decisions and helping local businesses manage rising insurance costs, while still pushing redevelopment and infrastructure improvements that support residents and the region.