Author Archives: FRAstaff

Art Comes to Life: Osceola Arts, City of Kissimmee, and Snap Orlando Partner on Augmented Reality Murals

Downtown Kissimmee is now home to its first augmented reality (AR) public art installations, thanks to a collaborative effort between Osceola Arts, the Downtown Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), and Snap! Orlando. This groundbreaking project integrates Osceola Arts’ Art in Public Places mural initiative with cutting-edge AR technology, providing a vibrant and interactive cultural experience…

Corporate Housing to be Built for Gulfshore Playhouse Actors, Workers

Naples City Council approved a new corporate-housing concept that will allow traveling actors, designers and other theater professionals to live next door to Gulfshore Playhouse while they work, rehearse and perform. A four-level, 366-space public garage, the city’s third, is being built on the southwest corner of 12th Street and First Avenue South, west of…

Junkyard Operations in Dr. MLK Redevelopment Area Ended With CRA Facilitated Sale of Property

A junkyard operation has ceased operation in an area of Fort Myers earmarked as a redevelopment zone and aided by the sale of the property. The sale was helped by the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency, which facilitated the purchase of the business at 3312 Edison Avenue and 2419 Henderson Avenue through a “contribution in…

Lake Placid Gets Planning Help for Downtown

Lake Placid has agreed to hire an outside agency to plan the future of its downtown business district. The town will pay $40,000 to the Central Florida Regional Planning Council to develop a “downtown vision and action plan” for the town’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). The resulting land use and development parameters will guide everything…

When Thinking ‘Small’ Leads to Big Change

Located in Overtown, Palm Plaza has been a family-owned affordable housing complex for nearly 50 years. Purchased by Evans H. Starke in the late 1970s for $13,000, it has been providing homes to Overtown residents for generations. After Starke’s passing in 2020, his son Leonardo inherited the property. However, the building was in desperate need…

Environmental Assessment Planned for Former Bank Building

An environmental assessment will be conducted on the former Bank of America building in downtown Sebring, which was purchased in June by the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency. The CRA Board approved the quote from ECS (Engineering Consulting Services, LLC), for $4,375, to perform a pre-renovation asbestos survey, lead paint screening and limited mold assessment to…

New Murals Revitalize the City of Marianna

The artist, Kollet Hardeman began painting the murals two months ago. She spent 12 to 15 hours a day painting and says it can take up to a week to complete each mural. Before she began painting, Hardeman and Milsapp created digital designs of the 4-works of art for Main Street Marianna board members to…

Boca Raton’s Mizner Park Set for $800K in Improvements, New Look

Boca Raton’s Mizner Park district will be receiving a number of improvements and a new look to provide a more cohesive theme as the city prepares for events marking its centennial in 2025. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency on Monday approved a resolution appropriating $800,000 toward the improvements, which will be carried out in the…

Orlando Land Trust Donating Butterfly Garden to Lake Eola

Lake Eola Park, a beloved centerpiece of downtown Orlando, is about to gain a new attraction thanks to the Orlando Land Trust (OLT). In a gesture of gratitude to the community, OLT has announced plans to donate a butterfly garden as part of its commitment to preserving green spaces in the city. The initiative comes…

Margate City Center Plans Take Shape After Proposals Unveiled

Development of the Margate city center property is moving toward the planning phase. On December 3, the Margate Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) listened to proposals from three developers for the 50-acre property along State Road 7 and the east end of Margate Boulevard. The CRA members, who are also on the commission, said they want…

North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency Launches $30,000 Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program

The North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (NMCRA) has unveiled its new Residential Rehabilitation Program, aimed at enhancing the curb appeal and structural integrity of homes within the community. Applications for the program will be open from November 4 to December 13, 2024, offering eligible participants grants of up to $30,000 for exterior property improvements. The…

Destin’s Third Decade Marked by Recession, Oil Spill, Dog Park, and New Boardwalk

This year, Destin is observing 40 years of incorporation, and the older Destin gets, the more things are happening. Earlier this year, The Destin Log started looking back at the past 40 years, taking it in bites, one decade at a time. Sandy Trammell, who was recently elected to office, reflects on the city’s history,…