LAKELAND | A new plan, new leadership and a new sense of camaraderie has brought new optimism about downtown, district leaders claim, but can declarative sentences about the city’s central business district be written by an alphabet soup of organizations? Yes, Julie Townsend said, grimacing at the phrase that she admits she might have first…
Frank and Fran Hilgenberg didn’t plan on celebrating Theatre Downtown’s 25thanniversary this way. The husband-and-wife team behind Orlando’s most iconic community theater is packing up a quarter-century’s worth of props, costumes and equipment while looking for a new venue. “I’m trying to keep from crying when people walk in because they’re coming in with tears…
Boca’s skyline is getting another bump in height — a fourth downtown building will be allowed to rise to the maximum height allowed in Boca Raton‘s core area, the City Council decided Monday. The vote was 4-1 in favor of the condominium project Tower One Fifty-Five, which will be on the 100 block of East…
City commissioners talked over their frustrations with various Sarasota problems on Tuesday at an unusual informal meeting. Among those problems were a Downtown Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency that is soon to expire, a series of projects that have proven difficult to manage and the city’s lack of affordable housing. Recently appointed commissioner Stan Zimmerman had…
NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Developers of a proposed beachfront hotel off Flagler Avenue, which has been vigorously opposed by many residents, have scaled back their plan by 32 rooms. A 114-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott could be built on about 1.5 acres just north of the Breakers Restaurant and Lounge, which sits beside the Flagler…
DELAND — More than 150 citizens, business owners and civic leaders responded to a call from city officials for ideas on how to spend $429,000 that became available after a proposed downtown development fell through last year. A roundtable discussion on downtown projects was held Tuesday night at the Sanborn Activity Center. Assistant City Manager…
This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is issued by the City of Miami Beach, Florida (the “City”), as the means for prospective Proposer to submit their qualifications, proposed scopes of work and cost Statement of Qualifications (the “proposal”) to the City for the City’s consideration as an option in achieving the required scope of services and…
University of Central Florida trustees on Thursday provided a glimpse into which degree programs might move to downtown Orlando and how much money it would take to build and run the new campus. The trustees approved a working plan after members from the Florida Board of Governors, whose support is key to winning state funding…
Delray’s expanding Community Redevelopment Agency staff is outgrowing the historic home that serves as its headquarters. So the agency board discussed two options: Build an addition to the 2,800-square-foot house. Or relocate the office, which is currently at 20 N. Swinton Ave. At a recent board meeting, board members discussed a proposal that would add…
BARTOW | After nearly three years without a director, the city has hired a new executive director to lead Bartow’s Community Redevelopment Agency. K. Stephen Cox II, a program manager with the Panama City CRA, is scheduled to begin his new job Feb. 9, said City Manager George Long. He was chosen among 17 applicants…
WEST PALM BEACH — A north side advisory board for West Palm Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency voted Friday not to pull money from its budget for a Northwood learning center hoping to get a $175,000 grant to expand, but instead to ask that the CRA come up with the cash. On Friday, the advisory board that…
The postcards marked urgent and “third notice” began arriving about a year ago, heralding what? James Williams didn’t know. They invaded the 76-year-old’s mailbox weekly. “How much longer before I hear from you!?!?” one card shouted. “I’ve done all I can to reach you,” another pleads. While the formats vary, including handwritten letters that upon…
