A proposed Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) for St. Pete Beach took center stage at the Planning Board meeting on June 16, 2025, as officials outlined its potential benefits for revitalizing areas facing economic decline and infrastructure challenges. The CRA, established under Florida statute 163, aims to improve the physical condition of designated areas, attract private…
With the title to the historic Walesbilt Hotel firmly in hand, the City of Lake Wales has issued a nationwide invitation to potential redevelopers of the ten-story building. According to a document released by the city, a request for qualifications (RFQ) response by interested parties will allow the city to “evaluate and shortlist developers based on their technical expertise,…
There is an effort in Delray Beach to help business owners open their own brick-and-mortar store for a fraction of the rental rate in other parts of the city. The city’s redevelopment agency is accepting applications for 98th on 5th, a newly renovated business complex a block away from Atlantic Avenue. The city’s redevelopment agency says…
Request for Qualifications Redevelopment and Adaptive Reuse of the Walesbilt Hotel RFQ NO. 25-12 Entire RFQ: https://www.lakewalesfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14003/Walesbilt-Hotel_RFP_060925 City staff is seeking qualified developers to submit statements of interest and qualifications to redevelop the historic Walesbilt Hotel in downtown Lake Wales. The process involves two steps: Submit a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) by July 18, 2025 at…
The quest for the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency to find the right project that will come to fruition on the former Nan-Ces-O-Wee Hotel property continues with three new proposals. There have been a few proposals in the past four years for the nearly 1/2-acre spot at 139 N. Ridgewood Drive with a couple selected by…
City commissioners unanimously approved a 78-unit affordable-housing project on June 3. The project, called The Flats on Main Street, will be built on a 3.5-acre wooded lot at 1422 Carnation Drive off State Road 580. Commissioners said they had no choice but to approve the development agreement with Archway Partners because it’s the only available…
The Margate Community Redevelopment Agency (MCRA) will fund advanced surveillance and traffic safety equipment to support community policing efforts across the redevelopment district. The $174,140.84 investment aligned with Florida Statutes which promotes innovative community policing as part of urban revitalization strategies. The initiative, proposed by the Margate Police Department and backed by CRA Executive Director…
Margate residents will soon see significant improvements to Coral Gate Park, located at 5650 Coral Lake Drive. During the June 11 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting, the board approved a contract with MBR Construction for an amount not to exceed $670,000, plus an additional five percent contingency, for a total of $704,335. The work will…
Bradenton & Palmetto CRAs Celebrate Freebee Service Expansion with Ribbon Cutting City officials from Bradenton and Palmetto gathered yesterday to celebrate a major milestone: the official ribbon cutting for the expanded Freebee electric ride service that now connects…
Fort Myers has been named the second-best small city to start a business, according to WalletHub. WalletHub says there’s been a 22% increase in new businesses since 2016, fueled by strong investor presence and support from local development agencies. Swamp Cat Brewing Company opened its doors in March. Chris Guiterrez’s wife created a Florida-inspired aesthetic for…
Wynwood Works, a 12-story, 120-unit fully affordable, mixed-use development in Miami’s Wynwood District has been completed. It was developed as a public-private partnership joint venture led by the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, Magellan Housing, Harmony Housing Affordable Development and the Udonis Haslem Foundation. Located at 2035 N. Miami Ave., the community is the first large-scale,…
To help the group tasked with facilitating an updated Sarasota downtown master plan to determine where it is going, it must first learn where it has been. During its May 28 meeting, the city’s 13-member Downtown Master Plan 2020 Update Committee heard from five witnesses who were here when the adoption of current plan came…
