Building art is the new chic

The original plan for a mural on the ocean-facing wall of Fat Kahuna’s Beachside Grille in Cocoa Beach called for a shark. However, Cocoa Beach, which provides matching funds for murals and other artistic beautification efforts, nixed the shark idea. While the city did want a beach/ocean motif, sharks were not the image Cocoa Beach…

Polk County Hotel Boom

LAKELAND — Claudia Tritton and other members of the Lakeland Economic Development Council recently met with some of the city’s largest employers. Part of the LEDC’s mission is to generate jobs and capital investment by attracting companies to the area and helping existing businesses expand. Tritton said one of the biggest takeaways from those recent…

Jacksonville Addresses Blight

Jacksonville has well-documented blight issues: so well documented, in fact, there was a city council special committee to deal with that issue alone. Though legislation was passed earlier in 2016 regarding the city’s inventory of 436 tax-reverted parcels, the reality is that the number of properties with active liens on them dwarf that. Liens can…

Mixed -Use Project Planned Near Broward College

The Zona Village mixed-use project would bring apartments, retail, restaurants and office space near the South Florida Education Center multi-campus hub in Davie. Broward Collage, Florida Atlantic University, Nova Southeastern University, University of Florida and McFatter Technical College all have campuses in the area, so it’s a prime location to serve students, faculty and college…

Channelside Redevelopment Started

TAMPA —  The transformation of the southern edge of downtown Tampa has started. Barricades up in downtown Tampa in Channelside area Expect detours initially for next 18 to 24 months Downtown Tampa Grid – News and information on the Channelside project From street layouts to sidewalks to lighting, work has started on reforming the street…

How to start a CRA Podcast

The popularity of podcasts has greatly increased over the last few years, with the number of listeners continuing to grow. The addition of a podcast to your CRA is a valuable tool in establishing long-term engagement with your community and local constituents. Below are ways to get started. Choosing a topic: First, you must decide…