Good News From Florida’s CRAs

A $3.1 million renovation project at Liza Jackson Park that was originally expected to begin Monday has been rescheduled to start the week of Sept. 14, the city announced. The new timeline puts the project’s start after the Labor Day holiday weekend, which aligns with what city officials said during the Fort Walton Beach City Council’s March…

About a decade ago, the brothers were struggling with rising rent when they heard about a community meeting at Pompey Park. That meeting changed their lives—they learned about the Delray Beach Community Land Trust, a nonprofit that helps low-to-moderate income families buy and rent homes at prices they can actually afford. After a year of…

Orlando’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is offering financial incentives to business owners willing to open in certain downtown areas, including Church Street. However, the city had to pump the brakes on new applications after receiving more interest than expected. The CRA business program can provide businesses with up to a $300,000 match to get their…

City officials, the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), and “New Downtown” master developer RocaPoint Partners announced they have picked Boston-based Suffolk Construction as the contractor for the project’s anchor — the new Pompano Beach City Hall and adjoining parking garage to be built at 125 North Dixie Highway, next to Atlantic Boulevard. The press…

Walking in some areas of Pensacola’s westside will soon be safer. Between city and state dollars, $1.2 million is being invested to improve sidewalks. The city says the project will improve pedestrian safety and connectivity in this neighborhood. The improvements will include construction on sidewalks, curb and gutter repairs, pavement markings and preparation for future…

In February, the $125 million Bimini Square community opened to fanfare in the South Cape entertainment district. That may have been merely a warm-up act for developer Larry Nygard, president of North Dakota-based Crown Development, and his partners. At a Cape Coral City Council workshop July 29, Nygard proposed Bimini East, an adjoining mixed-use community…

From city leaders to local families, the Haines City community showed up Thursday evening to celebrate a project designed to bring people together for years to come. The City of Haines City hosted a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony at Myers & Wiley Field, marking the completion of a $1.3 million artificial turf project funded through…

The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) of Titusville and design firm AECOM recently presented a highly anticipated concept for the Broad Street Improvement Program. Stretching across five blocks from Lemon Avenue all the way to Veterans View Park, this ambitious project aims to completely reimagine the corridor’s 100-foot right-of-way. Incorporating previous feedback from residents and local…

Capodagli Property Company has been selected as one of the final candidates by the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to advance in the competitive process to redevelop CRA-owned properties along Broadway Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. The selection marks an important milestone in the ongoing revitalization of the Broadway Boulevard corridor. Through…

More than 110 years after students first walked through its doors, the Plant City High School Community Center (Historic 1914 High School Building) is entering a new chapter in its preservation story. The city is moving forward with nearly $2 million in exterior stabilization work aimed at protecting the landmark structure and preserving a piece…

West Palm Beach is expanding its public safety efforts with new mobile surveillance trailers that city leaders say will help deter crime and support police investigations in key neighborhoods. The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, in partnership with the West Palm Beach Police Department, recently introduced four portable closed-circuit television trailers that will be…

Flagler Beach government named the Compass Hotel by Margaritaville as the first recipient of a monthly beauty contest for its downtown district, an initiative cooked up by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board to pat local businesses and residents on the back for keeping up appearances. The hotel, whose owner, Manoj Bhoola, sits on…

Lakeland’s Midtown could see major changes under a new plan from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). For Denise Gilmore, Midtown isn’t just where she owns a business — it’s home. “My grandmother and my grandfather had this property, and I inherited it from them, and I wanted to bring something back to the neighborhood where…

Haines City Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Manager/Consultant Alex Abraham has a doctorate in biomedical engineering. But these days, he’s focused on restoring the health of his city, rejuvenating the properties within his community. The son of entrepreneurs, Abraham also does commercial development, property management and migrant labor transportation. But it’s his role as a corporate…

Between two grants and matching funds, the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency is looking to have more than $1.8 million for the construction of a motorsports museum in downtown Sebring. CRA staff is working to submit a grant application for Florida’s Cultural Division of Arts and Culture Cultural Facilities Grant Program requesting $500,000 for the construction…

Developers are moving ahead with plans for 175 workforce apartments and a community center after they won a nearly $3 million concession last week from Riviera Beach. The city’s Housing Authority is developing the $75 million Marina Annex Apartments with private partners three blocks west of Riviera Beach’s Marina Village, an area that is attracting…

According to FWB officials, the west side of the park, including the boat launch, is expected to be closed starting Monday, August 3, for construction. The work will include a new 832-square-foot restroom building, new parking for vehicles and boat trailers, a redesigned boat launch area, new sidewalks, and stormwater improvements. The $3.1 million project…

Mobile vendors could soon sell their wares along the 400 and 500 blocks of Cleveland Street under a proposed exception to the city’s vending rules, part of a broader effort to bring new life to the downtown corridor. The change is tied to the Cleveland Street Activation Initiative, a $500,000 program led by the Downtown…