With over three decades of shaping South Florida’s waterfront skyline, visionary Jean Francois Roy and the OceanLand team have built a legacy of discovering and developing exceptional properties.

Some developers follow trends. OceanLand, founded by Jean Francois Roy in 1990, has always followed instinct. Long before Fort Lauderdale became the epicenter of South Florida’s luxury boom, Roy saw opportunity—not just in what was obvious, but in what others overlooked.

A native of Canada who began his career developing senior housing, Roy came to Florida in search of more sun, more challenge, and more freedom to build things others couldn’t imagine. “I’ve always believed the land tells you what it wants to be,” he says. “You just have to know how to listen.”

OceanLand has spent more than 30 years quietly acquiring, developing, and transforming some of South Florida’s most coveted waterfront properties—often long before they were seen as such. From distressed parcels to overlooked inlets, the firm has repeatedly demonstrated an almost preternatural ability to recognize value where others didn’t—and to transform it into something iconic.

That gift led to the creation of OceanLand’s renowned Aqua series—AquaVita, AquaLuna, AquaMar, AquaVue, and AquaBlu—each nestled within the prestigious Las Olas Isles. These projects weren’t just waterfront condominiums; they were expressions of the land they rose from, offering residents not only luxury but location, light, and lifestyle few others could replicate. Private boat slips, panoramic views, and thoughtful scale ensured each building felt personal, purposeful—and permanent.

Through market cycles, hurricanes, and economic storms, OceanLand has remained anchored by one principle: Every market disruption reveals new opportunities for those willing to think differently. “Real estate isn’t about timing the market—it’s about trusting your instincts when the data is cloudy and the path forward isn’t obvious,” says Roy.

OceanLand’s instinct for location has delivered some of its most significant wins in recent years—each deal sourced off market, each exceptionally positioned. The Riverwalk Residences site along the New River, the Tires Plus parcel in Flagler Village, and the Brightline site across from the regional rail station were all quietly assembled for high-rise development. “We don’t just build and move on,” says Roy. “We find the sites no one else sees—and we act before they know what they’re looking at.”

A Jewel on the River: Sixth&Rio

OceanLand’s latest development, Sixth&Rio, is another example of seeing what others didn’t. Situated where the peaceful charm of Rio Vista meets the energy of Las Olas and downtown, the site is perched directly on Fort Lauderdale’s New River—just steps from Smoker Family Park.

The 94-residence building is both sculptural and grounded: Its curved glass facade echoes the river’s bend while its boutique scale and open-air design reflect the neighborhood’s serene spirit. Private, protected views stretch from downtown to the ocean, offering a vantage point no future construction can obstruct.

Sixth&Rio blends resort-style amenities with the intimacy of a residential retreat. It is not simply another high-rise; it’s a statement that timeless design and location still matter—and that OceanLand continues to find, and deliver, the kinds of places that don’t just sell but endure.

With a seasoned team spearheaded by Jean Francois and Marc-Andre Roy, OceanLand is already looking toward its next chapter. And if the land is whispering something new, they’ll be the first to hear it.

Power of Land