Germane Barnes, a 27-year-old artist who relocated six months ago from Los Angeles to Opa-locka, could be remembered as a pioneer in 2026. By then, when Opa-locka will celebrate its centennial, city officials and community activists believe the city with a reputation for violence and drugs, would have turned into a thriving arts district. Barnes…
State to Give Money to Study Frostproof CRA FROSTPROOF | It’s been seven years since Frostproof looked at forming a community redevelopment agency. Now it looks as if the state will pay for the city to study it again. Without discussion, the Frostproof City Council voted 4-0 this week to accept a $15,000 funding agreement…
Community leaders seeing new potential for downtown Tallahassee are days away from embarking on a project that will produce a detailed assessment of the district’s strengths and challenges, and recommend ways to guide its development. Directing the three-month study will be consultants from Montreal-based Live Work Learn Play. They will conduct a detailed review of…
Vincent P. Nolan, Jr. Awarded Recertification of Economic Development Designation Delray Beach, FL – Vincent P. Nolan, Jr., the Economic Development Director for the City of Delray Beach and the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, has been awarded re-certification by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) effective June 13, 2013. Mr. Nolan first achieved the…
State Study of Special Districts TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott sounded determined a year and a half ago when he demanded a thorough review of obscure special taxing districts that have the power to “tax, spend and incur debt at the expense of Florida taxpayers.” Scott was surprised that so many appointees who never have…
Adverse Ruling Would Significantly Undermine Downtown Redevelopment Initiatives On July 17, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in the case of Township of Mount Holly v. Mount Holly Gardens Citizens in Action, Inc. The issue before the Court is whether disparate impact claims are cognizable under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). If the Court were to…
Round Won in Legal Fight Over Proposed Development “Our view is that this is also a victory for the public,” Clauss said. “. . . overturning that lower court ruling really upheld that the public does have a right to be part of the process for land use changes. And the lower court ruling had…
Lake Worth, FL, July 1, 2013 – Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) and national non-profit KaBOOM! has awarded the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) a $15,000 Let’s Play Community Construction Grant as announced on June 28, 2013. The grant is part of ‘Let’s Play’, a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group to…
Delray Beach wants to stomp out blight. But it needs help. The Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, the organization in charge of eliminating slum and blight in the city, is conducting a series of meetings to capture the community’s vision for the future. The agency is gearing up to amend its redevelopment plan — the blueprint document that…
DeLand Mayor Bob Apgar, second from left, cuts the cake with the assistance of his grandson, 6-year-old Mark Munden, while MainStreet DeLand members Janet Dixon, left, President Savannah-Jane Griffin, and members Steve Burley and Susie Macon assist. In the rear, MainStreet member Arnette Sherman, Beacon staff member Pat Andrews and Beacon columnist Tanner Andrews watch.…
BROOKSVILLE — Brooksville’s staid, conservative image is about to get an artsy boost. Come October, downtown will be transformed into outdoor art gallery, with an array of sculptures. The proposal that will create the city’s first-ever sculpture walk was unveiled Thursday at the Brooksville Vision Foundation’s monthly stakeholders meeting. The venture, which will showcase 10…
SARASOTA – One of the most ambitious real estate developments planned for Southwest Florida during the mid-2000s housing boom is moving forward again, the most telltale sign of recovery since the local economy slumped seven years ago. Kolter Group LLC’s plan to resurrect its 18-story Grand Sarasotan luxury condominium project — albeit with a new name…
On June 17, the Fernandina Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board (CRAAB) met for a “debriefing” after a work session with the City Commission and Carol Westmoreland, executive director of the Florida Redevelopment Association. Individuals attending the Monday afternoon meeting were board members Mike Zaffaroni (chair), Andrew Curtin, Lou Goldman, Debra Stephenson, Marla McDaniel, and representatives from…
TEMPLE TERRACE — City attorney Mark Connolly said it may take several meetings between city representatives and the developer to come to a resolution over Downtown Temple Terrace, presumably on how the partners can end their business arrangement without a court fight. Vlass Temple Terrace and the city agreed in a first meeting held two…
Seven parcels of land on Whitehall Street. Four lots on Wallace Street. Seven lots on Cedar Street. Three on South Street. Three on Fulton Street. These are just some of the 53 parcels of city-owned land in Midtown that city officials want to put on the market, with some lots selling for as low $1,951…
The honeymoon is over. At a Delray Beach City Commission meeting Tuesday, accusations flew after city officials in a 3-2 vote blocked the nomination of former Mayor Woody McDuffie to the Community Redevelopment Agency board. The battle was divided among seniority lines, with commissioners who are serving their last term pitted against those who took office in…
TEMPLE TERRACE – Mayor Frank Chillura spent three days in New York City this week, networking with business executives in an effort to bring more economic development to town. The economic development mission to the Big Apple was organized and funded by the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., a partnership funded by public and private…
TEMPLE TERRACE – Two weeks after a meeting to discuss the future of the Temple Terrace Downtown Redevelopment District project, neither side will talk about what was accomplished. Officials from the city’s three-member committee and representatives of the developer, Vlass Temple Terrace, signed a confidentiality agreement, banning them from speaking publicly about the details of…
DELAND — After besting 11 other applicants for the job, D. Wayne Carter today will take the reins as the new executive director of the MainStreet DeLand Association. Carter succeeds Mary Beth Harris, who in early May announced her intention to step down to move to southwest Florida with her family. Harris’ last day on…
DESTIN — Councilwoman Sandy Trammell says the city has a “parking issue,” and revisiting open deck seating at businesses such as restaurants may be a good place to start. “We have no standard for any outdoor seating as it is,” Trammell said at a City Council meeting last week. “This isn’t going to affect anyone…
Landscaping, renovations will revitalize historic Manatee courthouse BRADENTON — New landscaping and other renovations will transform the grounds of Manatee County’s historic courthouse and integrate it with other improvements in downtown Bradenton. The project calls for war memorials that have long graced the courthouse grounds to be moved to its east side, sandwiched between the…