Lakeland’s Midtown could see major changes under a new plan from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
For Denise Gilmore, Midtown isn’t just where she owns a business — it’s home.
“My grandmother and my grandfather had this property, and I inherited it from them, and I wanted to bring something back to the neighborhood where I grew up,” Gilmore said.
Gilmore opened Mary’s Bagel Café four years ago. Since then, she’s expanded into catering, meal prep, and a nonprofit pantry. But she told Tampa Bay 28 reporter Rebecca Petit, that Midtown needs more investment.
“The business has been successful, and I hope that it will stay successful here, but we need other businesses in the area. The area needs to be cleaned up. The parks need to be revamped. It just needs to look right,” Gilmore said.
The Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency’s (CRA) new draft Midtown plan aims to do just that.
As the city’s largest redevelopment district, Midtown spans 27 neighborhoods. The proposal includes more workforce housing, medical offices, and retail near Lakeland Regional Health. Also, new restaurants, entertainment and lodging around Tigertown, and improvements along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue with public art, local businesses and a heritage trail.