I would like to challenge the purposes of the Community Redevelopment Agency. It appears the agency is straying from the original purposes of redevelopment. It is providing taxpayer dollars to businesses and entities in direct competition with existing local businesses. Now for some history about redevelopment. Back in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s, the…
Two new hotels are set to join the redesigned Design District in Miami, a report says. Hilton Worldwide announced Friday it’s bringing its Triptych Miami Design District, a new luxury hotel with Hilton’s Curio brand, to the area. The 20-story, 296-room hotel is set to open during early December 2017. Dacra Development is scheduled to…
SANTA CRUZ >> Until it is officially unveiled on Thursday, we won’t know exactly the dimensions of the sculpture of Ceil Cirillo to be dedicated at theTannery Arts Center. But if it were as big as the River Street sign, it still wouldn’t approximate the size of her influence in getting the Tannery built. Without…
Columbus, OH — The Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) is pleased to announce the Florida Redevelopment Association (FRA) as an official endorser of the CDFA Florida Financing Roundtable. FRA joins CDFA’s partner, the Florida Development Finance Corporation (FDFC), as a supporter of development finance education throughout the state. The CDFA Florida Financing Roundtable, in…
About a month before several Naples City Council members vacate their seats, the council is expected to vote on several controversial projects the city has undertaken during their tenure, including the redesign of Central Avenue and a new look for Baker Park. First this week will be the council’s action on a revised design for…
The two-story wood-frame house at 426 S. Beach Street, just down the street from the Halifax Yacht Club, was the place where Daytona Beach started. “It’s the mother of Daytona Beach,” says William Braun, who has been spearheading efforts to preserve the historic building. Built in 1875, the house, dubbed “the Abbey” in the nineteenth…
Everyone agrees that whatever replaces an empty waterfront Winn-Dixie at Woolbright Road and Federal Highway will affect the city. But what type of development — and how much — is best for Boynton Beach? The Boynton Coalition for Responsible Development was formed with the intention of being able to speak to the developer, city and…
With $2.5 billion in construction projects lined up, West Palm Beach is growing up. But will it grow up a beauty or a beast? The city of 100,000 boasts a natural setting like few others in the United States, with views of a yacht-dappled lagoon, a green barrier island and an azure Atlantic beyond. But…
PORT ORANGE — Wayne Clark left his longtime post as community development director for the City of Port Orange in November after accepting a similar job in Asheville, North Carolina. Two months later, Clark has returned to his old position at Port Orange and he brings with him some new experiences — as well as answers…
ST. PETERSBURG — St. Petersburg is going for the unconventional and fanciful: gondolas. Tampa chose a more earthbound approach: infusing projects with gadgetry. Both cities are among 70 applicants vying for the $40 million “Smart City Challenge” federal grant that emphasizes alternative and innovative transportation. Close on the heels of Clearwater’s flirtation with a mode…
After months of delays, County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Wednesday that plans to rebuild the Pork and Beans housing project in Liberty City are on the fast track to a county commission vote. Last week, after Gimenez whittled six competing developers down to two, Atlantic Pacific Communities and Related Urban Development Group submitted their final…
TAMPA — The lofty expectations for downtown Tampa residential construction are beginning to meet reality, with developers and city officials celebrating this morning the groundbreaking for a 23-story apartment tower in the North Franklin neighborhood. Nine15, which will house 362 apartments and 8,000 square feet of street-level retail, is under construction on the block bordered…
