Downtowns define cities but making them thrive is tricky Fort Lauderdale has it. So do Delray Beach and Lake Worth. Margate and Boynton Beach are working on it. And Hollywood? It’s somewhere in between. A thriving downtown — an energetic nightlife scene, music and cultural events, a main street full of strollers and shoppers, diners,…
Reinventing Downtown Brooksville The Brooksville Vision Foundation shares its name, more or less, with a defunct and failed organization called the Visioning/Strategic Planning Initiative. It also has the same goal as that long-gone group — making downtown Brooksville a hub of commerce and culture. But here is what the new foundation does not share with…
DeBary Considering a CRA Seven years ago, DeBary rebelled at the idea of labeling part of the city as “blighted” to qualify for a special taxing program. Back then, objectors knocked the proposal to form a Community Redevelopment Agency out of the water. Now, the possibility has come up again. This time, the proposal comes…
Digital Animation Institute in West Palm Gets State License The Florida Department of Education has granted Digital Domain Institute a license to operate its experimental film animation school, paving the way for the company to start classes next spring. With the license, company officials say, they’ll be able to begin the certificate program in temporary…
New Port Richey Pushes for Action on Redevelopment City officials are anxious to ramp up redevelopment efforts of the Hacienda Hotel amid fears the historic structure could otherwise deteriorate beyond repair. Five years ago, Community Development Partners of Georgia proposed renovating the city-owned building into a boutique hotel along Main Street. But the city’s agreement…
Sebring Hiring New CRA Director The Community Redevelopment Agency took its first steps Monday, starting the process to replace its outgoing Executive Director Pete Pollard who announced at its last meeting he will retire on Feb. 29, after 30 years of service. The board looked at a revised job description for the executive director position,…
Ponce Inlet Historic Preservation A rope stretched across a private dirt road blocks access to the Pacetti House — the town’s oldest building. No uninvited visitors are welcome. They haven’t been for decades. But if all goes well for the current owner — the Greenacres Foundation — the secluded road will open in September 2013,…
Cape Coral CRA Makes Progress on Underground Lines A date has not yet been finalized to energize the underground transmission lines along Southeast 47th Street, but Community Redevelopment Agency Executive Director John Jacobsen promised lots of pomp and circumstance when that day does arrive. Lee County Electric Co-op is expected to run copper wires through…
Port Orange Considers Future of Old Police Station In an economy where beachfront condos can’t sell, a vacated old police station — a bomb shelter-like building — doesn’t stand much of a chance. But a commercial real estate company recently inquired with city officials about the availability of the station on Dunlawton Boulevard, which closed…
Titusville City Mall Plan Goes Before Council TITUSVILLE — A preliminary master plan for transforming the Miracle City Mall site into a retail, office and residential development has gotten over its first hurdle and will be heading to the Titusville City Council on Tuesday. The proposal would drastically revamp the 30.86-acre site of the nearly…
House & Senate review Florida’s Economic Development Confidentiality Statutes During the final committee week for the 2012 legislative session, lawmakers met to discuss Florida’s current Sunshine exemptions as related to economic development. The Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism met on December 7 to discussPCB, 7014. This legislation renews economic development confidentiality statutes that are…
Competition Brief Professional architects, landscape architects, intern architects, urban planners, engineers, artists, students, and other design professionals are all eligible to apply Purpose: Tuscawilla Park serves as an integral downtown asset to the City of Ocala. Historically the park has served as the City’s central park where city-wide events were held and the congregation of…
