More than the skyline is changing in Wilton Manors. The city has approved a plan to build a parking garage and mixed use complex in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors (aka Alibi Plaza).

At the city commission meeting on Jan. 23, they unanimously passed construction of WilMa On the Drive. The building that currently houses Pride Factory (and, until recently, a gym and paint store) will be demolished. In its place will be a parking garage.

The parking lot in front of the building will be the site of a business-residential building. 252 apartments will sit atop new businesses. New green space will be accessible to the public. Residents will have great views of Wilton Drive and the neighborhood.

Getting to this point hasn’t been easy. Rumors about the site’s future have circulated for years, but any concrete plans never got off the ground. For well more than a year, the owner, developer, and architects have worked with city staff to comply with code. Developers delayed the process over the summer, and withdrew from a Planning & Zoning meeting to deal with issues.

While Tuesday’s vote was, essentially, a fait accompli, commissioners still had questions for the developer. One of the main concerns is people cutting through the neighborhood on Seventh Avenue instead of exiting out onto The Drive. The city engineer will weigh in on traffic safety and flow issues. Two years after the building is occupied, developers will conduct a traffic study and turn it over to the city.

The building with Alibi and Hunters will remain, though it will be updated to match the look of WilMa.