Two historic churches within one mile of each other in downtown Fort Lauderdale are being turned into chic spots for dining, drinking entertainment and, in one of them, a little late-night hell-raising.
Located in the heart of Flagler Village, at 441 NE Third Ave., First Evangelical Lutheran Church is in the middle of a multi-million dollar renovation of its interior that will yield a 220-seat restaurant, with an outdoor bar bracketed by a 3,000-square-foot landscaped terrace.
The most controversial part of the remodel is work that will turn the main sanctuary of the church into a 5,000-square-foot nightclub. The project, called The Abbey, is by local hospitality veteran David Cardaci, best known for the popular Rhythm & Vine — laidback beer garden by day, pumping music venue by night — as well as the Wilder cocktail lounge and the Whole Enchilada fast-casual chain.
Just a mile up the street, the Fourth Avenue International Worship Center was recently purchased by Eduardo Pelaez, who has developed properties in Miami’s Wynwood and Little River neighborhoods. A resident of Fort Lauderdale, Pelaez’s vision for his church includes a food-hall scenario featuring a main restaurant, with several boutique cafes and retail spaces, perhaps a brewery or distillery, all enclosed by a densely tropical garden.
