Brian Sedar wants 5G access in San Francisco’s Upper Cole Valley neighborhood, where he lives. But then came the new utility pole with a bulky gray box that blemished his once-pristine views of the historic St. Ignatius Church and the waters of the San Francisco Bay. With the support of 115 neighbors, Sedar, a former…
In the most recent newsletter from Pinellas County, various topics are addressed and discussed. Take a look by clicking here.
Michael Beedie Northwest Florida Daily News April 21, 2019 Despite the benefits that community redevelopment agencies (CRAs) provide to cities across Florida each day – from public safety to infrastructure improvements – these agencies are widely misunderstood. This legislative session, bills have been filed in the Florida House and Senate (CS/HB 9 and CS/SB 1054)…
Lewis, Longman & Walker received the 2019 Business of the Year Award from the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches. LLW accepted the award at the Annual Business Awards Breakfast last week at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Every year the Chamber recognizes a business that has achieved remarkable results and accomplishments within…
Mark Cleary, lead architect on all Phase I projects at the Riviera Beach Marina Village, has announced that the Marina Events Center has been awarded a Silver LEEDS Certification. LEEDS, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. LEEDS provides a globally…
From bike lanes to better drainage, the Town of Lake Park held its second public meeting to reveal plans to improve Lake Shore Drive. At a workshop held at Town Hall, the plans included keeping Lake Shore Drive two lanes, but adding parallel parking on the west side of the street, sidewalks and bike paths,…
Philip Garrett Tampa Bay Times April 5, 2019 Legislation proposed in the Florida House and Senate is threatening the revitalization of communities across the state of Florida. HB 9 and SB 1054 aim to impose crippling limitations in an attempt to impede the creation of new community redevelopment agencies (CRAs) and eventually eliminate existing CRAs…
The city of Lynn Haven is currently operating without an official city manager and Mayor Margo Anderson is wondering if it should stay that way. On Friday, Mayor Anderson posted on her personal Facebook page asking the residents what they think about changing the city’s government The possible change would eliminate the need for a…
Every month, food delivery trucks pull up outside Allegheny County Housing Authority housing units and wait for volunteers to open the doors and begin unloading boxes of goods. It’s mostly produce—cucumbers, green peppers, apples, heads of cauliflower and broccoli. Some have minuscule bruises, others are in good condition but slightly past their sell-by (not expiration) dates. It’s…
The area just north of the City of Miami’s business district also has a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), the OMNI CRA, to focus on the alleviation of slums and blight and the provision of affordable housing. It is also the historic home of many African Americans. This area of Miami appears perfectly safe now, but…
Mitch Perry Florida Phoenix March 22, 2019 For the past two legislative sessions, state Republicans have tried to overhaul what’s called Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs) that finance improvements in blighted areas. The measures haven’t passed, but now there’s a new attempt in the Legislature that’s gaining traction. State Rep. Chris LaMarca, a Republican from Broward…
All seem to agree that Overtown has made admirable progress as it emerges from past public and private neglect and that much of that progress can be attributed to the area’s community redevelopment agency. As the historically Black neighborhood continues to overcome inherent socio-economic challenges, residents agree that they want to see the life of…
BAY COUNTY, Fla. – Construction along Front Beach Road will continue, thanks to a little help from the Florida Department of Transportation. The front beach road CRA started its work in 2002, completing several projects so far. The project improves water, sewer, power systems and also adds things like public transit and sidewalks. Currently, the third leg…
DUNEDIN — In what seems to many as three decades that have flown by, Dunedin’s downtown has been transformed into a showpiece and model for other cities to try to copy, an economic engine for the city and Tampa Bay tourist attraction. Downtown’s funding source, its Community Redevelopment Agency, celebrated its 30th anniversary Feb. 16…
The dream of building a place where people can come, stay and enjoy Vilano Beach’s unique barrier island community, and where people who live on the island can enjoy new amenities has been shared by past and potential business developers. Soon, the dream will become reality with the addition of two new hotels in Vilano…
LARGO — As more emphasis is placed on the future of downtown Largo, the scope and budget of a project that aims to make roadway and multimodal improvements to that section of West Bay Drive are getting larger. A representative from the engineering consultant tasked with creating the design plans, Pennoni Associates, presented city commissioners…
Largo’s long-sought downtown redevelopment is progressing, thanks to a mix of public and private projects along the West Bay Drive and Clearwater-Largo Road corridors. “I think we are at that critical point where we are starting to get both the city’s public investment and the private investment that will create a critical mass,” says Community Development…
Michael Simon Palm Beach Post March 17, 2019 Last year, a lack of public understanding surrounding Florida’s community redevelopment agencies (CRAs) – combined with some negative publicity and a grab for funding – led some state lawmakers in Tallahassee to believe all of these agencies should be completely eliminated. Thanks to the many residents, business…
Orlando, Fla. — Orlando, Florida’s City Council has approved the retail redevelopment and repositioning of One South Orange Building, which was built in the early 1900s. One Orange Development will lead efforts on the redesign, which will focus on 7,000 square feet of the ground floor retail space and deliver an updated canopy, glass wall system…
This article covers the activities of two South Florida Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs) to use PPP to alleviate slums and blight and provide affordable housing. CRAs are special governmental districts that operate using tax increment financing (TIF) to fund programs and projects outlined in a redevelopment plan prepared with Community input. TIF is the increment…
Kokolakis Contracting’s Artisan Apartment Home project won first place in the “FGBC Certified Green High-Rise Residential” category. This is an annual award given by the Florida Green Building Coalition for the highest scoring project in the entire State. This success starts with a community, and its leaders, who value and support sustainable development. It requires…