https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/fort-lauderdales-historic-sistrunk/
Based on the pictures, one big contributor to improving this area vs. Jacksonville appears to be the quality of the streetscape. Street looks clean, paving is in good shape, sidewalks are enhanced and restored and landscaping is commonplace. Compare that to our pothole laden streets, lack of greenery and barely-there sidewalks in most of our urban core and its no wonder neighborhoods struggle to rebound here.
(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Fort-Lauderdale---May-2022/i-kqvXmNP/0/1617cfff/L/20220515_123750-L.jpg)
The streetscape project was completed a decade ago. It has held up pretty well and still looks pretty pristine. There's definitely an effort to maintain the investment to a higher standard than what you see locally.