The Lake Placid Community Redevelopment Agency that meets Wednesday evening will be different from past CRAs. The Lake Placid Town Council in June agreed to add two new members to the CRA board, which before that vote consisted of four council members and Mayor John Holbrook. The two new members – Frank Hartzell, owner of…
The City of Tampa’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is pleased to announce the launch of the Housing Rehabilitation & Renovation Program (HRRP). The program aims to provide financial assistance for the renovation and repair of homes within the City of Tampa’s CRA Districts, ensuring safe and secure housing for all residents. Some eligible repairs that…
During the recent Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board meeting, Newberry Senior Planner Uma Sarmistha unveiled a proposal for a mural program aimed at enhancing the downtown Newberry area. Sarmistha’s presentation included slides showcasing several buildings that would serve as ideal canvases for murals, along with artist renderings that provided examples of potential artwork. Sarmistha detailed…
Located in West Palm Beach, the ongoing revitalization of the historic Northwest Neighborhood should serve as an example of what could happen in Jacksonville’s Historic Eastside as a result of Community Benefits Agreement funding. Located just northwest of Downtown West Palm Beach, the Northwest Neighborhood is a historic Black community that was first settled in…
Mayor Garrett Anderson asked if Holiday, who was terminated Friday, was requesting the board to approve one of the three alternatives. Holiday responded that yes, Funding Alternative 1 for $25,000 would be a grant funding request toward the Lakeside Historical Society “to use as directed.” Anderson asked if Buhr had reviewed the documentation of these…
The purpose of Florida’s Community Redevelopment Act of 1969 is to remove slum and blight from municipalities. In accordance with this act, the City Commission of Plant City established a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in 1981. The 1969 act allows communities to increase property taxes to finance improvements in a specified area. Plant City put…
The Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency is looking to purchase two homes on North Kentucky Avenue. City commissioners are expected to vote Monday on a proposed purchase agreement for the Lakeland CRA to buy 914 and 918 N. Kentucky Ave. from Gospel Inc. for a total price of $180,000. “This is purely an opportunity purchase,” said Valerie…
A Miami-based developer has formally submitted plans to the City of St. Petersburg that, if approved, would add a 49-story Waldorf Astoria-branded condominium tower to the downtown skyline. According to documents obtained by the Catalyst, the mixed-use development would soar 534 feet above 150 2nd Avenue South. That would make it the tallest building in St. Petersburg. Katie Cole,…
Construction of phase two of Tucker Ranch Park and Nature Preserve in Winter Garden will commence next month. The new 25.6-acre amenity (Tucker Ranch Holistic Health, Wellness, Teaching Farm and Family Activity Center) will be carved out of the existing 209-acre park. An onsite groundbreaking ceremony for phase two of the park will be held…
The City of Cape Coral’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is planning to purchase nearly 19 acres of land to the east of Bimini Basin in a strategic move to revitalize this part of the city. The CRA Board is set to vote on this item at a special meeting Wednesday, Aug. 7, at 4 p.m.…
Riviera Beach will hold virtual interviews Friday with five candidates who have applied to serve as executive director of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency. The city did not reveal the candidates, but an internet search indicated the five appear to be: Nikki Austin-Shipp, founder and managing partner of the N.A.S. Advisory Group, a technologies development…
Pensacola approved a lease to build 84 affordable housing units on the old Pensacola Motor Lodge property on Monday. The deal calls for 42 units to be available to active-duty military or veterans, an additional 42 units to anyone with eligible income levels, and at least five of the units to be rented to homeless veterans. All…
Multi-million dollar investments could be coming to downtown Tallahassee. The Monroe Street enhancement project is up for consideration, and if the plan gets approved some significant changes could be coming to Monroe Street between Jefferson and Call Streets. “As we work very hard to make our downtown become an 18-hour downtown, we need to also…
Dyson’s Plaza, a long-standing commercial property located in the heart of the historic African American community of East Winter Garden, will be revitalized thanks to a grant awarded by the City of Winter Garden Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) under the direction and advisement of the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board (CRAAB), and with the…
A project to brick Ybor City’s historic 7th Avenue commenced on July 29th in an effort to help calm traffic on a road that sees a significant amount of pedestrian traffic throughout the year. The bricking, funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency, or CRA, will be done in phases, the first, between North 15th and…
Haines City officials recently provided students in the urban and regional planning master’s program with an invaluable opportunity for collaboration — one that will also have a lasting impact on the rapidly growing Central Florida city for years to come. With the area currently undergoing a population boom with more residential and commercial developments on…
The board of the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency has advanced a massive, 25-story, $500 million project that would transform the city’s troubled Broadway corridor. On July 24, CRA board members unanimously accepted a staff recommendation that the Occulina project be considered for approval by the City Council. Given that the CRA board members are…
Renovations are coming to Zanders Park in east Winter Garden. The Winter Garden City Commission and the Winter Garden Community Redevelopment Agency approved the first step in the renovation process at the Thursday, July 25, City Commission meeting. The CRA approved the funding for the playground and site work renovations in the amount of $209,000, which includes a…
Fort Myers resident Debora Gillen has donated nearly $500,000 to a city agency to help with the construction of a park. The gift, of $431,732, will be used to construct a Common Ground Pocket Park in the downtown redevelopment area, according to a statement. The donation, the release adds, will be instrumental in transforming the…
A special Cape Coral Community Redevelopment Agency meeting will be held Wednesday morning for two items – Bimini Basin District and the former Cape Coral Golf Club. CRA commissioners will vote on an interlocal agreement between the City of Cape Coral and CRA regarding its participation in the city’s purchase of property in the eastern…
A new addition to Shady Park will honor four Hannibal Square residents whose contributions shaped the history of Winter Park. The Shady Park Pioneer Memorial will include busts of Ideal Womans’ Club founder Mary Lee DePugh (1878-1949), activist and founder of the Winter Park Advocate newspaper Gustavus Christopher “Gus” Henderson (1862-1917), and the first Black…