Good News From Florida’s CRAs

Boca Raton city council members, in their role as the city’s community redevelopment agency board, gave their first stamp of approval to a major redesign of the Royal Palm Place Hotel project, trading a previously approved “parking plaza” for a seven-story garage to offset soaring construction costs. The decision on Monday marks a significant departure…

Ride DTO reached its 50,000th ride during one of downtown Orlando’s most energetic weekends, as IMMERSE 2026 and a full lineup of concerts, sporting events, and community gatherings brought thousands to the urban core. This milestone underscores the growing popularity of the $1 on-demand service and its role in providing affordable, convenient mobility options that…

Redevelopment of the landmark Walesbilt Hotel is officially taking a step forward as work is scheduled to begin on the removal of large amounts of debris which is stacked on the floors in the ten-story tower. The Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency has approved a contract with Bartow-based SEMCO Construction for the work, which estimates…

Theatre Park officially opened Thursday morning, Feb. 12, 2026, with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the City of Alachua and the Alachua Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), marking the completion of the park’s long-awaited downtown reconstruction. City commissioners, CRA representatives, and community partners gathered at 9 a.m. at the park site, located at 14900 Main…

The Orlando City Council on Monday will consider a $3.9 million pre-construction agreement with Turner Construction Company to design the Lake Eola Gateway Entrance and a new pocket park at 30 S. Orange Ave., a combined project estimated at $18 million that represents the first visible step in a sweeping downtown transformation funded by bonds…

The Century Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) now has $191,151.89 in the bank and will soon begin to consider how potential projects can improve blighted areas of the town. The five members of the Century Town Council and one citizen currently sit as the CRA board, which is expected to meet quarterly. However, a meeting this…

Pedestrians and cyclists are expected to have an easier time navigating Coral Springs with a handful of planned improvement projects. City planners and consultants looked at traffic and crash data, fielded citizen complaints and walked the city to identify five areas to improve mobility, connectivity and ADA access for those not traveling by vehicle. The…

For nearly two decades, Pensacola’s Westside plans have envisioned turning the former American Creosote Works property in Sanders Beach into a public park. For now, that vision remains on hold — not because of design disputes or local opposition, but because the land is still contaminated and the federal government has not yet secured all…

Margate is moving closer toward building artificial turf fields at the Margate Sports Complex. During the February 11 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting, the board passed a resolution to authorize Cale Curtis, the executive director, to negotiate an agreement with the highest-ranked firm, Nidy Sports Construction Company, based on a request for qualifications from companies…

Construction is underway on a $400 million renovation of Camping World Stadium at 1 Citrus Bowl Place near Downtown Orlando, in the city’s West Lakes area adjacent to Parramore and Lake Lorna Doone Park. The project, funded entirely through Orange County’s Tourist Development Tax, represents the most extensive overhaul of the venue since its 2014…

Riviera Beach officials have to choose between three developers who all have Riviera Beach developments under their belt. The developers have submitted proposals to build a mixed-use project on a prime Riviera Beach waterfront parcel. The coastal city’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) issued the request for the 90-acre site at 190 E. 13th St. last August. The agency…

Orlando’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is investing $30 million into “The Canopy,” a transformative project beneath I-4 in downtown. Part of the city’s updated DTO Action Plan, the redevelopment will convert nearly 10 acres between Washington and Church streets into a vibrant public gathering space featuring event areas, public art, pedestrian and bike paths, digital…

The Temple Terrace City Council unanimously approved Phase One of the Riverside Park project on Feb. 3, authorizing Halff and Associates to begin permitting and contract bidding. Phase One is estimated to cost $3.44 million, including nearly $950,000 in contingencies. The city has $3.8 million available, with about $3 million coming from its unassigned fund…

The City of Orlando has begun Phase 1 of its Magnolia Avenue redesign, installing fencing and closing the street between Livingston and Jefferson Streets for about six weeks. The project, a joint effort with the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), will convert Magnolia from a one-way to a two-way street, remove most dedicated LYMMO bus lanes,…

The Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) voted 5-0 to approve Resolution No. 2026-02-CRA, clearing the way for the assignment of multiple leases at Mizner Park. The action allows retail, residential, and office leases — including properties along Federal Highway, Plaza Real’s Phase II residences, Office I (now RH Outlet), and Office II — to…

Last week, the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) approved a $250,000 Business Attraction Grant to support the creation of a community-centered maternal health and wellness facility, helping address South Florida’s growing shortage of maternity care. The vision belongs to Olamina Properties LLC, a joint venture between Black-led nonprofits Southern Birth Justice Network (SBJN) and…

In a brief digital “open house” video shared on Facebook, entrepreneurs Yana Yanovska and Alex Yanovsky recently offered a glimpse at the progress of their Jellyfish Museum, steadily taking shape at 199 South Ocean Boulevard. The video makes it clear there’s more interior finishing work to do – it still looks closer to a construction…

The long-gestating renovation of Lealman’s 38-acre Raymond H. Neri Park was unveiled Saturday, a $10 million investment by Pinellas County government in the future of the unincorporated and historically underserved district. The ribbon-cutting was followed by the fourth annual Honey & Arts Festival, on the massive athletic fields (re-planted with new grass) near the new…