By the end of the year, Cape Coral will have hundreds of new apartments ready to lease as newcomers continue to discover Southwest Florida. Hurricane Ian slammed Cape Coral in September, but as it continues its recovery into the new year, project development scheduled for 2023 is moving forward. Florida was the fastest-growing state in…
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is pleased to announce the return of Heritage Fest to the Arsht Center’s outdoor Thomson Plaza for the Arts for its fourth consecutive year. Heritage Fest is a full day of free family fun celebrating Black heritage and excellence across South Florida. Heritage Fest…
County officials will soon weigh whether to allow a controversial affordable housing project to be built in east Gainesville after previously voting the project down last month. If they don’t, the effects could be costly. On Dec. 13, the Alachua County Commission voted 3-2 to withdraw its funding from the $25 million Dogwood Village housing project planned…
The building at 417 North Massachusetts Avenue in Lakeland, Florida began its life in 1964 as the chapel of a funeral home and was last used as a house of worship in 2017, when the Freely Forgiven Community Church closed its doors and the building was sold. Local historic preservationist and Publix heir Gregory Fancelli…
It’s not your imagination: People really are flocking to Florida. The Sunshine State had the fastest-growing population in the country last year — the first time the state has taken the top spot since 1957, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released last week. The nation’s third-largest state grew by 1.9% from July 2021 to July 2022…
As of Feb. 15, Clearwater nonprofits and service providers can now apply for $3.15 million in grants from the city’s federal COVID-19 relief funds. Earlier this year, the City Council divided the $22.4 million it received from the American Rescue Plan Act into a dozen broad categories. These categories include three grant programs to which…
Congratulations to the Margate Community Redevelopment Agency (MCRA), for winning the 2022 FRA Planning Studies Award for CRA Building Design Regulations. The MCRA Building Design Regulations both graphically and textually illustrate new design standards for developments within the redevelopment district of the MCRA. The document places heavy emphasis on pictorial images and diagrams to…
The Gaze Africana features a distinctive line-up of international Black artists and creatives, whose works represent African Excellence. Capturing “the gaze” connects us to another world – allowing us to look beyond – steadily and intently, in admiration, surprise, or thought. The Gaze Africana explores ideologies connected to African art. This deployment of contemporary Africana…
A Tesla facility in an underdeveloped St. Petersburg neighborhood announced in April is coming into the final stretch as construction wraps up. In a December interview, Rob Truett, a Delray Beach developer behind the highly-anticipated project in Lealman says the goal was to open by the end of 2022. That timing would be a nice capstone to…
Since 2016, more than 5,469 tons (10,938,000 pounds) of waste have been disposed of through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program. During neighborhood cleanups, crew members and volunteers visit different neighborhoods in the county to remove a variety of debris and waste free of charge. A neighborhood cleanup for residents in North Beulah will take place…
Congratulations to the Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency, for winning the 2022 FRA Outstanding Rehabilitation, Renovation or Reuse Project Award for the Sistrunk Marketplace and Brewery. The re-emergence of Fort Lauderdale’s Sistrunk Boulevard as a destination for entertainment and dining is being realized with projects like the Sistrunk Marketplace and Brewery. This project is…
The city of Brooksville’s Community Redevelopment Agency’s Executive Review Committee awarded a property improvement matching grant on Dec. 15 for Justin and Lina Noe, 705 Museum Court, Brooksville. The award was $20,000 to reroof; stabilize fireplace foundation; replace current apartment stairs and porch; and complete outdoor landscaping. All properties located in the Brooksville CRA district…
After decades of discussion about redeveloping downtown Clearwater, the city has made major headway in recent months that, if all goes well, should turn all that talk into action. Since the start of fall, voters have approved two major projects, a local developer with big dreams took the first step and a new Community Redevelopment…
The sound of voices of those hoping to open a cruise ship terminal to walkers, runners and cyclists amid downtown’s current and explosive growth is getting louder. But don’t expect that prime piece of waterfront to be accessible to the public when it’s not being used for cruise ships anytime soon. At a meeting of…
Marjorie Waldo, President & CEO of Arts Garage, today announced the nonprofit organization will present two fun events during the first week of January 2023: Popular cabaret star Jill Switzer will sign copies of her new helpful how-to guide The Contemporary Singer’s Blueprint: From Amateur to Professional and Beyond. The evening will start with a live…
Congratulations to the Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency, for winning the 2022 FRA Outstanding New Building Project Award for the L.A. Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center. Located in Fort Lauderdale’s Historic Sistrunk, the new L.A. Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center is a result of collaboration between the YMCA, the Fort Lauderdale CRA, and community partners. The…
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On December 21, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded more than $35 million to 48 Florida communities through Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for economic development, commercial and neighborhood revitalization, housing rehabilitation, and infrastructure improvements. Making investments in our small communities helps build opportunities for generations to come,” said…
The DeLand City Commission will meet Monday, Dec. 19, to discuss the site plan for the DeLand Commons apartments and more. Developer Atlantic Housing Partners is seeking approval from the DeLand City Commission for DeLand Commons, a 180-unit multifamily project along South Woodland Boulevard in Downtown DeLand that includes the site of the former Save…
When Debbie Marks first took the job as administrator of the Englewood Community Redevelopment Agency in December 2007, it was supposed to be a temporary assignment. That turned into a 15-year fourth act of a career that started when she was an Army reservist working as a congressional liaison, answering soldiers’ concerns at the U.S.…
Lakeland officials will decide what the future holds for South Florida Avenue and the surrounding Dixieland community Monday morning. The city commissioners will vote on what future to recommend for South Florida Avenue’s ‘road diet,’ a roughly one-mile stretch from Lime Street south to Ariana Street, to Florida Department of Transportation. FDOT officials said it…
It’s not a full-fledged, brick-and-mortar store (yet!), but Runrun Kids Store, a new toy shop that debuted last month in a St. Pete Pier kiosk, fills a large gap in downtown St. Petersburg’s retail scene. Although there are some shops in downtown St. Pete that sell a small selection of new toys, such as The…