Good News From Florida’s CRAs

The newest plans to revive historic McCollum Hall near downtown Fort Myers include a restaurant, music venue and business center. Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners approved the concept during its Wednesday meeting. Jeffrey Mudgett, one of the partners of Parker Mudgett Smith Architects, presented the plan to the Mayor and City Council members acting as CRA…

The proposed design for Pompano Beach’s new City Hall and parking garage has cleared two city review boards, moving the downtown civic project forward while drawing sharp criticism from some residents online. The new City Hall design received approval from the Architectural Appearance Committee on May 5 and from the Planning & Zoning Board on…

Restoration St. Louis and the Lake Wales CRA have reached a preliminary agreement that will lead to the redevelopment of the Walesbilt Hotel. The agreement will be considered at Tuesday’s meeting of the CRA board. Redevelopment of the historic building, which was under construction 100 years ago, has been high on a list of goals…

Part of the aging shopping center at the northwest corner of University Drive and Sample Road in Coral Springs is expected to be demolished as part of the first phase of the City Village redevelopment project, which is slated to begin construction later this year. According to a recent update from developer Amera, the building…

COMPLETE INFO – CLICK HERE   Florida lawmakers have filed SJR 2F and SB 4F, proposing major property tax changes, including increasing the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, reducing the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5%, and creating a path toward eliminating homestead property taxes. If approved by voters…

The City of Fort Lauderdale broke ground on a $42 million mixed-use project for affordable housing and commercial space, assisting residents who are still struggling to find places to live. The Aldridge and the Laramore along the historic Sistrunk corridor is a twin building project with 72 rental apartments and street-level retail spaces at 1204…

Downtown St. Cloud could be staring down a major makeover, as a Winter Park developer negotiates a roughly $60 million mixed-use complex on city-owned land just west of City Hall. The pitch, submitted through a city procurement to find a public-private (P3) redevelopment partner, is now under active negotiation with Community Redevelopment Agency staff and…

Last week, the Tampa City Council approved $35 million for a project known as Ybor Harbor. Ybor Harbor seeks to redevelop the dilapidated waterfront area between Ybor and Channelside. The $35 million from the Community Redevelopment Agency will go towards underground utilities, roadway networks, and a marine seawall at the site. All city council members…

St. Cloud city leaders are making the case that going bigger could mean paying less. At a May 14 city council meeting, Mayor Chris Robertson and council members defended a $60 million mixed-use development planned for downtown, arguing that expanding the commercial tax base is the best way to keep residents’ tax bills from climbing.…

Construction used to be a rare sight in Zephyrhills. Not anymore. “Right now we have more homes under construction in the downtown district than we’ve had in the last 10 years,” says Gail Hamilton, the Director of the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Spurring the change isn’t just the end of the economic Recession, but…

The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is advancing public safety efforts across its targeted redevelopment areas, including the Historic Northwest, Pleasant City, Northwood Village, and the Broadway Corridor, through several initiatives designed to deter crime, support local businesses, and improve the quality of life for residents. The comprehensive approach includes adding more on-the-ground private security…

The City Commission, acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency Board, voted unanimously at its May 12 meeting to spend $4.5 million for a property across Stuart Avenue from the historic structure at East Park Avenue and North First Street. The purchase, combined with property the city already owns, will create 165 additional parking spaces, City…

The Sunset Lounge in West Palm Beach’s Historic Northwest District has reopened after a long-awaited revitalization, marking its 100th year as a cornerstone of jazz, soul, and community pride. The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the City of West Palm Beach worked together to preserve the venue’s storied past while creating a…

After years of negotiations and failed stadium efforts, local leaders and the Tampa Bay Rays say they are now closer than ever to reaching a deal to bring Major League Baseball to Tampa. City officials, Hillsborough County leaders and Rays executives gathered Friday at Tampa City Hall to promote a newly negotiated non-binding memorandum of…

The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is advancing public safety efforts across its targeted redevelopment areas — including the Historic Northwest, Pleasant City, Northwood Village and the Broadway Corridor — through several initiatives designed to deter crime, support local businesses and improve quality of life for residents. The effort includes nearly doubling private…

From pickles to empanadas to plants to craft vendors, the Delray Green Market in Delray is always an option on a Saturday morning. The summer is fast approaching, and the end of the winter season is ending for the Green Market in Old School Square in Delray. But don’t worry, the Green Market will also…

The former Wachovia bank building in downtown Sebring has a few weeks to go until its renovation into an office center is complete. The Blackmon family, who is also renovating/restoring Harder Hall, acquired the building at 228 N. Ridgewood Drive in January 2024 from the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency. “It looks great. At this point,…