Future of Port Orange’s Riverwalk Project Could Be Decided With expectations dramatically lowered, city leaders are hopeful a potential land swap or sale that would add to a future riverfront public park will be the impetus to kick-start the development of Riverwalk. City officials are considering the possible exchange with local developer Buddy LaCour and…
Getting the Job Done: Tony Otte, New Smyrna Beach Redevelopment Chief Elected officials make policies that affect residents but getting the job done is left to city staffers like Tony Otte, director of the city’s community redevelopment agency and also economic development director. “This is a very exciting time for the city of New Smyrna…
Top Ten Facts About Public-Private Partnerships Public-private partnerships are just what the name implies. Public-private partnerships are a contractual arrangement whereby the resources, risks and rewards of both the public agency and private company are combined to provide greater efficiency, better access to capital, and improved compliance with a range of government regulations regarding…
ALERT: Executive Order by Office of the Governor – Review of Special Districts STATE OF FLORIDA – OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR Executive Order Number 12-10 (Review of Special Districts) “The Governor has determined that it is appropriate and necessary to conduct a deliberate and thorough review of all special districts in the State of Florida…
Creating a Citizens’ Master Plan for Revitalization On September 21, 2010, the Board of County Commissioners (Board) unanimously approved the Medical District area as a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). This action demonstrated recognition of the need to revitalize the CRA area and the will to positively impact the historic residential and business center of Charlotte…
Clearwater CRA is turning its East Gateway into an eating and shopping destination, making it more “walkable” by upgrading its sidewalks and street lights, adding more retail space and affordable condominiums and focusing on business development. City Manager Horne said that the city had previously put its emphasis on Clearwater Beach and downtown, and it’s…
The City of Tampa has approved an amendment to Bayside’s contract for services within the Drew Park Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) to implement four streetscape and beautification projects within the CRA. Bayside will be supported by David Conner and Associates as the landscape architecture firm. Read full article
New Smyrna Beach eyes partnerships to accomplish goals As Southeast Volusia moves toward the future, the challenge and key to success rests in working together through a tough economy, a strategy that has helped rejuvenate New Smyrna Beach’s historic downtown and promises growth there in years to come. Whether it is the private and public…
Gainesville Butler Plaza Expansion Ok’d The Gainesville City Commission on Thursday approved the massive Butler Plaza expansion that has been in the works for years, enabling the developer to add a town center-style shopping mall, big-box stores and 500 hotel rooms. Facts How they voted Butler Plaza expansion zoning Yes: Susan Bottcher, Todd Chase, Scherwin…
Downtowns define cities but making them thrive is tricky Fort Lauderdale has it. So do Delray Beach and Lake Worth. Margate and Boynton Beach are working on it. And Hollywood? It’s somewhere in between. A thriving downtown — an energetic nightlife scene, music and cultural events, a main street full of strollers and shoppers, diners,…
Reinventing Downtown Brooksville The Brooksville Vision Foundation shares its name, more or less, with a defunct and failed organization called the Visioning/Strategic Planning Initiative. It also has the same goal as that long-gone group — making downtown Brooksville a hub of commerce and culture. But here is what the new foundation does not share with…
DeBary Considering a CRA Seven years ago, DeBary rebelled at the idea of labeling part of the city as “blighted” to qualify for a special taxing program. Back then, objectors knocked the proposal to form a Community Redevelopment Agency out of the water. Now, the possibility has come up again. This time, the proposal comes…
Digital Animation Institute in West Palm Gets State License The Florida Department of Education has granted Digital Domain Institute a license to operate its experimental film animation school, paving the way for the company to start classes next spring. With the license, company officials say, they’ll be able to begin the certificate program in temporary…
New Port Richey Pushes for Action on Redevelopment City officials are anxious to ramp up redevelopment efforts of the Hacienda Hotel amid fears the historic structure could otherwise deteriorate beyond repair. Five years ago, Community Development Partners of Georgia proposed renovating the city-owned building into a boutique hotel along Main Street. But the city’s agreement…
Sebring Hiring New CRA Director The Community Redevelopment Agency took its first steps Monday, starting the process to replace its outgoing Executive Director Pete Pollard who announced at its last meeting he will retire on Feb. 29, after 30 years of service. The board looked at a revised job description for the executive director position,…
Ponce Inlet Historic Preservation A rope stretched across a private dirt road blocks access to the Pacetti House — the town’s oldest building. No uninvited visitors are welcome. They haven’t been for decades. But if all goes well for the current owner — the Greenacres Foundation — the secluded road will open in September 2013,…
Cape Coral CRA Makes Progress on Underground Lines A date has not yet been finalized to energize the underground transmission lines along Southeast 47th Street, but Community Redevelopment Agency Executive Director John Jacobsen promised lots of pomp and circumstance when that day does arrive. Lee County Electric Co-op is expected to run copper wires through…
Port Orange Considers Future of Old Police Station In an economy where beachfront condos can’t sell, a vacated old police station — a bomb shelter-like building — doesn’t stand much of a chance. But a commercial real estate company recently inquired with city officials about the availability of the station on Dunlawton Boulevard, which closed…
Titusville City Mall Plan Goes Before Council TITUSVILLE — A preliminary master plan for transforming the Miracle City Mall site into a retail, office and residential development has gotten over its first hurdle and will be heading to the Titusville City Council on Tuesday. The proposal would drastically revamp the 30.86-acre site of the nearly…
House & Senate review Florida’s Economic Development Confidentiality Statutes During the final committee week for the 2012 legislative session, lawmakers met to discuss Florida’s current Sunshine exemptions as related to economic development. The Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism met on December 7 to discussPCB, 7014. This legislation renews economic development confidentiality statutes that are…
Competition Brief Professional architects, landscape architects, intern architects, urban planners, engineers, artists, students, and other design professionals are all eligible to apply Purpose: Tuscawilla Park serves as an integral downtown asset to the City of Ocala. Historically the park has served as the City’s central park where city-wide events were held and the congregation of…