Real estate investment and management firm Jamestown will oversee asset management, leasing, and creative and marketing for the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA) on behalf of global investment manager Fortress Investment Group. Funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group acquired the property in November 2024. Jamestown will work alongside property manager Lincoln Property Company.
DCOTA is a 780,000-square-foot commercial property consisting of design showrooms and office space across three interconnected buildings in Dania Beach, Fla. near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
At DCOTA, Jamestown will draw upon its significant home furnishings to the trade experience managing design centers, including the Boston Design Center at The Innovation and Design Building, Brooklyn Design District at Industry City and Charleston Design District at Navy Yard Charleston. Jamestown will also leverage its substantial home goods and design retail tenancy throughout its portfolio, including at Westside Provisions District in Atlanta. Initial efforts will include cross-marketing showroom leasing opportunities to capture new entrants into the South Florida market, better optimizing office space for more diverse users, expanding design industry programming and events, and enhancing signage and wayfinding throughout the campus.
“Through collaborative B2B programming and marketing initiatives, we provide a platform and set of resources to support and strengthen the designers, architects and creative professionals who comprise our portfolio of design centers,” said Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown. “We believe our specialized experience in both office and design centers uniquely positions us to create new value-add opportunities for the property. Within the broader home furnishing to the trade landscape, we see the Design Center of the Americas as well-positioned to be a bridge to Central and South American brands and seek to foster those connections through programming and curatorial leasing.”
The appointment of Jamestown follows more than $3 million in campus improvements undertaken by Fortress, with another $3 million to $5 million of investments planned over the coming year. Improvements to the property include modernized exterior landscaping, refreshed interior common areas with new branded signage on showroom exterior windows, elevator enhancements, kitchen equipment enhancements for the on-site café and restaurant, upgraded restrooms and more refined aesthetics such as foliage across the property.
The DCOTA Resource Center, a communal workspace that provides complimentary access to meeting space for designers and tenants, has also been reintroduced following a complete refresh. The space includes a conference room and open space to accommodate a wide range of events.
DCOTA is the largest design center in South Florida, representing the majority of the gross leasable area for design showrooms in the market. It is conveniently located immediately next to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Tri-Rail airport stop and the high-speed Brightline rail station, and alongside I-95 and close to the Florida Turnpike. The Le Méridien Dania Beach Hotel at Fort Lauderdale Airport is adjacent.
Property amenities include dining services at full-service restaurant DCOTA Cay, which serves locally inspired dishes and Americana classics; C Bar, a gourmet coffee bar serving customized blends of coffee, made fresh daily pastries and made-to-order caffeinated beverages; complimentary Wi-Fi available throughout the building and three, four-story atriums, each with lounge areas and shared workspaces.
High-level services are available and include a full-time concierge and an on-staff Director of Design Services, offering white glove assistance in- and expertise on- all design needs, serving as a liaison for the client to the showrooms.
