Lake Worth NSP is NDC Finalist LAKE WORTH CRA NSP-2 CONSORTIUM SELECTED AS FINALIST FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL PROJECT AWARD LAKE WORTH, FL. — Late last week, the National Development Council (NDC) officially announced the semi-finalists for the NDC Academy 2013 Awards. The Lake Worth Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP-2) Consortium is one of six semi-finalists…
DADE CITY – Downtown Dade City Main Street closed its doors this week after more than 25 years of operation promoting the historic downtown district. The organization that had as its goal improving the appearance and economic stability of downtown Dade City had suffered a financial decline since 2007, said Downtown Dade City Main Street…
LYNN HAVEN — The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in Lynn Haven is recovering from the impact of the nation’s economic slump, according to Mayor Walter Kelley. Acting as the CRA board, city commissioners approved the annual fiscal report during Tuesday’s meeting. Documents show the city’s CRA fund balance was $896,155 in tax increment funds. Total…
MELBOURNE — After a fruitless seven-year quest, Peter Flotz has abandoned his ambitious plan to build a luxury Mediterranean-styled condominium tower or a Hyatt Place hotel in the heart of the historic downtown. These $20-million-plus projects would have injected dozens of high-income households — or up to 100 new jobs — directly into the downtown economy.…
PLANT CITY — The Midtown project is moving ahead after all. For years, the much-touted project to revitalize 85 acres in the downtown with a mix of shops, offices and homes has remained mostly an idea. But now, officials say, Midtown is poised to take a step forward. Bids from contractors to reconfigure Wheeler Street…
Palm Beach County and Westgate CRA to Celebrate Completion of 13 Homes March 20 March 18, 2013 On Wednesday, March 20 at 10 a.m., the Board of County Commissioners, the Department of Economic Sustainability (DES), and the Westgate/Belvedere Homes Community Redevelopment Agency (WCRA) will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 440 Cherry Road in West Palm…
The owner of Market Street at Heath Brook, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, is auctioning off the bulk of the 60-acre outdoor mall off State Road 200 as part of a foreclosure compromise. Absent the auction will be the 11.4-acre Dillard’s Inc. property, which the department store conglomerate purchased earlier this…
BOCA RATON — — The first crane has arrived in downtown Boca Raton, and soon others will be stretching over construction sites throughout the area. Work has begun on Camden, a 261-unit rental complex on a 2.21-acre lot between Southeast First and Second streets and Dixie and Federal highways. Construction notices have been sent out that…
The unique, 541-acre Lincolnville neighborhood is one step closer to becoming St. Augustine’s newest Community Redevelopment Area. At its regular monthly meeting Monday night, the St. Augustine City Commission unanimously approved, on first reading, two ordinances establishing the Lincolnville CRA. A CRA is a public entity, outlined by Florida Statutes, which is created by a…
DEO releases Planning Case Studies: Infill and Redevelopment Each of these reports focuses on a planning issue of interest to Florida communities. The reports revolve around practical case studies which highlight best planning practices. The goal of each report is to identify “shovel ready” planning solutions that can be implemented locally. If you have comments…
NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Most will say it’s the renowned beaches or the arts-infused atmosphere that comes to mind at the mention of this Southeast Volusia city. But among the beachside condos and frequent downtown festivals, golf courses and boat launches is a neighborhood struggling to deal with deteriorating buildings and lack of interest in…
VENICE – Twenty-five years ago, downtown Venice desperately needed help and its merchants and property owners knew it. Suburban shopping plazas had been siphoning off customers for some time. Already gone were many of the mainstay businesses that had made downtown Venice a place to shop for everyday goods and services — Dick & Meadows Pharmacy,…
State legislators Monday approved a request to audit the agency, which is in charge of eliminating blight and creating economic development in areas of the city. Sen. Joseph Abruzzo, D-Royal Palm Beach, presented the item during a committee meeting in Tallahassee and it was immediately unanimously approved. “It is my belief and intent to have…
The City of South Daytona completed the first section (both Phases I and II) of their US1 Streetscape project in January 2013. This project transcends a simple beautification project by incorporating aesthetic, safety and sustainability features into its design. Innovative project elements are visually attractive while enhancing safety along the corridor including undergrounding of utilities,…
The Community Redevelopment Agency decided it would be penny-wise and pound-foolish if it followed a recommendation by staff to discontinue funding of its major events. Therefore, the Community Redevelopment Agency will continue to spend $31,000 to fund events such as the four bike nights, the Arts Festival and other high foot-traffic events that draw upwards…
BOCA RATON — Before approving a development that would add more than 4,000 new car trips daily to downtown Boca Raton, most of the City Council members offered this concession: Yes, Boca traffic can be frustrating. Complaints that the area east of the 378-unit rental complex is already too congested are borne out in traffic…
In the redevelopment debate, county, cities should get to ‘yes’ This past week, the Volusia County Council voted unanimously to continue the countywide discussion regarding Community Redevelopment Areas (CRAs) for an additional 60 days. The main goal of this continuance was to ensure that all stakeholders involved — the county and municipalities — have accurate…
DAYTONA BEACH — After years of setbacks — hurricanes, economic crises, shuttered stores and crumbling husks of closed hotels — the struggling beachfront along State Road A1A might have found its way forward. A wave of new hotel construction and reopenings — including the building of a $150 million condo-and-hotel complex — is set to…
BRADENTON – Recession-battered merchants here are feeling more confident about the future as ambitious projects, such as the new theater, bring positive attention to the city’s urban core. The multimillion-dollar home for the Manatee Players caps off a string of new developments near downtown Bradenton that many officials and merchants believe can lift the community…
Developer Dan Bellows is asking Winter Park leaders to establish a community development district for his Ravaudage project. The districts, known as CDDs, have become an extremely popular mechanism for financing development since their creation under a 1980 state law. But is a CDD the right move for Winter Park? The City Commission is set…