The restoration of Tampa Union Station is quite literally bringing back a long-gone piece of the downtown landmark’s history. Thanks to community contributions, the nonprofit Friends of Tampa Union Station bought the historic train station’s original door handles and knobs from a collector in Miami. These collector’s items from a bygone era when rail ruled…
A new, affordable housing community is coming to Fort Myers, marking a significant step forward in addressing the region’s pressing need for attainable housing. Located at 2010 Hanson St. in Fort Myers, Bloom is being developed by Renaissance Development Group, in collaboration with Lee County and the city of Fort Myers. The 336-unit community will offer affordable rental…
Developers plan to transform the vacant lot that once housed Bradenton’s city hall into a 7-story luxury apartment building with nearly 400 units. The City of Bradenton’s Community Redevelopment Agency Board unanimously supported the idea at its June 11 meeting and moved the application forward. The action directed staff and legal counsel to create a…
In an area of downtown Tampa that was once part of the bustling Central Avenue Black business district, a historic building has undergone a powerful transformation. Kid Mason Community Center, which opened during segregation in August 1946 as the city’s first recreation center for Black residents, has emerged from a top-to-bottom renovation as a revitalized…
Clermont city councilors were given an update on the ambitious plans for the city’s ‘Meet Us in the Middle’ project at a workshop meeting June 17. The $11million project, that aims to put Clermont firmly on the tourism map, is being handled by the city’s Powell Studio Architecture. Plans to develop this area of downtown…
In the Downtown Tallahassee neighborhood, Phase one work on Bicentennial Square Park is complete. The Knight Creative Communities Institute marked the occasion today with an unveiling. Phase one improvements included enhanced lighting, a city-themed bike rack, plus new plants and signage. The whole goal? To get more people downtown longer. The park is located next…
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…
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…
