The Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency board voted to advance support for 801 East Whiting after a presentation from staff and the developer. Bee Parks, the CRA community development coordinator, told the board the project includes 22 workforce units with a 50‑year rent restriction and that the CAC recommended the $4,000,000 request. “This has a 50-year…
Five developers faced off this month for the chance to build a housing complex on public land in Riviera Beach’s urban core, a waterfront area that residential investors have long bypassed. City Council members, acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, selected Forest Development on Nov. 12 to build up to 450 apartments and 17,000 square feet…
The City of Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has completed its first home renovation project under the Residential Renovation Assistance Program, marking a major milestone in the city’s neighborhood revitalization efforts. The $24,073 project focused on replacing the home’s roof and windows—improvements that boost safety, energy efficiency, and curb appeal. Launched on October 1, 2025,…
The Council on Culture & Arts (COCA), Bond Community Health Center, and the Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) are proud to present a brand-new mural at the Bond Community Health Center, YouRx, located at 1549 S. Monroe Street in the Greater Frenchtown/Southside Tallahassee CRA district. This significant piece, created by muralist Myah Freeman (graduated FSU…
Tallahassee CRA Board Members and staff were delighted to attend the YouRx Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting that took place on November 12, 2025. As part of Bond Community Health Center’s mission, YouRx Pharmacy will offer compassionate, community-centered care and help…
A presentation of a retail recruitment strategy given at Wednesday’s Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board meeting pinpointed a $235 million opportunity gap in the city’s trade area. Garet Smitherman, portfolio director for Retail Strategies LLC, gave data on demographics, retail gaps, and peer analysis, identifying the need for more grocery stores and full-service restaurants. The city hired Retail Strategies LLC for $40,000 to provide retail recruitment services…
The keys are ready for people to move into their new homes at Latimer Crossing, a 92-unit mixed-income housing development at 3261 Cleveland Avenue. It offers first priority to people displaced from the now-demolished Southward Village. Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price has been following this federal grant project for months as it transforms distressed…
When it comes to fitness, it all starts with a strong core. The Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is following that strategy with its Restore the Core initiative, which it calls “a commitment to restore, reinvest in, and re-energize the heart of our community.” Through Restore the Core, the CRA will use feedback from Lakelanders to update…
The Fort Myers City Council on Nov. 3 approved an interlocal agreement with Lee County to continue operating the free seasonal trolley routes serving the downtown River District. Routes 500 and 505 will run from Nov. 20 through April 22, 2026. The total cost of $711,867 will be funded by a $355,933 Florida Department of…
The Ocala City Council will review a nearly $3 million incentive package for the revitalization of the Hotel Marion property in downtown Ocala, including the waiver of building permits and impact fees, the donation of a $1.25 million parking lot, and the payment of a $650,000 grant over five years. During its regular meeting on…
After a 3-year-long battle over who would operate the historic Sunset Lounge in West Palm Beach, the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is now in charge after it decided not to negotiate any longer with Vita Lounge, and the venue is set to finally open next week. A spokesperson with the City of West Palm Beach…
Lakeland’s Community Redevelopment Agency is inviting residents to an open house on Thursday, Nov. 6, to help revamp its visions for Downtown, Midtown and Dixieland. “Restore the Core” is a yearlong project to modernize the plans that guide investment in Lakeland’s three redevelopment districts. When: 6 to 9 p.m. Where: RP Funding Center, Lake Hollingsworth Room (near Entrance 2),…
The City of Kissimmee announced late last week it has expanded its Residential Property Improvement Program (RPIP) to include the Vine Street Community Redevelopment Agency (VSCRA) and updated it for the Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency (DKCRA), enhancing support for local homeowners. Additionally, a Department of Justice grant will provide $750,000 to fund six new sworn…
The Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency voted Jan. 13 to authorize the CRA executive director to enter negotiations with the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition (CULC) for a lease and development agreement to create a mini container-village on four adjoining parcels at the northeast corner of North Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Tangerine Drive. CRA assistant…
The Pompano Beach City Commission is preparing to authorize up to $137 million in long-term financing for construction of a new City Hall and parking garage, a centerpiece of the city’s ongoing downtown redevelopment. The proposal, to be discussed at a special joint meeting of the City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) on Wednesday,…
The City of Tampa’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) took home four top honors at The Planning Commission’s 43rd Annual Planning & Design Awards last week. The annual event recognizes projects that enhance quality of life, strengthen economic development, and preserve the region’s natural and historic assets. This year, the Tampa CRA was recognized for its…
Just a few short years ago, the historic heart of Overtown, Miami’s original Black neighborhood, lay desolate and lifeless just steps from Biscayne Boulevard and downtown. There were few if any shops, few homes, not a single grocery store, but lots of vacant lots, the result of decades of demolition, disinvestment and abandonment. Today, the…
Port St. Lucie City Council voted unanimously Oct. 20 to approve first reading of ordinance 25-67, which authorizes the mayor or her designee to execute a stadium operating agreement with the City of Port St. Lucie Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and Ebenezer Stadium Operations LLC for a 6,000-seat multiuse stadium on a portion of the…
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves plans to move ahead with a now $10.3 million “Reimagine Palafox Street” project, if the City Council approves using additional funds. The city had previously budgeted $9 million for the project, but the winning bid for the project came in over budget, and with additional “soft costs,” the total overage the…
The Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) voted unanimously on Thursday to spend $5 million to install a wide walking trail, sidewalks on both sides of the street and roadside trees on S Meridian Street. The CRA is overseen by the city commissioners and mayor, though it’s legally a separate entity from the City of Tallahassee.…
The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fort Myers has approved two rebates for major developments. One is a home ownership project in Dunbar; the other a downtown hotel. The city council met Wednesday as the Community Redevelopment Agency, or CRA, approved a $5.6 million rebate for Towles Garden. A developer wants to build…