The long-term improvement effort for Lake Wales downtown streets is expected to take a step forward in coming months as work begins on Orange and Crystal Avenues and the adjoining portions of Market Street. Lake Wales City Manager James Slaton has confirmed that city officials are “hoping to break ground by the end of the…
The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency approved a new storm mitigation grant program offering up to $100,000 in reimbursements to help downtown businesses protect themselves from hurricane flooding, with five local businesses already receiving approval for funding.The program, which reimburses 75% of eligible costs up to $100,000 per business, was created in response to repeated…
An agency of the city of Fort Myers is taking over the planning for how to re-make the historic McCollum Hall. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, CRA, now has permission to spend money to get help with possible plans. The CRA is the owner of the property, just east of the downtown area. The CRA…
With the old Panama Grammar School up for sale, local officials are thinking of how to pitch into the effort to preserve the structure. The building at 101 E. Seventh St., Panama City, is an ornate piece of old-Florida architecture. Many old-timers have sentimental attachments to the building, some having even attended school there themselves. The building…
In Apopka, the Community Redevelopment Agency, also known as the CRA, is relaunching a program that helps homeowners with much-needed repairs and upgrades. The agency is putting nearly a million dollars into the effort, all to strengthen neighborhoods and revitalize communities. Apopka CRA’s Residential Renovation Assistance Program offers eligible homeowners up to $30,000 to help improve…
Overtown may soon again be sizzling with the smell of smoked ribs and soul food staples as the historic People’s Bar-B-Que prepares for a long-awaited revival. The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA) has opened a request for proposals (RFP) to lease and operate the historic restaurant site at 350 NW 8th St., reviving a…
Economic Development Manager Sharon Woodberry said the proposed increase was brought forward because staff noted that there was an unintentional disadvantage for larger parcels and more expensive demolition projects. Woodberry said they wanted to make the program equitable for small and large businesses alike. Three options were initially presented: Option 1 – tiered demolition grant…
Miami-based real estate firm LD&D has been awarded a $5.4 million workforce housing grant from the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency to support the inclusion of 30 income-eligible apartments at DoMo at Cass Square, a $200 million mixed-use project in downtown Tampa. The units will account for about 10 percent of a planned 27-story multifamily tower,…
The Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) held a regular meeting on September 8, 2025, focusing on critical infrastructure investments and planning for the downtown area. The discussions highlighted the importance of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) as a funding mechanism for essential projects, emphasizing that without strategic planning, funds could revert to the county. The…
Cities across central Florida that have seen and felt change face the same challenge: How do they revitalize struggling communities? The answer for Goldsboro, a historic area in the heart of Sanford, could be a new program that aims to reinvest tax dollars from the community back into Goldsboro. Brady Lessard, director of economic development…
Crews used a towering crane last week to hoist massive steel beams into place at Theatre Park, marking one of the most significant steps yet in the park’s ongoing transformation. The large steel structure, which now spans the entire width of the park, has been welded into position and will serve as the framework for…
The historic Panama Grammar School building needs some work, and might be getting it soon. It was built in 1916, and code enforcement officials have stated that it has been deemed unsafe for two years. Panama City Commissioners tell us that the current owner has listed the property for sale without addressing its safety issues.…