PANAMA CITY — City commissioners took a $35,000 step into the unknown during Tuesday’s meeting. Acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board, commissioners embarked on a pilot program offering residential housing grants in the Downtown North district. The program is the first of its kind in the CRA to allocate $35,000 as “gap fill” money…
In the face of depressed economic conditions, the past four years have brought significant achievement and national recognition to the city of New Smyrna Beach. This progress is the result of collaboration, dedication to the city’s vision by staff and city leadership, and the good stewardship of previous administrations. With this strong foundation the future…
BROOKSVILLE — The citizens task force evaluating commercial properties for Brooksville’s federally funded Brownfields program will meet Wednesday to determine which ones warrant further investigation for contaminants. An initial list of more than 80 potentially hazard-laced properties has been pared down to 10, based on a scoring and ranking method that also considered the likelihood…
Sharply changing tack, the owners of a downtown Miami lot where the remnants of a prehistoric Tequesta Indian village have been unearthed launched an attack Thursday on the archaeologists responsible, calling their conclusions about the site “hokum” and “a joke.’’ In an interview Thursday, an attorney for MDM Development Group, which plans to build a…
On February 12, 2014 Fernandina Beach City Hall was the venue for a two-hour joint special meeting of the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) and the Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Board (CRAAB). Agenda topics included the FBCC’s expectations for the CRA, potential CRA expansion up to the 2% limit imposed by the City Charter, the…
Business owners are getting it — the revitalization of Ocala’s downtown is for real. Even in tough economic times, Magnolia Avenue from Southeast Second Street south to the S-Curve at Southeast 10th Street is experiencing a renaissance. Little by little, buildings south of the Marion Theatre are being spruced up. Young entrepreneurs with fashionable niche…
Mayors Come to the Capitol to Support Cities Agenda Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn didn’t have much time to rest after returning from India on Wednesday night. Just a few hours later, early Thursday morning, he hopped aboard a plane to fly to Tallahassee, where he spent most of the day lobbying Gov. Rick Scott and…
$214 Million Automated People Mover Complex at Orlando International Airport The state will put $214 million into construction of the Automated People Mover Complex at Orlando International Airport, Gov. Rick Scott announced this week, connecting the airport and a future rail terminal where All Aboard Florida passengers will alight. All Aboard Florida, the proposed express…
Miami-Dade poll: Voters want Las Vegas-style casinos About 56 percent of likely Miami-Dade County voters want Las Vegas-style “destination resorts” casinos, according to a new poll that shows solid support across party lines. Hispanics back the concept the most: 60 percent said they would favor a proposed state constitutional amendment to allow up to three…
PANAMA CITY — A surge in grant applications has the Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) reorganizing one district’s process of awarding projects with tax funds. The CRA will establish one competitive grant cycle for the Downtown CRA district’s remaining fiscal year, which runs through September. Projects will be accepted for consideration until the close…
Business owners are getting it — the revitalization of Ocala’s downtown is for real. Even in tough economic times, Magnolia Avenue from Southeast Second Street south to the S-Curve at Southeast 10th Street is experiencing a renaissance. Little by little, buildings south of the Marion Theatre are being spruced up. Young entrepreneurs with fashionable niche…
For the sixth year in a row, city government officials, staff members and residents met to discuss the city’s focus on the future. The Monday night meeting, which intended to gather public input for city commissioners before they begin budget meetings, gathered about 70 members of the community to voice their opinion on topics ranging…
