Good News From Florida’s CRAs

 A new piece of public art was officially unveiled as Osceola Arts, in partnership with the City of Kissimmee’s Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Agency, hosted an Earth Day ribbon cutting for the latest addition to the city’s ARTisNOW Public Murals collection. The ceremony took place at Mosaic at Lake Toho, located at 110 Lakeview Drive, where community…

A splash of color can make a huge difference in attracting people downtown and to other districts.A new initiative in Lakeland is enhancing culture and driving economic development. At By the Chef Pizza, don’t call their pie Sicilian or Detroit-style.”We call it our focaccia deep-dish pizza,” Peter Garces, owner and executive chef of By the…

Turns out two gators have been standing sentry over the Gainesville hotel that never was. Who knew? “I’ve been driving and walking past the Seagle building for 58 years, right?” Mayor Harvey Ward said. But it wasn’t until John Fleming, managing partner of Trimark Properties, took Ward on a tour of the 100-year-old Seagle Building…

The first phase of the long-awaited redevelopment of the Grove Manor public housing site in Lake Wales is poised to begin, according to a city press release. The first phase of development will include a community center and 78 apartments comprising one, two, and three-bedroom floor plans. New affordable and market-rate apartments will be constructed…

                    Work on the second phase of the 7th Avenue Bricking Project has wrapped up ahead of schedule, allowing Ybor City’s main drag between 17th and 19th streets to reopen Monday. The bricking, funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency or CRA, has been completed in phases,…

The Merritt Island Redevelopment Agency, in partnership with the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department, will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 23, for the recently completed Amphitheater at Veterans Memorial Park. The event is scheduled from 4:30-6 p.m. The communitywide celebration will feature the Veterans Memorial Center Color Guard and…

Orlando leaders are working to help first responders live in the communities they serve, launching a new housing effort in Parramore through the Community Redevelopment Agency. The city plans to sell eight newly built homes with down payment assistance, including an extra $10,000 for first responders. Officials say the goal is to strengthen connections between…

Three redevelopment projects are heading to the Coral Springs Community Redevelopment Agency board as part of an effort to upgrade key downtown properties along Sample Road and University Drive. The CRA will consider up to $277,505.50 in Commercial Property Enhancement Grants for three projects: A $100,000 request from Alex Lee to renovate a 1978 strip…

The City of Orlando’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) advances into the third phase of its affordable housing initiative, with the release of three new homes in Parramore to further expand access to quality, affordable housing. Designed to increase homeownership opportunities and provide more residential options within the neighborhood, the homes will officially go on sale…

Work is now underway on multiple segments of the West River BUILD Project — also known as the West Riverwalk — bringing to life one of the most transformative projects in the City of Tampa in decades. The project will add nearly two miles of new scenic riverwalk along the west side of the Hillsborough…

Hillsborough County on Tuesday outlined how a “public contribution” for a Rays ballpark could be structured, according to Villamil and Moske of the Tampa Bay Times. A presentation for Thursday’s county workshop breaks down how previously identified funding sources could support the deal. The Rays have requested $750 million from Hillsborough, but the presentation shows…

Riviera Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency has approved plans by Related Urban for a large mixed-use development project called The Gallery at Marina Village. The proposed 418-unit project would be located along the Broadway corridor and aims to help address the city’s workforce housing crisis impacting ‘missing-middle’ families. As one of the fastest-growing cities in Palm…

Construction has begun on a multi-story student housing complex on West Gaines Street that features 804 beds and a plethora of amenities, according to a press release. Hoar Construction, the general contractor on the $100 million project with Park 7 Group as the developer, said construction is expected to be completed in the fall of…