Good News From Florida’s CRAs

In the most recent newsletter from Pinellas County, various topics are addressed and discussed. Take a look by clicking here.   

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,…

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…

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…

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…

On August 23, 2018, the Florida Municipal Loan Council announced the closing of its 27th series of fixed-rate bonds, issuing $7.595 million of bonds. Using the FMLC’s bond program, the Series 2018A bonds were issued on behalf of the City of Bradenton to finance the construction of a public parking garage. Located in downtown Bradenton,…