Good News From Florida’s CRAs

Downtown West Palm Beach is a mecca of activity for all ages with shopping, dining and a nightlife scene where violent crimes are a rarity if not unheard of. Read full article

WEST PALM BEACH — The demolition of a dozen buildings on South Flagler Drive alarmed some nearby residents that yet another development project might be in the works near Family Church Downtown at First Baptist. But the church says they need to have faith. Read full article

WEST PALM BEACH — A proposal for an iconic downtown garage of world-class design got an informal go-ahead Monday despite reservations by some commissioners that they should consider other priorities first. Community Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Jon Ward had proposed the project at Banyan Boulevard and Olive Avenue, next to the former city hall site,…

BELLEAIR — The once-proud Belleview Biltmore Hotel, admired in its day as the White Queen of the Gulf, is coming down. Demolition crews have begun the months-long task of stripping and razing the 118-year-old hotel complex. The abandoned hotel property will make way for a town house and condominium community that JMC Communities plans for…

TEMPLE TERRACE — As a boy growing up in Columbus, Ind., Martin Hudson passed the time in church drawing cities on the back of the programs. So, planning Temple Terrace’s downtown — which to date has given a headache for the City Council — is fun for him. “Not only is it fun; we can…

Less than a year after it was launched, the Lincolnville Community redevelopment Agency’s (LCRA) first major initiative is already paying divi- dends in the community. Called Fix-It-Up the grant program helps homeowners make needed improvements on their homes. Earlier this spring, 64-year-old Lincolnville resident Willie Brown was the grant program’s first recipient when repairs were…

BOYNTON BEACH — Boynton Beach’s historic high school, Miami’s Coconut Grove Playhouse and Merritt Island’s Elliot Plantation all have something in common, and it’s not a good thing. The three historic sites are on the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2015 list of the 11 most endangered historic places. Read full article

LEALMAN — About three years ago, a county study identified the five poorest areas in Pinellas. Now Pinellas officials are considering trying something new — for them — to help lift the people in one of those areas out of poverty. If creating a community redevelopment area works in unincorporated Lealman, it could be expanded.…

For decades, discussions about housing development in Manatee County have focused on accommodating suburban-style development. Among the results: Suburbia is sprawling eastward, farther and farther from the county’s historic core. With the exception of master-planned Lakewood Ranch, the typical development is low density, dominated by single-family housing in subdivisions disconnected from commercial and community venues.…

VENICE – An old idea became new again as the Venice City Council decided to explore buying property to expand parking options. During a special meeting Wednesday to review funding big-ticket items over the next five years, the council decided the best place for a parking structure, or simply a parking lot, might be the…

BOYNTON BEACH — It’ll be months until Boynton Beach officials decide whether to renew the Community Redevelopment Agency director’s contract, but one city commissioner is already saying he won’t, unless her performance changes. At Tuesday’s CRA board meeting, Commissioner and CRA Board Member Mack McCray said he won’t attend private meetings with CRA Director Vivian…

BRADENTON — Bradenton officials Wednesday agreed to move forward with a vote to disband city community redevelopment agencies in favor of one CRA board, which would be made up of the Bradenton City Council. CRAs receive specific tax increment funds to pay for projects within district boundaries. The primary goal of each CRA is to…

PLANT CITY — City business and government leaders drew a panoramic picture of Plant City Tuesday, from its available acreage, to its easy-access transportation routes, schools, work ethic and amenities. Hosting its first-ever economic development forum, this community east of Tampa and west of Lakeland, known best as the winter strawberry capital of the nation,…

Miami-based Jaxi CMD LLC has purchased the old Cypress Club high-rise site in downtown Fort Myers for $4,675,000 and plans to begin sales for a luxury condominium there next year. If Jaxi starts construction in 2017 as planned, it will be the first high-rise to get underway in downtown Fort Myers since Oasis broke ground…

CLEARWATER — The city of St. Petersburg’s effort to transform its poverty-stricken southern neighborhoods took a major step forward Tuesday when the Pinellas County Commission endorsed a new approach to community redevelopment. The commission voted 6-0 to move forward with the Southside Community Redevelopment Plan — and to try to get it done on the…

On the first day in Boulder, Colorado, Tallahassee leaders and professionals got a taste of Pearl Street and the importance of supporting local businesses. Watch the video

If the RiverFest celebration Saturday was a coming out party for downtown Tampa’s expanded Riverwalk, then the Cannella Elementary rock band stole the show. Clad in Converse and sequined aviators, the kids drew a crowd of rowdy spectators as they belted radio hits and jammed to a song one member penned about her very curly…

PANAMA CITY — The Downtown Improvement Board is hosting a new way to explore downtown Panama City: a scavenger hunt. Visitors have until May 6 to return the Spring into Downtown Panama City Scavenger Hunt form to the DIB office at 413 Harrison Ave. Hunters can explore downtown businesses to find the answers to questions…

ZEPHYRHILLS — Zephyr Plaza shopping center in Zephyrhills may soon receive a face-lift with the property redeveloped as a storage facility along with a retail store and a restaurant. On Monday, the Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved a conditional use permit to allow a mini-storage, which was not permitted under the property’s current zoning. The…

TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY (THEA) REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES RFQ No. C-00815 Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority (THEA) is soliciting responses from qualified firms interested in providing innovative marketing and communications services that will inform current customers and the general public of THEA’s activities and provide support to THEA’s Communications Director. The…

CLEARWATER — Here’s another idea that’s being kicked around for moribund downtown Clearwater: Why not turn the center of it into a pedestrian mall? Downtown leaders have been debating the possibility of blocking off part of Cleveland Street to vehicular traffic. City staffers have been asked to weigh the potential pros and cons of a…