The University Area Community Development Corporation (University Area CDC) has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Tampa Bay Times, from results based solely on an employee feedback survey. “This award, coming as it does from our employees, reinforces why we spend extra effort rewarding our hard-working staff and ensuring that they feel…
Mike Field’s vocation is being vice president of credit risk for JPMorgan Chase in Jacksonville. His avocation is being an entrepreneur that helps others build their businesses in the urban core. “I think Downtown is a unique environment. It’s an opportunity waiting for solutions,” said Field. He helped develop Northeast Florida’s food truck movement, Jaxsons…
In presentations to the Manatee Chamber of Commerce on Thursday that mostly touted their cities’ recent revitalization accomplishments, Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston and Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant also said that pending legislation would harm those ongoing efforts. Florida House Bill 13 — filed by Rep. Jake Raburn, R-Valrico — would prohibit the creation of…
A bill in the Florida Senate could, if enacted, work to phase out Community Redevelopment Agencies by 2037. Senate Bill 1770 passed the Florida Senate Community Affairs Committee on Tuesday, 5-3, and now goes for further review. The committee amended the bill to allow local governments to either create or continue CRAs by supermajority vote.…
ESJ Capital Partners, a full-service asset management firm based in Aventura, Florida, today announced its latest acquisition – Jungle Island – the 18-acre landmark attraction located on Watson Island in Miami, Florida. The $60 million transaction includes transfer of the existing lease on the City of Miami-owned Watson Island to ESJ, along with assuming existing…
Nearly 200 city officials from all over Florida recently visited Tallahassee as part of the Florida League of Cities’ Legislative Action Days, where they spoke with state lawmakers about issues being addressed during the legislative session. Largo commissioners Jamie Robinson and Michael Smith were among those officials, and they shared the same concern as many…
Why are American malls dying? Conventional wisdom often points the finger of blame at Amazon and a desire for shopping from home in your pajamas, but a new analysis claims that the real culprit is competition from newer, better malls that aren’t feeling the same pain as their withering forefathers. While patterns of commerce in…
The Hamilton County Development Authority announced that Swift Straw of Atlanta will open its first Florida location in Jasper. Swift Straw, an agriculture-based business, will occupy the former ESP window factory warehouse providing needed redevelopment to the location. The company, which launched in 2011, has already hired nine full-time positions, with nearly 15 positions in…
Taking a stroll through Cascades Park in Downtown Tallahassee, it’s easy to see the benefits of CRAs. Community Redevelopment Agencies work with local governments and private contractors to restore blighted neighborhoods. In the case of Cascades, what used to be a vacant superfund site is now a sprawling green space with trails and an amphitheater.…
Prompted by the potential — and current inability — to provide affordable housing in Azalea Park, the Community Redevelopment Agency agreed at Tuesday’s meeting to amend the CRA Board’s plan. At a March 7 meeting, the CRA discussed housing at Azalea Park when George Curtis, the city’s director of planning/zoning and development, pointed out the current…
As part of its efforts to revive Station Square Park, the city of Clearwater is holding the first in a series of paint parties/art bazaars at the Cleveland Street Park. Painting in the Park – Art Bazaar at Station Square Park kicks off from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 1, and continues on the…
Chipley’s Community Redevelopment Agency continued looking at options for a variety of projects at their March 28th board meeting. Topping off their list was discussion of the Strategic Plan information garnered in recent community meetings. Surveys that were taken as part of the work highlighted the following areas of concern: Housing Code enforcement Spotty Internet…
