Good News From Florida’s CRAs

Members of Clermont City’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) unanimously voted their support for the proposed Clermont Center Lake Botanical Garden. The development is part of Clermont’s Main Street’s larger Phase 2 streetscape, a continuous corridor running from SR50 to 8th Street and onto Lake Minneola. Main Street is a non-profit driven by Clermont business owners…

A Fort Myers community staple since 1965 may soon get a facelift. First steps are underway in an effort to expand and upgrade the Edison Mall. The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency recently approved an agreement with Bowman Consulting Group to conduct an air rights study on the mall. The cost is $100,000. The Cleveland…

Dunedin’s proposed downtown parking garage cleared a major hurdle April 21 when Pinellas County commissioners unanimously agreed to amend an agreement with the city governing the use of Community Redevelopment Agency tax increment financing funds. The amendment raises the authorized indebtedness cap from $6.594 million to $7.35 million, enabling the city to take on additional…

The city of Lakeland prides itself on showcasing art throughout the city. Now, city officials are hoping to use art to draw even more people to local businesses. They’ve launched a “Mural Passport” that highlights both art and businesses. Bob Fisher owns Southside Dry Cleaners in Lakeland, a family business established in 1954. He took…

With major public and private investments underway, officials are working to turn Manatee County’s oldest city into a destination of its own, one that balances growth, tourism, and redevelopment with the charm of its historic roots. The Palmetto Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is leading several projects designed to improve the downtown area and waterfront while…

Over the past two years, the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency has purchased roughly half a dozen properties across the city — the majority in the Midtown area. What exactly is the CRA doing with these properties? Valerie Vaught, the CRA manager, said that is the question constantly asked by the public and elected officials. Vaught…

 A new piece of public art was officially unveiled as Osceola Arts, in partnership with the City of Kissimmee’s Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Agency, hosted an Earth Day ribbon cutting for the latest addition to the city’s ARTisNOW Public Murals collection. The ceremony took place at Mosaic at Lake Toho, located at 110 Lakeview Drive, where community…

A splash of color can make a huge difference in attracting people downtown and to other districts.A new initiative in Lakeland is enhancing culture and driving economic development. At By the Chef Pizza, don’t call their pie Sicilian or Detroit-style.”We call it our focaccia deep-dish pizza,” Peter Garces, owner and executive chef of By the…

Turns out two gators have been standing sentry over the Gainesville hotel that never was. Who knew? “I’ve been driving and walking past the Seagle building for 58 years, right?” Mayor Harvey Ward said. But it wasn’t until John Fleming, managing partner of Trimark Properties, took Ward on a tour of the 100-year-old Seagle Building…

The first phase of the long-awaited redevelopment of the Grove Manor public housing site in Lake Wales is poised to begin, according to a city press release. The first phase of development will include a community center and 78 apartments comprising one, two, and three-bedroom floor plans. New affordable and market-rate apartments will be constructed…

                    Work on the second phase of the 7th Avenue Bricking Project has wrapped up ahead of schedule, allowing Ybor City’s main drag between 17th and 19th streets to reopen Monday. The bricking, funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency or CRA, has been completed in phases,…

The Merritt Island Redevelopment Agency, in partnership with the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department, will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 23, for the recently completed Amphitheater at Veterans Memorial Park. The event is scheduled from 4:30-6 p.m. The communitywide celebration will feature the Veterans Memorial Center Color Guard and…

Orlando leaders are working to help first responders live in the communities they serve, launching a new housing effort in Parramore through the Community Redevelopment Agency. The city plans to sell eight newly built homes with down payment assistance, including an extra $10,000 for first responders. Officials say the goal is to strengthen connections between…