When Aztec Group directors sought a construction loan for a Fort Lauderdale condominium, they went looking for a lender that would provide financing for the developer’s grand plan to link the old and the new.

Most immediately, Newgard Development Group needed a loan to build the Gale Residences, a 12-story luxury condo a block from the beach and overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway at 401 Bayshore Drive.