CRA board denies software developers request to rent Magnuson House ‘No’ vote means no tax revenue in building worth a fraction of what CRA paid BOYNTON BEACH —The historic Magnuson house, which the Community Redevelopment Agency paid $850,000 for in 2007, remains uninhabited and a reminder of one of the city’s bigger financial blunders. Despite…
DetailsEditorial: Working on our first impression A proposed arch over Interstate 75 where the new 42nd Street flyover crosses and would welcome travelers to Ocala has drawn mixed reviews since the idea was first unveiled last week at a City Council workshop meeting. Some citizens and council members were undoubtedly taken back by the estimated…
DetailsCounty Commissioners Vote to Designate Chemical Plant Site a Brownfield Area BARTOW | County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve designating as a brownfield area the KC Industries property near Mulberry. The 200-acre site on Prairie Mine Road has been used as a chemical plant since 1957. The contamination is the result of practices that…
DetailsWest Palm weighs 3 downtown hotel plans WEST PALM BEACH — To encourage tourism and a thriving downtown, city officials are preparing to sell the old city hall site, with its prime location near the waterfront, for a hotel. Some want to maximize the space with a tall building that will incorporate a hotel, apartment…
DetailsNew Port Richey approves demolition ordinance to combat blight NEW PORT RICHEY Demolition ordinance approved The city now has a demolition ordinance on the books to combat blight. The City Council unanimously passed the measure Tuesday evening that allows building officials to inspect abandoned properties, and if the structures threaten the public’s health or welfare…
Details‘Incubating Ideas’ Seven years ago while they were still in their 20s, Chad Kittrell, a bank executive at the time, and J.T. Burnette, an entrepreneur, founded private equity firm Hunter & Harp in Tallahassee. Since that time, the two have launched a half-dozen Tallahassee businesses, invested $30 million in completed projects, put another $16 million…
DetailsDeLand leaders OK downtown residential, business project DELAND — City Commissioners approved a redevelopment project Monday night that could potentially bring dozens of new residents and businesses downtown. The City Commission voted 4-1 to allow the Daytona Beach-based White Challis Redevelopment Company to move forward with the project at Woodland Boulevard and Church Street by…
DetailsAmong a class of 32 countries, Riviera Beach won the Bursary Award at the 2012 LivCom Conference in Al Ain City in the United Arab Emirates. We are the only US City to receive this award! The award includes a matching grant of 10,000 pounds for the Riviera Beach Heights Community Garden! CRA Employee, Annetta…
DetailsThe Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Division of Community Development, has completed a guide document in the Statewide Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning (PDRP) Initiative, which provides information on incorporating the guidelines into the long-term disaster recovery process. To access this document, please click here. Thanks to all of the members of our PDRP Focus Group and…
DetailsSt. Pete moves a step closer to adding regulations for bars ST. PETERSBURG — The City Council moved a step closer Monday to requiring bars to get a special permit to serve alcohol after midnight. While several council members and Mayor Bill Foster admitted that only a few bars cause trouble, the council voted 4-2…
DetailsBoynton Beach CRA formally looks for Magnuson House tenant BOYNTON BEACH —The board of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously at this week’s meeting to put out a formal request for suitors for the historic Magnuson home. The CRA had bought it in 2007 for $850,000; it was appraised at $180,000. It’s currently down…
DetailsGrowth in Pensacola the goal of first-time homebuyer loan program The City of Pensacola is launching a First Time Homebuyer Program to help eligible families and individuals buy a house with forgivable loans of up to $10,000. Expected to get under way in January, the program is a key initiative of Mayor Ashton Hayward’s urban…
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