Lakeland’s city commissioners did something unusual last week — they talked with each other. Florida’s Sunshine Law bars commissioners from discussing city business with each other outside of public meetings. However, public meetings usually focus narrowly on the action items of the day, leaving little time for brainstorming or collaborating. So it was a new…
The Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust’s Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RAP) – which offers low-to-moderate income homeowners a $50,000 forgivable loan for roofing, plumbing, heating, ventilation and other structural repairs – will be bolstered by an additional $2 million in surtax dollars, according to the agency. MDEAT, at a board meeting last week, said it planned to exhaust an already allocated…
West Palm Beach is gearing up to host its 17th annual Celebrate Westgate event, a community gathering promising a day filled with fun, food, and festivities. The Westgate Park and Recreation Center, in collaboration with the Westgate Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), is setting the stage for an event that aims to knit the Westgate/Belvedere homes…
On Wednesday, the city announced a redesign of its website and the website for the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will launch on Tue., April 2. While the content on both sites will stay the same, a change in look and appearance will take place. “Changes to the color schemes, navigation menus, Home page buttons, banner…
Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners unanimously approved March 27 the findings of slum and blight analysis of 1,100 acres in the eastern part of the city and the East Fort Myers Redevelopment Area Plan. Both will be forwarded to City Council for final approval. LaRue Planning began working on reestablishing the revitalization plan for east…
Cape Coral Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners plan to emphasize parking and pedestrian connectivity in the South Cape Downtown Redevelopment Plan. The commissioners, made up of City Council members, agreed March 27 that pedestrian crossovers and parking structures should be categorized in the plan under mid- to long-term projects. Mid- to long-term projects are characterized by…
There will be a new farmers market coming to Glenwood this summer. A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was acquired to turn this dream into a reality. Farmers markets have become quite the commodity in recent years. It will be located on the corner of Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard and 15th Street.…
Clearwater hosted the city’s very first art mural festival in the Gateway neighborhood near downtown in March and hopes to make it an annual event. “We really are lacking art in Clearwater,” said Amber Brice, Clearwater Arts and Cultural Affairs Manager. “The easiest way to get a bunch of art in the city at one…
A Kissimmee company is seeking economic incentives to redevelop a downtown property that formerly housed part of a Coca-Cola bottling plant into a $1.1 million, 21,300-square-foot project dubbed Violet’s Garage that will include retail, restaurant, and other uses. 100 Honeymoons LLC is requesting $90,945 from the downtown Kissimmee community redevelopment agency’s Pioneer Project Incentive Program…
The Williston Area Chamber of Commerce recently held its March Lunch & Learn on March 14. The event took place at the R. Gerald Hethcoat Community Center and was sponsored by the Williston Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Lunch was provided by Cafe Trolley Deli & Dawgs. Laura Jones, Community Development & Grants manager for the…
New Port Richey city council members have approved the $1.1 million purchase of land fronting the Cotee River that has been a priority acquisition of city leaders for several years now. The property, known as the Montemayor parcel, is sandwiched between a boat ramp park to the south and the “Potter Property” to the north…
For a buck, riders can board a quiet green and white electric shuttle to and from the beach and other municipal locations in Lake Worth Beach and Boynton Beach. “These vehicles are a low-cost, safe, environmentally positive alternative to driving. We have one of the highest riderships to Tri-Rail, so this should provide the ‘last mile’ to our…
The Cape Community Redevelopment Agency discussed this week different measures that could be taken to further eliminate unsightliness and illegal dumping in commercial trash receptacles in city parking lots in the South Cape. Solid Waste Manager Terry Schweitzer said the receptacle enclosures aren’t kept clean, which is attracting rats, mice, birds, and insects and the…
Development grants and urban renewal plans are usually sponsored by a local organisation called a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). If you’re unfamiliar with what a CRA is, it’s essentially an organisation that helps revitalise urban areas. Tampa has eight different CRAs, with the one in East Tampa being one of the largest in the state.…
The wait is nearly over! Coastal Cruiser, the eagerly anticipated rideshare service by Circuit, is launching in Boynton Beach on Saturday, March 23, 2024. This innovative and environmentally friendly on-demand transportation solution will offer residents and visitors confidence and accessibility within designated areas of eastern Boynton Beach. The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and…
At the recent Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Meeting held at City Hall, residents and officials gathered to hear a presentation on the expansion plans for the Titusville Playhouse. The presentation, delivered by Steven Heron, the executive and artistic director of the Titusville Playhouse, showcased exciting developments that promise to transform the cultural landscape of the…
The City of Orlando is moving forward with plans to buy four properties in Orlando’s downtown area. Officials with the Community Redevelopment Agency say they plan to revitalize the four properties into public parks and a potential affordable housing development. City leaders say this is one way to further the city of Orlando’s goal of creating a safer and…
We talk about new developments in Southwest Florida all the time. But the aspect of re-development, especially in our local municipalities’ older, and perhaps blighted, downtown districts, is just as important to address. I recently caught up with the Executive Director of the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency, Michele Hylton-Terry, who brought me up to…
Updated plans and designs for Clermont’s Meet Us in the Middle Plaza and 8th Street docks have been released, paving the way for a new era for the city’s downtown area. Members of Clermont City Council officially approved funds for Powell Studio Architecture and Halff Associates Inc. to handle the project at a meeting on…
In just a couple of weeks, the city of Daytona Beach will launch a pilot program to have security officers patrol six days a week along Beach Street between Orange Avenue and International Speedway Blvd. City of Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry says between public and private investments, the city is spending over $100 million…
Steel sculptures are bringing a pop of color and design to Northwood Village, thanks to local artist Molly Aubry’s latest work, Prismatic Tessellations. The installation features geometric shapes and iridescent glass, adding a new layer of visual interest to the West Palm Beach community. According to a press release from the city, the vibrant steel…