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

In an interview with Invest:, Pembroke Pines Assistant City Manager Michael Stamm reflected on a year of transformation for Pembroke Pines, marked by new leadership and economic growth. He highlighted the city’s thriving healthcare sector, with Memorial Healthcare System’s state-of-the-art cancer center as a major milestone. Discussing business expansion, he emphasized the city’s strategic location and rising property values. “With new residential and commercial developments and increasing property values, our location and access make Pembroke Pines a prime area for business growth.”

To start, could you reflect on the past year and share some of the most significant milestones and achievements for the city?

The biggest change this year for the City of Pembroke Pines was the election of a new mayor and two new city commissioners. With the retirement of our previous Mayor, we now have new leadership. In terms of economic development, we’ve seen a lot of exciting growth in the residential sector and the medical sector. One of the most significant highlights is Memorial Healthcare System’s opening of its new cancer center, which is a tremendous asset for our community. While we all wish we could eradicate cancer, having a cancer center of this caliber in our community is an asset, not only in terms of care, but also in the area of employment. The facility is state-of-the-art, and it’s a resource that will help residents fight and hopefully beat the disease. 

We’ve also seen new residential development, with townhouses being constructed by Lennar and D.R. Horton. These homes are selling between $600,000 and $750,000, providing great value to the community. It’s exciting to offer opportunities for both new residents and for those already here who may be looking to upsize or downsize as they move through different stages of life. These have been some of the biggest milestones from the past year.

What strengths make Pembroke Pines an attractive place for businesses, and how is the city working to enhance its business-friendly environment?

One of the biggest assets for Pembroke Pines is its location. We’re within an hour’s drive of 5.1 million people, which gives businesses access to a large market. The city’s road infrastructure is also a major advantage, with easy access to the Turnpike, I-75, and US 27, making it convenient to reach Miami, Palm Beach, and the West Coast.

We’ve also seen a rise in medical-related businesses. Recently, Baptist Healthcare and HCA received approval to build in our community, and with Memorial Healthcare already established here, the healthcare sector is one of our strongest assets. This, combined with our population of 171,000 people — and almost 300,000 in southwestern Broward — makes Pembroke Pines an appealing place for healthcare providers.

Additionally, our collaboration with neighboring cities like Miramar and Weston strengthens our position. Our multi-city chamber of commerce, which includes Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Weston, and West Park, reflects the growing business opportunities in the southwestern Broward market. With new residential and commercial developments and increasing property values, our location and access make Pembroke Pines a prime area for business growth.

What role do public-private partnerships play in the city’s development strategies?

Pembroke Pines has strong relationships with other public agencies and private developers. While we don’t have any direct public-private projects at the moment, the city is currently in the middle of a bond conversation. 

Our leadership has been stable and strong, with our city manager serving for over 50 years, which has allowed us to thrive. We don’t think of ourselves in isolation — we’re part of a broader region, and we make a concerted effort to work with neighboring cities. Whether it’s providing services or addressing regional needs, we collaborate well and are committed to supporting the entire southwestern Broward region.

How is Pembroke Pines adapting to increased housing demand to ensure a thriving and livable community?

We’re building at a slightly denser rate than we have historically. New projects, for example, include townhouses rather than single-family homes, and we also have some multifamily projects in the pipeline. We’re adding density, but we’ve been very steady and thoughtful in how we approach this. We’re not overloading the market.

We have new affordable housing projects for seniors and supportive housing coming on board as well. Our approach is conservative and steady, which helps us keep up with the current housing market, which can be unpredictable. By taking this pragmatic approach, we believe we’re doing what’s best for our residents while working well with the development community.

Our population of 171,000 is spread across 34 square miles. Population growth has been gradual, and we’re adding a couple thousand new units over the next few years. Over the next few years, our population could peak at 175,000, though we do see some seasonal fluctuation with our senior residents. Overall, we’re addressing housing and growth effectively with new housing options and redeveloping older commercial properties. As we approach build-out, I believe we’re in good shape.

What’s your vision for Pembroke Pines over the next five to 10 years, and what steps are needed to achieve that vision?

As the assistant city manager and director of planning and economic development, my role is to carry out the vision of our Commission and comprehensive plan. While that may sound simplistic, the vision they lay out is where we want to go.

Generally speaking, in the next 5 to 10 years, we want to provide new housing opportunities and focus on redevelopment. This might include creating attainable housing for our residents and possibly redeveloping some of our aging commercial spaces. We’re also looking to build more mixed-use projects, though these would be horizontal mixed-use—residential and commercial spaces on the same land, though not necessarily stacked on top of each other. The goal is to encourage walkability and other forms of transportation.

To summarize, my vision involves seeking out new redevelopment opportunities with the private sector to create mixed-use developments, improving access to mass transit for our residents, and continuing to grow our tax base, particularly through expanding our industrial sector. Over the past 10 years, Pembroke Pines has tripled its industrial tax base, and we would like to continue this growth, especially in the western part of the city.

What are your top priorities in the near term to ensure continued success and resilience for Pembroke Pines?

My number one priority is ensuring that our residents have a high quality of life. We work hard to recruit new businesses so people can live, work, and play in the same area.

Additionally, we are focused on maintaining and improving the quality of life for residents, diversifying our economy and industries, particularly in the industrial sector, and redeveloping older commercial properties to create thriving mixed-use communities. These efforts will not only improve our tax base but also provide new housing opportunities for residents.