The Power Plant Business Incubator is expanding. Just north of the plant, workers are putting the finishing touches on a former credit union building that soon will house health-related start-ups. Just east of the plant, Hyper.Directory, a successful start-up, has settled into new quarters in what’s known as “the pump house.” And the main building…
Downtown Ocala is one step closer to adding a hotel. City staffers this week agreed to recommend that the City Council allow Downtown Ocala LLC to build and operate a hotel on the former chamber of commerce site. Downtown Ocala LLC is owned by Ocala hotelier Danny Gaekwad, who already owns several area hotels and…
MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Institute of Technology will use a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to launch the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovative Design, a 100,000-square-foot facility in the former Intersil building in Palm Bay that will advance the capabilities of U.S. companies in next-generation manufacturing methods while ensuring students…
The poster child for blight along U.S. 41 just got put up for adoption. This week, a front-end loader deposited piles of wood and concrete into dump truck beds on the lot at 4610 Land O’Lakes Blvd. The rubble is the former home of McFarlane’s Appliance Center and, at one time, had been a truck…
AVON PARK – Melissa Hayes is so confident about the future of downtown Avon Park business growth, she literally sealed its future. Hayes, executive director of the Avon Park Chamber of Commerce, spent about three weeks on her own putting down and adhering new floor paneling in the chamber office, 28 E. Main St. During…
When Jeff Vinik bought the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team in 2010, he was not thinking about becoming the lightning rod for redevelopment of the nation’s 20th largest metro area. But that’s the way it has worked out, as Vinik — who is going to be a part-time Sarasota resident with the construction of a…
A developer paid $7.2 million for a downtown Fort Lauderdale site with plans to build 380 rentals — though he’s not ruling out condos. “What makes sense at this point is apartments, but things can change,” said Jim Ellis, founder of Ellis Diversified Inc. The 1½-acre property is at 477 SW First Ave., next to…
ST. PETERSBURG— A $75,000 grant from the federal Small Business Administration will help the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corp. and the city of St. Petersburg offer training to small-business aspirants in bookkeeping, business plans and other educational purposes. The announcement Tuesday was heralded by Mayor Rick Kriseman as another piece of support for the…
SEBRING — Projects to rehabilitate two long-vacant historic downtown hotels and make improvements to a museum received a boost from the Sebring City Council this week. The City Council approved several ordinances regarding the Santa Rosa and the Nan-Ces-O-Wee. Council members also agreed the city should participate in a project to make the Military Sea…
TAMPA — After nearly two years of trying, City Hall appears to have a buyer with a big plan for a high-profile corner in Ybor City. The City Council next week is expected to consider a contract to sell a third of a block at E Seventh Avenue and Nick Nuccio Parkway for $792,000. The…
SAN FRANCISCO — For decades, as this city polished its reputation as an essential food destination, a stretch of Market Street just a short stroll from the groundbreaking Zuni Café remained stubbornly unchanged, an odd wasteland of check-cashing stores and weed dealers punctuated by the whiff of urine. A city survey last year declared that Market…
Saving nearly $50,000 in impact fee waivers has allowed Benjamin Moseley and his business partner Anita Valdez the opportunity to redeveloped four previously vacant downtown Leesburg sites, including Sip, a jazz and blues restaurant lounge with food, wine, and live entertainment that draws crowds to 707 W. Main St. “This is a great town,” said…
